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This article was published 9/7/2015 (1901 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

‘WE’RE number six’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but the Winnipeg Jets will take it. According to new poll results from Insightrix Research released Wednesday, the Jets are the sixth-most-popular team in Canadian professional sports in terms of brand strength.

The first and second most popular teams, the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, boast long histories and much larger home cities.

"I looked to see who was ahead of us and they've got the Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens who are 100 years old," said Dorian Morphy, the vice-president of marketing and brand development for the Jets.

"For us to be among that company is a tribute really to our fans... we're very honoured, but not terribly surprised. We're the smallest market in the NHL, but I think we've got the most passionate fans."

The Insightrix poll measured the sports teams' brand equity on five metrics: the first team that comes to mind; the amount of respect for the team; what team has the most loyal fans; which team is most popular; and which has the best stadium or arena atmosphere. Participants were also asked to predict what the outcome of the survey would be for each metric.

A Winnipeg marketing expert said he was impressed to see the Jets poll so high considering their relative newcomer status in Canadian professional sports as the relocated ex-Atlanta Thrashers.

"The Jets have done a great job reintroducing their brand in their local market. I think most people would say they barely have a misstep," said Kevin MacNeil, business development director at Metric Marketing.

MacNeil suggested one of the Jets' next marketing steps should be focusing on hooking young hockey fans.

"When I think about a sports franchise advertising, I think you have to keep the youth in mind at all times. We're reinventing a brand that was here (the 1972-1996 Jets), and our younger demographic doesn't have those same memories. So we have to put those distinctions in mind," he said.

"I think the Toronto Raptors are a great example with what they've done... the We the North (publicity) campaign was probably the best campaign run in Canada in the last few years."

The Saskatchewan Roughriders were the top CFL team, coming in at No. 3.

The survey, conducted between April 21 and May 5, included opinions from 2,700 sports fans, with 300 people participating per city in Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Regina, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

jessica.botelho-urbanski@ freepress.mb.ca