Are you jealous for Finnish Liiga

[Poro24]

Hello from Finland!

Heikki Hiltunen, Chairman of Finnish Liiga recently said that people in Sweden and Switzerland are jealous for Liiga because it's closed and there is no relegation.

So I would like to ask you Swedish people, are you jealous? Would you like SHL to have the same teams for the rest of the history and Allsvenskan teams to have no change for moving up to SHL?

When the Liiga's bottom teams miss their change for playoffs and sell all their best players, does that make you jealous?

Are you jealous that some teams will play about 30% of the season with a joke line up and junior players because there is no fear for relegation?

Thanks for your answers!

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[theslatcher]

No, I must rather have a relegation system than a closed league. And I'd like to think that's the majority's opinion.

 

[Lackhalak]

The correct answer is to merge the 2 leagues

 

[Aahlstroem]

That's a ridiculous statement by Hiltunen.

 

[Exarz]

Hello from Finland!

Heikki Hiltunen, Chairman of Finnish Liiga recently said that people in Sweden and Switzerland are jealous for Liiga because it's closed and there is no relegation.

So I would like to ask you Swedish people, are you jealous? Would you like SHL to have the same teams for the rest of the history and Allsvenskan teams to have no change for moving up to SHL?

When the Liiga's bottom teams miss their change for playoffs and sell all their best players, does that make you jealous?

Are you jealous that some teams will play about 30% of the season with a joke line up and junior players because there is no fear for relegation?

Thanks for your answers!

What is this guy smoking I follow Swedish hockey closely and I can confidentally say that relegation is the framework of Swedish hockey. People have complained that there is currently just one team getting promoted/relegated between SHL-Allsvenskan-Division 1 opposted to the previous 2 teams, and I don't even think anyone would seriously propose removing promotion/relegation. Not even the fans whose team has got relegated want to seriously remove this as it is so deeply rooted in Swedish hockey's identity.

As a side comparison, game 6 in HockeyAllsvenskan's final was the most watched hockey game (beating the gold medal SHL game), and game 7 being the third most watched game last season. I don't think they would reach these numbers without any promotion at stake.

 

[Poro24]

As a side comparison, game 6 in HockeyAllsvenskan's final was the most watched hockey game (beating the gold medal SHL game), and game 7 being the third most watched game last season. I don't think they would reach these numbers without any promotion at stake.

Wow. Love to hear that. Incredible!

 

[WayTooCold]

The problem with promotion and relegation. Is that most teams don't want to promote. They are happy to play in Mestis. They are simply too small teams to promote. Average 500 people watching. If they promote to Liiga theyu might average 600 people. Hockey is different to soccer where the only thing you need is somebody to cut the grass.

 

[BlizzardSloth]

Heikki Hiltunen, Chairman of Finnish Liiga recently said that people in Sweden and Switzerland are jealous for Liiga because it's closed and there is no relegation.

Regarding Switzerland:

Maybe some functionaries of (smaller) teams are jealous because they could plan with more long term security. Other than that, you'd have a hard time finding fans who would support the idea of a closed league.

 

[Gubbhornet]

The relegation/promotion creates a nerve which makes you follow your team regardless of their position. My team, MoDo, finally managed to get back up after 7 years in the second leauge. It was fantastic. But I can be honest, the 7 years in the second leauge have not been boring.

 

[Albatros]

The problem with promotion and relegation. Is that most teams don't want to promote. They are happy to play in Mestis. They are simply too small teams to promote. Average 500 people watching. If they promote to Liiga theyu might average 600 people. Hockey is different to soccer where the only thing you need is somebody to cut the grass.

That's because there are way too many teams, limit the two highest levels to genuine pro clubs and this issue goes away.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

The problem with promotion and relegation. Is that most teams don't want to promote. They are happy to play in Mestis. They are simply too small teams to promote. Average 500 people watching. If they promote to Liiga theyu might average 600 people. Hockey is different to soccer where the only thing you need is somebody to cut the grass.

Basically what @Albatros said.

Hockeyallsvenskan’s got a few of those teams struggling to get an average attendance of 1000 people in any given season, and they’re unlikely to seriously compete with the likes of AIK, Björklöven, Brynäs, Djurgården, HV71, Malmö or MoDo year after year, to name a few traditionally successful teams with big wallets and strong junior development programs that are or have been playing in Hockeyallsvenskan in recent times.

Make Liiga more exclusive company while reintroducing promotion/relegation and it’s still very unlikely that Finland’s hockey minnows finds its way into Liiga, even less so that they’ll have sustained success over the traditionally rich and powerful.

And if Keupa or something makes a cinderella run and snags a Liiga spot, then so what? They deserved it. Let’s just hope they aren’t screwed over like Karlskrona was by the SHL.

 

[psycat]

What is this guy smoking I follow Swedish hockey closely and I can confidentally say that relegation is the framework of Swedish hockey. People have complained that there is currently just one team getting promoted/relegated between SHL-Allsvenskan-Division 1 opposted to the previous 2 teams, and I don't even think anyone would seriously propose removing promotion/relegation. Not even the fans whose team has got relegated want to seriously remove this as it is so deeply rooted in Swedish hockey's identity.

As a side comparison, game 6 in HockeyAllsvenskan's final was the most watched hockey game (beating the gold medal SHL game), and game 7 being the third most watched game last season. I don't think they would reach these numbers without any promotion at stake.

The teams themselves have suggested it at times but amongst us fans I doubt many want's it. Also doubt it will happen, especially not while there is no Stockholm based team in SHL.

I certainly don't wan't it and "my team" is very much in danger of relegation based on the last handful of years.

 

[Bijelo]

This league is poorer than common.

 

[Bijelo]

Finn military is stronger than Liiga.