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ESPN Reveals the Most Miserable Sports City in Canada - And It's Not the One You Expect

Originally posted on Hockey Latest | By Daniel Lucente | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 5:15 PM ET

ESPN has just revealed that Vancouver is the most miserable sports city in Canada, with Edmonton coming in as the best one among all Canadian cities.

Any Vancouver sports fan is familiar with the disappointment that tends to follow the city's team. In a recent ESPN segment, Vancouver tops the list as Canada's most 'miserable' sports town.

The ranking considers fan experience in the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, MLS, NWSL, and WNBA. Fans can enter the Canadian teams they follow and determine how awful their overall experience has been, rated on a 1-100 scale.

Here is how the Canadian cities rank:
Vancouver: 89
Ottawa: 88
Calgary: 87
Montreal: 84
Winnipeg: 82
Toronto: 69
Edmonton: 63

Despite being the 'best' Canadian city on this list, back-to-back Stanley Cup Final defeats drop Edmonton into misery, maybe because playoff seasons counterbalance decades of mediocrity.

Despite the Leafs not winning the Stanley Cup since 1967, the Raptors and Toronto FC Salvaged Their Ranking

Toronto, though beset by the Leafs and Blue Jays' playoff failures, is salvaged by Toronto FC's title in 2017 and the Raptors' 2019 championship, putting them slightly more miserable than Edmonton.

Meanwhile, the Whitecaps are on their best streak ever, but it doesn't erase decades of suffering from them and the Canucks. Ottawa and Calgary are also up there relatively high, although their suffering is more pertaining to one NHL team.

It's notable that the poll leaves out several leagues, such as the CFL, PWHL, and other pro leagues, so it doesn't paint a picture of Canada's sports world. Nonetheless, it paints a clear picture of frustration at the top.

For Vancouver Canucks and Whitecaps fans, the message is simple: unless the Canucks or Whitecaps win, the 'most miserable' banner isn't going away anytime soon.

This article first appeared on Hockey Latest and was syndicated with permission.

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