Canada wants to host WJC every 3 years. Good/bad?

[jekoh]

Dude you are DEAD WRONG here - Canada and the US were not allowed to host the IIHF World Championships - you can read this in the IIHF's history pages on their site.

When was that ? Thirty years ago ?

 

[jekoh]

Of course I would rather hockey be more popular in other parts of the world

Popularity of the WJC and popularity of hockey are two different things. Youth sport in general is far less popular in Europe. Nobody really cares about U-21 football championships, still football is huge.

there has never been a Canadian entry to this EIHC, or any other of the Top-7 nations for that matter.

I think Slovakia took part in one of those tournaments, maybe last season.

 

[jekoh]

You shouldn't give too much credit to that kind of issues in Switzerland as they mostly come from people trying to raise controvery between the different language communities. Hockey is popular in every part of Switzerland, the reason why the 1998 worlds championnships were held in German speaking cities was a business decision.

And it's not like Basle is know as a hockey hotbed. IIRC, their club team was in the third tier at the time.

 

[jekoh]

Too many Europeans still think the World Championship is the big tourney.

How many WJC players would make the WCh ? Two ? Three ?

The simple fact is that Canadians support this tourney like no one else does. For that reason alone they should get priority in hosting it.

They do.

 

[stv11]

Incorrect
Both Canada and the US were not allowed to host it. Look at this excerpt from IIHF.COM

That was in 1975, I'm pretty sure that rule was abandonned a long time ago. And even if it wasn't, had Canada been interested in hosting a WC in the 90's, it would probably have been lifted as it is basically "cold war" rule.

And it's not like Basle is know as a hockey hotbed. IIRC, their club team was in the third tier at the time.

That's right, but among the 5 main cities in the country, they were the logical choice (good arena, geographical position).

 

[Macman]

Basically every major hockey event takes place in North America ... of course, everyone here is going to tell me that home ice advantage doesn't exist, but from what I've seen, the USA, and especially Canada are almost unbeatable at home. So I guess you XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (censored) up your ass.

Got it?

Ooh, somebody's cranky. Actually, Canada's hardly unbeatable at home. Canada has hosted the world juniors six times and won just two of them. Its nine other gold medals were won on the road. And when was the last time a home team won the senior worlds?

 

[Macman]

The tournament should be held in Canada every three years for a number of reasons:

1. Money. It is the only place where a profit is a certainty. And, yes, Wilka that is important otherwise the tournament would fold like a cheap tent.

2. Exposure. Every year we hear the same thing from non-Canadian posters on these boards. "Where can I see the games?" Or *****ing because their countries aren't showing them. We've had almost 30 years to build exposure to this tournament and the only place that really cares is Canada. It's as simple as that.

3. Atmosphere. Players from all countries deserve to play in front of a ravenous, packed, hockey-mad house that appreciates how important this tournament is. The players and officials who come to the world juniors when it's held in Canada are blown away by the atmosphere. A meaningless relegation game in Halifax two years ago between Germany and the Swiss, I think it was, was added to the schedule late in the tournament and drew 7,000 fans in a snowstorm. Where else are you going to see that? And since Canada's record while hosting the thing is terrible, the home ice argument doesn't wash. Especially when you consider the immense pressure facing any home team.

An interesting fact: since this tournament began in 1977, do you know how many times the host team has won the world juniors? Four times. That's a record of 4-and-25. So much for home-ice advantage.

 

[jekoh]

An interesting fact: since this tournament began in 1977, do you know how many times the host team has won the world juniors? Four times. That's a record of 4-and-25. So much for home-ice advantage.

Keep in mind that nine of the ten teams are away...

 

[Iceman23]

That was in 1975, I'm pretty sure that rule was abandonned a long time ago. And even if it wasn't, had Canada been interested in hosting a WC in the 90's, it would probably have been lifted as it is basically "cold war" rule.

The rule has been lifted has Quebec City and Halifax are cohosting the tourney. Once the ticket packages go on sale, I'm there

 

[Macman]

Keep in mind that nine of the ten teams are away...

I'm not sure what you mean.

 

[Sanderson]

What he meant is that only 1/10 of the teams play at home. The chance for an away team to win is way higher, as there are nine of them, compared to only one hometeam.

In theory, if you discount individual strength of the teams, the hometeam should win every tenth time. That would leave the ratio of the last 25 years at 2,5 of 25.

