WJC in Sweden a failure?

[Son of Krypton]

I think this tournament wouldn't be as big of a deal in Canada even, without TSN's contribution to it. Most of my friends, who are hockey fans, know nothing about junior hockey and would never get into it if it wasn't hyped up by TSN, who constantly draws on previous encounters, and really profiles the players on Canada heavily throughout December. I think really over the last 15 years, TSN has made this an event to watch.

While the WJC has never been broadcast in Sweden before ...

 

[jerseydevil]

The WJC are way bigger in Canada than in Europe. TSN developped the U-20 tournament incredibly well...and it sort of spread over in the states aswell. I'm not very surprised the games didn't sell out.

and for a 99% of the US...they have no idea what the World Jr's are..not even a blip on the radar here in nyc....

 

[Jazz]

Also, the IIHF just doesn't tell what country hosts the WCs. The countries have to apply to host it. There's never been that much interest from North America.

Actually, until recently Canada and the USA were not allowed to apply to host it.

This was the trade-off of having North American professional's being finally allowed to participate in the WCs, even though those in Europe were ok to play after Canada boycotted the WCs from 1970-76... (see below)

.....The first great success of the new president was Canada’s return to the official IIHF events. After the Canadians were refused the permission to enhance their world championship selection with professional players from those NHL teams that did not reach the play-off rounds of the North American professional championship (Stanley Cup), they refused to compete in the world championships as from 1970***. The long, tenacious negotiations between Dr. Sabetzki and the top officials of the professional ice hockey resulted in a solution which was satisfactory for both parties: the Canadians and the Americans were allowed to enhance their world championship teams with professional players; in order to be able to achieve that most effectively, the world championships should in future take place as late as possible thus ensuring that a suitable player selection from among the NHL teams eliminated from the Stanley Cup would be available.
In their turn, the Canadians and Americans undertook to participate regularly in the world championships. In addition, they relinquished their application to host any world championship tournaments.
Canada Cup

In return, a competition for the "Canada Cup" should be played every four years on North American territory with the participation of Canada, the United States and the four strongest European national teams according to the last preceding world championship with the understanding that all the teams would be allowed to use their NHL professional players. Between 1976 and 1991, the Canada Cup was played five times; in 1996 it was replaced by the newly created World Cup – with some modifications in the organization method.......

link: http://www.iihf.com//iihf/history/1975.htm

Note*** - there is actually a deeper story to this.

 

[Riddarn]

I think that seen from a swedish perspective, this tournament has been a big success.

They sold more tickets than any other WJC in sweden before.
They had more media coverage than any WJC in sweden before (or any WJC for that matter..)
And they had pretty fine TV-ratings.

I can only hope that Swedish Television (and media overall) finally understands the potential of this tournament and that they continue to show this tournament, though I suspect they will not. The ideal situation would be if Sweden could get a few more "Bäckströms" in the next few years in order to keep the hype up until the next time Sweden hosts this tournament, unfortunatly that is not very likely..

 

[Ola]

Actually, until recently Canada and the USA were not allowed to apply to host it.

This was the trade-off of having North American professional's being finally allowed to participate in the WCs, even though those in Europe were ok to play after Canada boycotted the WCs from 1970-76... (see below)

link: http://www.iihf.com//iihf/history/1975.htm

Note*** - there is actually a deeper story to this.

Didn't know that, interesting to read.

I would like to add one important background issue though. By reading that it sounds pretty strange.

Though the background were that athleets in all sports weren't allowed to take any money at all. Thats why it were complicated with "proffesionals" from NA, no other reason. You must remember that many of the best athleets in the 50's and 60's in europe were suspended for life for taking money. One of the biggest swedish athleets in all time -- Gunder Hägg -- is a example of it. He got a life time ban for taking money to run in a competition.

Its hard to understand these days, but during that time the idea were that sports were for the masses, for all people, the best competed in World Championships and Olympics, taking money and dooing a sport full time were seen as cheating.

 

[Bank Shot]

Its hard to understand these days, but during that time the idea were that sports were for the masses, for all people, the best competed in World Championships and Olympics, taking money and dooing a sport full time were seen as cheating.

That's why it was a joke that proffessional players weren't allowed, but athletes from Soviet countries were.

 

[Petey21]

While the WJC has never been broadcast in Sweden before ...

It was broadcasted in Sweden in the mid-90's, from 1993 until around 1997 or something. I hope it'll be back on television here next year too, it's so fun to watch these games, much more fun than the Euro Hockey Tour.

 

[Son of Krypton]

It was broadcasted in Sweden in the mid-90's, from 1993 until around 1997 or something. I hope it'll be back on television here next year too, it's so fun to watch these games, much more fun than the Euro Hockey Tour.

Yeah, I was exaggerating a bit when I said "never".
But five years straight?
That's way more than I remember.

