Stanley Cup Playoffs Take a Toll on the Health of Canadians, StubHub Poll Finds

StubHub provides heart rate monitors to fans during round two of Stanley Cup Playoffs

TORONTO, April 28, 2017 /CNW/ -- A recent MARU/Matchbox survey completed by StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, revealed that 33 per cent of Canadians find watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs stressful. However, the potential impact to fans health doesn't end with the final goal, as one in four Canadians revealed they feel depressed when their team is eliminated from the postseason. In Toronto, the number of fans experiencing the post-elimination blues registered at 31 per cent.

To help keep postseason stress in check, StubHub is giving away a limited number of heart rate monitors via social media to StubHub users in Ottawa and Edmonton as part of its #FansWithHeart campaign so they can keep their health in check as their hometown teams compete for playoff glory.

"The survey reminds us just how much Canadians love hockey and live experiences," says Cameron Papp, Communications Manager for StubHub Canada. "The impact of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Canadians' health is real, and we want to ensure fans are equipped to deal with the potential stress the playoffs bring."

StubHub has teamed up with a number of Canadian doctors, including Dr. David Greenberg in Toronto, to provide fans with tips to relieve playoff induced stress.

"First and foremost, hockey fans need to try to accept that there are events you can't control," said Dr. David Greenberg, St. Joseph's Health Centre in Toronto. "However, stress can be managed by eating well, getting enough sleep, and engaging in regular exercise."

Other tips include:

• If you feel overwhelmed, take a break from the game and go for a walk to cool down.
• Try to maintain a positive attitude, no matter what the score of the game is.
• Take deep breaths and visualize your team scoring the winning goal.

Other highlights from the survey include:

Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals is nearly as stressful for Canadians as paying their mortgage. 1 in 2 Canadians (50%) indicate they would feel stressed with their team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. 56% of Canadians feel stressed paying their mortgage.

Canadian fans may take actions that negatively impact their health. 1 in 5 Ottawa residents (21%) consume more alcohol than normal as their team competes in the playoffs. 1 in 7 Edmonton residents do the same. 1 in 8 Canadians (12%) lose sleep during the playoffs, especially those living in Toronto (19%).

The playoffs can be a major distraction from work, school, and personal commitments for many Canadians. 3 in 10 Canadians (31%) check score updates regularly during work or school hours, when their team is playing. 1 in 5 (21%) Ottawa residents have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

About StubHub

StubHub is the world's largest ticket marketplace that enables fans to buy and sell tickets to tens of thousands of events, whenever they want, through our desktop and mobile experiences, including our StubHub app for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android. Offering a superior fan experience at its core, StubHub reinvented the ticket resale market in 2000 and continues to lead it through innovation. Our industry firsts include the introduction of the first ticketing application and the first interactive seat mapping tool. Our business partners include more than 60 teams in the NHL, CFL, MLB, NBA, MLS and NCAA, AEG, AXS and Spectra Ticketing & Fan Engagement. With the acquisition of Ticketbis in August 2016, throughout the world, StubHub provides the total end-to-end event going experience.  StubHub is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY).  For more information on StubHub, visit StubHub.com or follow @StubHubCA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or YouTube.com/StubHub.

A DEEPER DIVE

METHODOLOGY
An online omnibus survey was conducted between April 19^th and April 21^st, 2017. StubHub commissioned a survey through MARU/Matchbox among 3,021 Canadians aged 18+. Results were broken out by region, gender, age, income, and education in order to make demographic comparisons. The estimated margin of error for the total sample is +/- 1.8%. The estimated margin of error for the sample in each of the cities with teams competing in the playoffs are as follows: Montreal (+/- 4.7%), Toronto (+/- 4.8%), Edmonton (+/- 9.0%), Calgary (+/- 9.7%), and Ottawa (+/- 9.7%).

MORE FINDINGS

• 1 in 7 Canadians (14%) have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 21% of Ottawa residents have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 17% of Toronto residents have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 15% of Edmonton residents have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 15% of Calgary residents have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 14% of Montreal residents have cancelled plans with family/friends to watch their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

• 1 in 7 Canadians (14%) drink alcohol more often than normal when their team is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 21% of Ottawa residents drink alcohol more often than normal when their team is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 16% of Montreal residents drink alcohol more often than normal when their team is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 16% of Toronto residents drink alcohol more often than normal when their team is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 14% of Edmonton residents drink alcohol more often than normal when their team is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• 12% of Calgary residents drink alcohol more often than normal when their team is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

• 1 in 2 Canadians (50%) say their team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals would be stressful
• More Toronto residents would feel stressed with their team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals (59%), than Montreal residents (50%).
• 54% of Ottawa residents would feel stressed with their team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
• 53% of Calgary residents would feel stressed with their team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
• 52% of Edmonton residents would feel stressed with their team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

• 1 in 3 Canadians (33%) say watching their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is stressful.
• 37% of Ottawa residents say watching their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is stressful.
• 37% of Edmonton residents say watching their team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is stressful.

SOURCE StubHub

Cameron Papp, [email protected], http://www.stubhub.com

Related Links

http://www.stubhub.com