Jokerit back to Liiga + finnish KHL players

[Jussi]

Officially aiming for a return to Liiga for the 2023-24 season.

 

[Albatros]

Full operations in juniors but no senior team next season.

 

[nickp91]

It's the right step including finding another home arena if necessary

 

[Albatros]

Would probably mean arena sharing with the HIFK as the only other available option would be going to Espoo and that's barely realistic.

 

[Jussi]

Would probably mean arena sharing with the HIFK as the only other available option would be going to Espoo and that's barely realistic.

It's a very realistic option.

Pääomistaja Jari Kurri vahvisti hallivaihtoehdot Yle Urheilulle â Jokerit voi muuttaa Espooseen

Jos Jokerit ei voi pelata entisessä hallissaan Ilmalassa, vaihtoehdot ovat pääomistaja Jari Kurrin mukaan Helsingin jäähalli tai Espoo.

yle.fi

 

[Albatros]

It's unlikely that they'd find a sugar daddy and ticket sales in Espoo would likely end up being very weak.

 

[Jussi]

It's unlikely that they'd find a sugar daddy and ticket sales in Espoo would likely end up being very weak.

They're going to sell out Nordis or Tapiola plenty of times if they play there. There's a new found excitement among fans that's going to materialize next year.

Also, they're not planning a single big owner but multiple.

 

[Albatros]

The Blues already showed that Tapiola has an insufficient catchment area. You can do dog shows there but you don't sell 5,000+ tickets to a hockey game with any frequency. They weren't selling out even against the HIFK and that was at a time when the arena wasn't yet in need of renovation like it is now. Two decades ago it was a decent building in a forsaken place, now it's just a rotten barn. It doesn't come as a surprise that the much older Helsinki Ice Hall was chosen for the IIHF World Championships instead. For Jokerit that shouldn't even be a question.

 

[Jussi]

The Blues already showed that Tapiola has an insufficient catchment area. You can do dog shows there but you don't sell 5,000+ tickets to a hockey game with any frequency. They weren't selling out even against the HIFK and that was at a time when the arena wasn't yet in need of renovation like it is now. Two decades ago it was a decent building in a forsaken place, now it's just a rotten barn. It doesn't come as a surprise that the much older Helsinki Ice Hall was chosen for the IIHF World Championships instead. For Jokerit that shouldn't even be a question.

Espoo Blues sucking had more to do with that. And that they don't really have that big of a fan base, no matter what name they go as.

 

[Exarz]

Also worth noting that the Western metro line would help significantly for the fans coming from Helsinki since it's stopping right at Urheilupuisto. The only real drawback is for the fans in the suburbs of Helsinki that have previously come by train to Pasila.

Then again, I don't see the real issue in potentially playing in Espoo as it's just a short-term solution until things are sorted with the ownership of Helsinki Halli - which hopefully will be solved within 1-2 years regardless.

 

[Albatros]

From the direction of their old arena to Espoo and back that's still about 1.5 hours of additional journey time even with the new subway line, which is also really the only public transportation artery reliably serving the location.

 

[Jussi]

Tässä ovat Jokerien vaihtoehdot uudeksi areenaksi – ”Ei se sen huonommassa kunnossa ole kuin muutkaan hallit”

Jokerien vaihtoehdot ovat vähissä. Juuri nyt näyttää siltä, että uusi koti on muualla kuin Ilmalassa.

www.iltalehti.fi

Metro-areena valmistui vuonna 1999, eli Ilmalan areenan jälkeen, mutta halliyhtiön talousvaikeuksien myötä on riittänyt puhetta siitä, että halli olisi päässyt rapistumaan ja korjausvelkaa kertynyt.

– Olemme koko ajan saaneet korjattua hallia ja teemme korjauksia parhaillaan. Toki halli on vanha, mutta ei se sen huonommassa kunnossa ole kuin muutkaan hallit. Olemme tehneet jääratakoneistoon useamman kymmenen tuhannen euron remontin. Viime vuonna uusimme penkinpäällisiä pandemiasta huolimatta, ja pukuhuoneen suihkutiloihin tehdään remonttia. Ei meillä nurkat huonossa kunnossa ole, Järveläinen vastaa.

Far from a "rotten barn".

 

[Jussi]

Also worth noting that the Western metro line would help significantly for the fans coming from Helsinki since it's stopping right at Urheilupuisto. The only real drawback is for the fans in the suburbs of Helsinki that have previously come by train to Pasila.

Then again, I don't see the real issue in potentially playing in Espoo as it's just a short-term solution until things are sorted with the ownership of Helsinki Halli - which hopefully will be solved within 1-2 years regardless.