You could say that the home ice advantage makes the difference between the 2,5 and 4.
This only works if all teams were of equal strength though, as not every hometeam had the strength to win such a tournament and not every team had an equal amount of home-tournaments.

 

[koivu_11]

On these boards, fans from countries other than Canada are greedy for saying that Canada shouldn't host it every 3 years. Why shouldn't we? Because you want a chance to have it in your country? Well you are only a select few, while there are thousands in Canada who want it here. You can all make great points about how great fans you are and your great hockey knowledge but the thing is that there is only a couple of you guys here and the rest of your country doesn't care. If we had this same debate in a non-hockey forum, say a forum in finland, or sweden, people would be like "what? WJC? who cares" but in Canada it wouldn't be like that. Ya you can say some games were sellouts in other countries, but when the arena only holds 5000 people and you can't sell it out more than once or twice then that's pretty pathetic. The only reason a fan from another country can argue that it shoudln't be held in Canada is because they are greedy and want to watch the games, not because they're country wants to watch the games. If the WJC were really that important in your country, you woudln't be on here complaining that you can't watch the games on TV, cause they would be on TV. Here in Canada we like the game so much, not only is all of our games on TV, and all of our exhibition games on TV, we also have games without Canada in them on TV (and that includes the round robin games). So to all the fans from other countries I know you guys are great hockey fans, well of course you are that's why you're on this board, but unfortunatley you have to face the reality that the rest of your country doesn't care as much as you do.

 

[Coburnfan05]

Considering the horrible attendance issues when being held outside Canada and the fact that really no other country really cares about the world jrs. It should be held in Canada every year so people who appreciate it can see it all the time.

 

[koivu_11]

Considering the horrible attendance issues when being held outside Canada and the fact that really no other country really cares about the world jrs. It should be held in Canada every year so people who appreciate it can see it all the time.

I don't agree with that. There are fans in other countries that should get a chance to see their team as well. But for people who say Canada shouldn't have it every 3 years cause it is great exposure for hockey, how great is it? I bet more Canadians who never followed hockey, young and old, will like hockey more after having the juniors here then people in Europe. That is just my opinion. In Canada this tournament his a huge deal, weather you follow junior hockey for the rest of the year or not. In other countries, why would someone suddenly take interest? Sure some do, but not very many I bet. If you really want to expose these people to hockey maybe get professional hockey there, World Championships, or NHL. Ya they already have their own Pro leagues there too I know. And yes I know they have great players in those leagues, especially this year. But the NHL does have the best players, and I'm sure everyone knows that. If you think these people need more exposure to hockey I think it is better done with pro hockey like the NHL than with juniors (even though I'm sure most of us find the Juniors to be just as good or better hockey).

 

[TORRUS]

I don't understand why so much talk about this?! The tournament is organised by IIHF which is short for INTERNATIONAL ice hockey federation! Tournament being held in Canada every 3 years would be a huge help to the Canadian team which is unexceptable for an IIHF tournament! Offcourse, Canada has the biggest fan base and it's logical for them to want it every 3 years... But still... I'm allready pissed off with so many tournament being held in NA! It's an INTERNATIONAL event that has to be organised more or less equally for every county. Anyone with little bit of brain will agree!
For the guy who said that tournaments shouldn't be in Austria, Germany, Switzerlad. they are all very good organised and the games are allways sold out (except for the relegation round).
I live in central Europe so... VIENNA 2005. & TURIN 2006.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[koivu_11]

I don't understand why so much talk about this?! The tournament is organised by IIHF which is short for INTERNATIONAL ice hockey federation! Tournament being held in Canada every 3 years would be a huge help to the Canadian team which is unexceptable for an IIHF tournament! Offcourse, Canada has the biggest fan base and it's logical for them to want it every 3 years... But still... I'm allready pissed off with so many tournament being held in NA! It's an INTERNATIONAL event that has to be organised more or less equally for every county. Anyone with little bit of brain will agree!
For the guy who said that tournaments shouldn't be in Austria, Germany, Switzerlad. they are all very good organised and the games are allways sold out (except for the relegation round).
I live in central Europe so... VIENNA 2005. & TURIN 2006.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So having it played somewhere other than Canada every 2 out of 3 years makes it non-international??

