University of Waterloo researchers look into what keeps hockey fans hooked

Researchers at the University of Waterloo want to know what happens to the brain when fans watch hockey. CTV’s Heather Senoran reports.

Researchers from the University of Waterloo are monitoring brain activity to find out what keeps hockey fans hooked on watching their favourite sport.

While watching a game, the brains of die-hard hockey fans reacted differently compared to casual viewers, according to their study.

The study involved 20 University of Waterloo students who watched the first period of a 2018 European Hockey League game while hooked up to a non-invasive device known as a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

“We didn’t want to show a Leaf’s playoff game or anything like that because presumably even the more casual fans might already have preconceived notions,” said Luke Potwarka, a professor and co-author of the study.

Researchers analyzed the brain activity of participants wearing the device.

“So based off of these different channels in the headband, we can see as people are say sitting watching a sport game, how blood flow is changing in different parts of the brain,” said Adrian Safati, PhD candidate the Department of Psychology.

More blood flow usually means more excitement, even if there isn’t much going on in the game.

“There was actually no scoring. And we carefully intentionally chose that game because presumably that key moment would have been the same to both,” said Potwarka.

Researchers found that it wasn’t scoring opportunities that caught their attention but the brain activity during offensive faceoffs. Researchers said those who were hockey fanatics were more engaged during those times compared to non-committed viewers of the game.

“They see something in the works in motion and they have this greater understanding of how that might be unfolding,” said Safati.

This was the first study from the Spectator Experience and Technology Laboratory at the department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.

The team said it won’t be their last.

“We want to see how does it look in basketball, what are the key moments? What are the moments of active activity and engagement that us viewers might have and those different types of sports?” said Potwarka.