Yeah, it would really be a short term solution only. Either until the Helsinki Halli ownership issue is cleared or until the Helsinki Garden is finished. Side note, I think if Jokerit were to agree to play there in partnership with HIFK, that project would move forward much quicker.

 

[JabbaJabba]

From the direction of their old arena to Espoo and back that's still about 1.5 hours of additional journey time even with the new subway line, which is also really the only public transportation artery reliably serving the location.

For some people the location would be worse and for some it would be better. I don't know why the travel from the old arena to Espoo and back is relevant. People don't really live at the arena. Obviously the Helsinki arena would be better locationwise because there are more ways to get there and more people live closer to it but the Espoo arena isn't that horrible as a temporary arena.

If Jokerit chooses to play at Espoo Arena, they should do what they did in Tampere so that the ticket includes a public transportation ticket. Would be nicer for a visiting fan who travels to the main railway station and takes a metro from there, so he doesn't have to hassle with buying a metro ticket.

Yeah, it would really be a short term solution only. Either until the Helsinki Halli ownership issue is cleared or until the Helsinki Garden is finished. Side note, I think if Jokerit were to agree to play there in partnership with HIFK, that project would move forward much quicker.

Honestly they should just do this and demolish the ex-Hartwall arena. There's going to be too many arenas in Helsinki. And the Garden would likely take the events that would otherwise be held at ex-Hartwall. The arena business is already very tough as it is.

 

[Albatros]

For some people the location would be worse and for some it would be better. I don't know why the travel from the old arena to Espoo and back is relevant. People don't really live at the arena. Obviously the Helsinki arena would be better locationwise because there are more ways to get there and more people live closer to it but the Espoo arena isn't that horrible as a temporary arena.

Espoo is mostly HIFK territory while Jokerit has traditionally been stronger in the northern and eastern suburbs. Places like Vantaa and Kerava with good rail connections to the old arena but awful to Tapiola. I dare to predict that less than a half of their usual attending fans would make that journey any given night.

 

[JabbaJabba]

Espoo is mostly HIFK territory while Jokerit has traditionally been stronger in the northern and eastern suburbs. Places like Vantaa and Kerava with good rail connections to the old arena but awful to Tapiola. I dare to predict that less than a half of their usual attending fans would make that journey any given night.

Helsingin Sanomat looked into this myth in 2013 and it turned out that in Helsinki the season ticket holders of HIFK and Jokerit had spread out pretty evenly. There were HIFK fans in the north and the east just like there were Jokerit fans in the west and the south. Espoo had more HIFK season ticket holders so that stereotype holds some weight, though there were still Jokerit fans in Espoo. I couldn't find any newer information but I don't have a reason to believe the situation has changed. Like said, for some Espoo arena would be better and for some it would be worse.

 

[Albatros]

Pasila and Tapiola aren't anywhere near equal "for some better, for some worse" in terms of accessibility. Tapiola would be worse for the vast majority of fans.

 

[Sanf]

Would probably mean arena sharing with the HIFK as the only other available option would be going to Espoo and that's barely realistic.

Yeah Jokerit did in many way lost it roots and got tainted. If they return in 2023 they have been out from Liiga for decade. For us and especially old Jokerit fans move to KHL happened almost yesterday, but young adults of today barely rememberes the time when Jokerit was a Liiga team.

To go back in Liiga as "homeless" team wouldn´t be in anyway good decision. Tainted team that isn´t even local wouldn´t attract much... well locals there. And like you point out it would need a effort to even the HC Jokerit fans to get there. Yes there is vocal group of Jokerit fans that are excited, but size of that group and how it would actually materialize is questionable.

 

[Jussi]

Nyt kulisseissa tehty kuvio on selvillä: Jokerien pomo paljastaa seuran peliareenasuunnitelman

Helsinki-hallin vaikean tilanteen vuoksi Jokereilla ei ole varaa mistä valita, jos se haluaa pysyä helsinkiläisenä seurana.

www.is.fi

 

[Jussi]

Kummola said on tv (Viiden Jälkeen) that Jokerit arena issue will be solved soon, said he's got 100% sure information on the matter.

 

[Lackhalak]

Kummola said on tv (Viiden Jälkeen) that Jokerit arena issue will be solved soon, said he's got 100% sure information on the matter.

does that mean a return to Helsinki Halli (Hartwall)?

 

[Jussi]

does that mean a return to Helsinki Halli (Hartwall)?

WE don't know yet until they come out officially on it.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Crazy idea: What about Jokerit in SHL? Just try it for 1 season. Sounds exotic.

 

[Albatros]

Jokerit the hockey club rejected a pro team ownership bid by Selänne & co.

Also a different, competing bid is thought to exist, but no word of names behind it.

 

[Jussi]

If Harkimo is involved...