 

[TORRUS]

On these boards, fans from countries other than Canada are greedy for saying that Canada shouldn't host it every 3 years. Why shouldn't we? Because you want a chance to have it in your country? Well you are only a select few, while there are thousands in Canada who want it here. You can all make great points about how great fans you are and your great hockey knowledge but the thing is that there is only a couple of you guys here and the rest of your country doesn't care. If we had this same debate in a non-hockey forum, say a forum in finland, or sweden, people would be like "what? WJC? who cares" but in Canada it wouldn't be like that. Ya you can say some games were sellouts in other countries, but when the arena only holds 5000 people and you can't sell it out more than once or twice then that's pretty pathetic. The only reason a fan from another country can argue that it shoudln't be held in Canada is because they are greedy and want to watch the games, not because they're country wants to watch the games. If the WJC were really that important in your country, you woudln't be on here complaining that you can't watch the games on TV, cause they would be on TV. Here in Canada we like the game so much, not only is all of our games on TV, and all of our exhibition games on TV, we also have games without Canada in them on TV (and that includes the round robin games). So to all the fans from other countries I know you guys are great hockey fans, well of course you are that's why you're on this board, but unfortunatley you have to face the reality that the rest of your country doesn't care as much as you do.

Everything you said is true (about fans who care and so on...), but it's an international, not Canadian tournament! The only reason I don't agree is because the teams wouldn't get the same treatment which they should as the equal members of the same family! Canadian team would get too much help which is just NOT RIGHT!!!

 

[Macman]

Tournament being held in Canada every 3 years would be a huge help to the Canadian team which is unexceptable for an IIHF tournament!

Once again, it isn't a big help as the record indicates. The home team has won gold just four times in 29 years. Hell, I actually don't want it in Canada more than it already is because we play better on the road.

 

[TORRUS]

So having it played somewhere other than Canada every 2 out of 3 years makes it non-international??

It makes it not fair!!!!!!!!

 

[koivu_11]

It makes it not fair!!!!!!!!

I actually think it is fair, for the fans at least. Say you have the tournament in Sweden, pretty much anyone who cares about the WJC will go to the games. If you have the tournament in Canada in say Vancouver next year, not everyone who wants to see Canada play will get to, probably not even in Vancouver, let alone all of Canada. You are guaranteed a sellout even if there is NHL and the Canucks are playing the same night.

As far as being fair for the teams (as opposed to the fans), I dont think there is any advantage no matter where it is played, nothing significant anyways, look at how the US did this year.

 

[Seachd]

You think Moscow, which has a population almost equal to the population of the whole Canada, won't be able to fill up our stadiums?

Do these look like Canada-like numbers to you?

http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0001/W20/gs/pg000037.htm

 

[koivu_11]

Do these look like Canada-like numbers to you?

http://www.iihf.com/hockey/x/0001/W20/gs/pg000037.htm

In the WJC, you would get more people going to Russia vs. <insert any team here> in Canada then you would in Russia. I'm not sure if that's because the size of the arena is just that small or what. But I'm sure a WJC featuring Russia in Vancouver next year will draw more than 5000 fans. Of course I will have nothing to back this up until next year, so it'll have to be my opinion until then.

 

[Sanderson]

Say you have the tournament in Sweden, pretty much anyone who cares about the WJC will go to the games. If you have the tournament in Canada in say Vancouver next year, not everyone who wants to see Canada play will get to, probably not even in Vancouver, let alone all of Canada.

That's a pretty big assumption on your part and I don't think it is even close to be true. In no country will everybody who wants to go actually go...

Although I agree that no other country can come close to the attendence Canada puts up.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Someone mentioned that every 3 years in North America would be good compromise. I grudgingly agree. The US and Canada would take turns and it still would be like a home tournament for team Canada, as we saw this year. Of course I am assuming here that when organized in the US, it would be in one of the hockey crazy northern states, enabling easy travel. Another option would be to have the games in Canada every four years, plus every ten years or so in the US (the case for US now, I guess)

Anyone going for the games to held every three years in Canada (or more often) plus the ones in US, is just being greedy for the games, IMNSHO. I just find it unacceptable. International tournaments should be truly international.

 

[Seachd]

Someone mentioned that every 3 years in North America would be good compromise. I grudgingly agree. The US and Canada would take turns and it still would be like a home tournament for team Canada, as we saw this year.

It wouldn't necessarily be like a home tournament for Canada. Grand Forks is close to a major Canadian city.

Anyway, this way Canada ends up getting the tournament every 6 years, and it's clear the IIHF wouldn't accept that.