TORONTO — Rogers Sports and Media shared Tuesday some of the latest trends it’s been tracking during the Covid-19 pandemic, showing Canadians are even more excited for the return of sports than they were in June, and retail sales are bouncing back.
Canadians are most excited about the return of the NHL (67%), followed by MLB (43%) and NBA (41%), according to an Angus Reid survey conducted on behalf of the broadcaster. When consumers were polled back in June, those numbers were 54% for the return of the NHL, 31% for MLB, and 32% for NBA.
Statistics Canada recently released updated retail sales numbers that show Canadian retail sales jumped by almost 19% from April to May. According to Bloomberg calculations, by the end of June, sales were at about 100% of pre-pandemic (February) levels, said the Rogers message to ad clients.
Among the other trends shared by Rogers, a recent poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of IG Wealth Management reveals Canadians’ financial confidence remains relatively stable in 2020. Ipsos’ Financial Confidence Index concludes Canadians have more money left over each month and their money situation lets them enjoy life more this year compared to last year.
And giving a tip of its hat to its Toronto Blue Jays franchise, Rogers says with the team’s return to play last Friday in its first game of the shortened MLB season, viewership is already up 11% (up 40% for A25-54) compared to the same time last year, according to Numeris data.
