The Montreal Canadiens hockey team is a cultural institution and symbol of French-Canadian identity. The team was formed in 1909 to represent French Canadians and create a rivalry with anglophone teams. The media played an influential role in encouraging this attachment, and today, more than 65 percent of all sports media coverage in Quebec is devoted to the Montreal Canadiens. The team’s success helped disempowered French Canadians feel proud, and the players’ shared cultural and ethnic background with their fans heightened the attachment French-Canadian fans had with their team. The Canadiens soon became the national team of French Canada.