It's a very realistic option.Would probably mean arena sharing with the HIFK as the only other available option would be going to Espoo and that's barely realistic.
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.It's unlikely that they'd find a sugar daddy and ticket sales in Espoo would likely end up being very weak.
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.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.
Far from a "rotten barn".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.
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.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.
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.
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.
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.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.
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.Would probably mean arena sharing with the HIFK as the only other available option would be going to Espoo and that's barely realistic.
does that mean a return to Helsinki Halli (Hartwall)?Kummola said on tv (Viiden Jälkeen) that Jokerit arena issue will be solved soon, said he's got 100% sure information on the matter.
WE don't know yet until they come out officially on it.does that mean a return to Helsinki Halli (Hartwall)?