Media releases

• The business of hockey shaping Leafs arena experience, says Brock expert

  Monday, April 29, 2024 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY: April 29 2024 – R0055

  As the Toronto Maple Leafs look to extend their playoff run beyond Game 5 Tuesday, their fans are shaking off accusations of an arena gone quiet.

  Brock University Associate Professor of Sport Management Michael Naraine says the recent criticism of fans not doing their part from the other side of the boards is “unwarranted,” though there is need to examine the changing demographics in the stands.

  “Whether fans, affluent or otherwise, decide to lose their voice at a game is their prerogative, but the greater issue is the displacement of non-business-oriented fans for business-oriented ones,” Naraine says.

  The team’s overall performance is only part of the reason Leafs games are in high demand. There’s also the business world’s preference for hockey to consider as well as the fact that the Leafs play in the heart of Canada’s corporate capital, he says.

  Seats are being purchased by and associated with luxury suite holders and businesses, with the ticketholders often in other areas of the arena — or even still in transit — rather than in their seats during pivotal moments of the game. This, along with tickets businesses aren’t able to give away to employees or family members due to scheduling conflicts and other issues, gives the appearance of a quieter arena presence, Naraine says.

  The rising cost of tickets — especially with a “premium sport product” like the Leafs — is also driving change in the stands, he says.

  “Despite their lack of Stanley Cup wins in recent decades, contrary to some negative sentiment, the Leafs are a popular team and transcend local market status. They are beloved from coast-to-coast-to-coast,” Naraine says. “They are also despised by many, and that also drives attention to the product, too. It’s a draw for fans of other teams to purposefully purchase tickets to Scotiabank Arena to see their team beat the Leafs.”

  That equity, paired with inflationary pressures that are driving up costs both in and beyond the realm of sports, will continue to make it harder for those without significant disposable income to grab themselves a seat, he says.

  “Whether it’s the Leafs, Yankees, Lakers, Manchester United or even Taylor Swift, these experiences are going to cost more and more, and that trend is not going to fall — even as interest rates drop and more people can borrow money,” Naraine says.

  Brock University Associate Professor of Sport Management Michael Naraine is available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases

• Cellphone ban won’t address mental health, classroom concentration issues, say Brock experts

  Monday, April 29, 2024 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY: April 29 2024 – R0057

  While a ban on cellphones in Ontario classrooms will temporarily keep them out of students’ hands, the move will do little to support the mental health of youth across the province, say Brock University experts.

  Assistant Professor Naomi Andrews in the Department of Child and Youth Studies says that while limiting cellphone use in schools might reduce in-class distractions, it won’t address many of the underlying problems that impact the mental health of children and youth.

  “The focus seems to be on implementing a ban, and then enforcement — what the penalties and consequences are for not adhering to the policy — but that is not getting at the root causes of youth’s struggles concentrating in the classroom, such as mental health issues, peer relationship struggles or social media addiction,” she says. “Simply banning cellphones is not going to address all of these challenges, nor will implementing punishments for students who don’t adhere.”

  Andrews, who directs Brock’s Andrews Relationships Lab and is part of Brock Research on Aggression and Victimization Experiences (BRAVE), also says that banning cellphones could miss the mark when it comes to targeting the harms of cyberbullying.

  “Bullying in online contexts has the potential to be more problematic than bullying in person for many reasons, such as the chance for bullies to remain anonymous and reduced empathy caused by not being able to see the target’s response,” she says. “However, there is overlap between cyberbullying and in-person bullying, so bullying is going to persist in the classroom despite not having access to cellphones, and it is going to continue after school or on other devices.”

  For Andrews, the key is “to focus on building healthy relationships among peers.”

  “More attention needs to be paid to the underlying causes of these issues and supporting students in gaining critical competencies: social-emotional learning skills, social media literacy and relationship skills,” she says.

  Professor David Hutchison in Brock’s Department of Educational Studies says parents, teachers and social service providers all have an important role to play in supporting young people’s mental health.

  But, at the centre of that conversation should be the youth themselves.

  Hutchison says youth should be part of the conversation about the effects of social media and cellphone use on their personal lives.

  “Schools should work to create safe spaces for students to discuss how social media and cell phone use intersect with their social identities and feelings of self-worth,” he says.

  He believes schools can serve as common social spaces for teachers and upper elementary and secondary school students to discuss the reasons behind the cellphone ban, its goals, and the pros and cons of such a mandate.

  “In addition to cellphone use, the stresses of the post-pandemic era are also a significant contributor to young people’s mental health issues,” Hutchison says. “Banning cellphones in schools is not a remedy for all the mental health issues many youth are experiencing.”

  For young children in particular, meaningful interaction with physical materials in the real world — including nature — is key to healthy developmental growth, he adds.

  Naomi Andrews, Brock University Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies, and David Hutchison, Professor in Brock’s Department of Educational Studies, are available for media interviews on the topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256 

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  Categories: Media releases