The Vancouver Canucks and their Bandwagon Fan Base: An explanation of a love-hate relationship

Vancouver Canuck fans are notoriously known for their “bandwagon” status by those on the outside looking in. I, for one, will gladly admit to being one of those diehard bandwagoners. For those of you who know me personally, I don’t think there is any question about my support for any of our hometown sports teams in Metro Vancouver, let alone the Canucks. However, I think I can provide some insight into the bandwagon phenomena and even as to why it’s justified.

The Vancouver Canucks were established 40 years ago as an official NHL team in 1970. However, professional hockey had become well established in Vancouver and the west coast since the Vancouver Millionaires won the Stanley Cup back in 1915. Hockey in Vancouver was, and remains, just as Canadian as it is back in the eastern provinces; citizens of western Canada pride themselves on their country’s national identity and have provided an array of teams that proved that. The Vancouver Canucks would become one of these teams and they continue to have an excellent fan base established in the Lower Mainland, even extending out across Canada. Although local Canuck supporters currently provide one of the best venues to play in -having accomplished 290 consecutive sellouts at General Motors Place starting back on November 14, 2002- we are probably one of the most difficult crowds to please. Canuck fans willingly let their team know when they are displeased and a bad loss or poor effort is almost always greeted with a torrent of boos and jeers against their hometown team.

I recall going to a game a couple years ago accompanied by a friend from Ontario who is as big of an annoying Toronto Maple Leafs fan as they come. The Canucks were playing against Nashville so as a loyal migrant to the west coast, she was happy to cheer on our boys in blue and green. The game was anticipated to be in favor of a Canucks victory but this prediction –about as accurate as a Vancouver weather forecast- would prove just as disappointing. By the third period, the Canucks were down 4-1 and a lackluster effort was felt by the fans from the Vancouver players. It wasn’t long before the crowd let their team know just exactly how displeased they were and even went to the extent of cheering on the visiting Predators at one point That’s right, Vancouver fans are just as coordinated to spite their team as they are to motivate them. My company for the evening couldn’t believe the experience she was having as it was like nothing she had encountered attending many Maple Leafs games back home. That was when I had to explain the situation in Vancouver, the overall feeling where winning and a consistently elevated level of effort are held to a much higher standard than most cities in North America.

So why are Canuck fans so hard to please? Well, in a nutshell, after 40 years and only two Stanley Cup Final appearances, Vancouver fans are only willing to accept a heart-filled post-season run as success. You don’t have to take my word for it, just watch the change in atmosphere when the Canucks accomplish a playoff bid. The majority of fans in Vancouver will go with their home team as the front contender for Lord Stanley’s mug no matter what terrible or superb odds the experts iterate. Nonetheless, if the Canucks bow out of playoffs early or do not make the cut altogether, Vancouverites will scream revolution demanding someone pay the price with their job for another frustrating season.

In the end, the final question is: Are Canuck fans justified in holding such a high standard for their team resulting in a pressure for success that is unrivaled by their peers? Simply put, yes, they are. Let’s break it down for those of you who may still be on the fence:

First, the Canucks are one of six Canadian teams in the 30-team NHL; as disgusting of a fact as that is, considering Canada is the front runner for hockey talent in the world, that just goes to show how much fan support these teams have concentrated behind them. Subsequently, this unwavering support is translated into money as we must remember that the NHL is a business in the end and the amount of money a team has usually translates to their success or visa versa. Money is obviously not a big issue in Vancouver as sell-out crowds, sponsorship, merchandising and the ability to sign semi-retired superstars to play out their less than fruitful last games as a NHL player, seem to reflect that we have the funds to pay for the team we need. So, we have the support, the money and it has undoubtedly been the case for at least the past eight years. Now, comparatively, let’s look at the Canuck’s record for the past 10 seasons (we can’t keep holding on to that 93-94 run although it was the best run EVER): Three division titles (‘04, ’07, ’09), two seasons without a playoff appearance (’06 and ’08) and at best, an inability to move on from the division semi-final (overall quarter final in the NHL playoffs). Any NHL expert would have to agree that 10 years, never mind 40, would be more than ample time to develop a Stanley Cup winning team with the resources the Canucks and Vancouver have at hand. Yet, Canuck fans across the globe continue to patiently wait for that banner to be raised at GM Place.

Conclusively, not all aspects of the Canucks problems have been covered in this lengthy blog entry but from a fan’s perspective I don’t believe that all were necessary. From our viewpoint, we are indisputably justified with our bandwagon status; for as much as we have invested in our NHL team, the payout has been less than satisfying with the exception of a few seasons. Now, with all that being said, as apart of the diehard bandwagon Canuck devotees, if one asked me who my front runner for a Stanley Cup victory is this season, well, it’s Vancouver of course. Just be sure not to take that steadfast devotion as a sign of satisfaction; as easy as it is to hop on the bandwagon, the same goes for jumping off. Dissatisfaction with the Canucks can and has seen Vancouver give a colder shoulder to the team than the ice the players skate on. However, when the Canucks have a winning season, make the playoffs and ensuingly have a respectable run in them; the decibel level, towel power, and the support of millions will reassure the players of the foundation their fans provide for them to finish the job.

It has been 95 years since the Stanley Cup was raised in Vancouver and that is a statistic every Canuck fan should be aware of. Whether or not you believe that number to reflect the reality of the situation, it is a fact nonetheless and not something for a Canadian city as prestigious as Vancouver to be proud of. Although it’s fair to say we should not dwell on the past, it should forever be a reminder to Canuck personnel that their city is overdue and deserving of Lord Stanley’s Cup; any result that does not provide or come close is unacceptable.

Chanting “Go Canucks Go!” but only when they’re winning,

Matias M. Barchman