 

[YogiCanucks]

No. It was not a failure. Germany's WJ was a failure.
4th place is for place, its out of the medals but atleast its not relegation. Plus they didn't play all that badly. But they did have to face an American team that was really good and obviously its hard to beat Canada anyday.

 

[SPARTAKUS*]

Canadians care so much for this tournament for a couple reasons. First, it's the closest thing we get to putting our best against the world's best on an annual basis (unfortunately the truly elite junior aged players are never there since they're already in the NHL). It's important to Canadians to be the worlds best at hockey, and if our juniors are winning then it's an indicator that we're still developing the best players in the world. I know that I get way more worked up over a WJHC gold medal match that involves Team Canada than any Stanley Cup game, and I think alot of Canadians feel the same.

It's also, as somebody mentioned above, a bit of a holiday tradition. Usually the kids are home and college/university hasn't started up yet, and many people are taking time off so alot of people get together over the holidays to watch it. I look forward to it every year more than any other hockey event on TV.

The only reason the WJHC is so huge in Canada is because we dominate the tournement every year. We know before the tourney that we have a 90% chance of winning the gold. Let's face it the WHJC as become very predictable it's a two pony tournement Canada and the US. I might be the only Canadian who does't care about the WJHC it's boring hockey. I prefer to watch the Spengler Cup or the WHC where several nations has a chance to win gold. But hey that's just me.

 

[Refuse]

The only reason the WJHC is so huge in Canada is because we dominate the tournement every year. We know before the tourney that we have a 90% chance of winning the gold. Let's face it the WHJC as become very predictable it's a two pony tournement Canada and the US. I might be the only Canadian who does't care about the WJHC it's boring hockey. I prefer to watch the Spengler Cup or the WHC where several nations has a chance to win gold. But hey that's just me.

hey who got the silver this year? the year before? and before that? not the US

 

[Ola]

That's why it was a joke that proffessional players weren't allowed, but athletes from Soviet countries were.

Yeah, like boxers from Cuba are today ect.

Though, the whole anti proffesional/money thing dissapeared pretty fast in the late 60's and 70's. I guess it took a while before the NHL and IIHF sorted things out.

Though I just wanted to point out that it weren't a IIHF bias towards the North American hockey thing, it were IIHF bias against the NHL.

Every now and then there is talk about creating a proffessional hockey league (meaning "private" a la NHL) in Europe, the IIHF always answears the same way. Everyone that plays for a private league in Europe will get suspended from the IIHF for life.

Personally I don't like stuff like that, but its also very important to point out the tremendous work the IIHF does to promote the game all over the world. They get a big portion of the TV cash from the WCH and other International tournaments and uses it to develop the game at youth levels all over the world.

Not a cent goes to any owners, since its a ideel organization, just like the Red Cross for example.

The IIHF also takes allot of heat from North Americans at times. But its also important to remember that thoose who runs the IIHF are its members. Canada have as much power as any other of its members. So does USA.

Its often talked about as a organization that have any other interest then what Canada wants, they often acts like they are guests at any IIHF event. Thats not the case.

 

[Canuck21t]

Swedens quater final this WJC were seen by 500.000 people on a channel that roughly 40% of the population gets. How many get RDS or TSN in Canada? But its still 7% of the total population (8m+) in Sweden that saw the QF. Had we made the finals we defenitly would have been close to that 15% mark. I would bet that the semifinal got 10+%.

I have no idea how many people have access to TSN and RDS but you have to have cable to get them.

 

[Eisbaerenfan]

Also, I suspect some other players would prefer to play in front of 18,000. For most of the guys in the tournament it would be the biggest crowd they ever played in front of. I think if I was a player from Germany or Belarus I would want that.

You know I'm from Mannheim, Germany and the hockey club I go and watch games every once in a while has an arena with a capacity of 14000 and they average about 12600 this season.
Theres another club in the league withn an arena with a capacity of I think about 18500 and sometimes it happens that it's sold out.
So the players know how it's like.
Also at a league game in Germany when there are only 4000 people watching even then the atmosphere is much better than at pretty much any NHL game.
If players from here go to North America than not because of the fans there.

 

[BruinsBtn]

You know I'm from Mannheim, Germany and the hockey club I go and watch games every once in a while has an arena with a capacity of 14000 and they average about 12600 this season.
Theres another club in the league withn an arena with a capacity of I think about 18500 and sometimes it happens that it's sold out.
So the players know how it's like.
Also at a league game in Germany when there are only 4000 people watching even then the atmosphere is much better than at pretty much any NHL game.
If players from here go to North America than not because of the fans there.

sure, but how many of the guys on the German junior team will ever play infront of that many people?

 

[Eisbaerenfan]

sure, but how many of the guys on the German junior team will ever play infront of that many people?

Many german U20 players are already regulars for their teams. Gawlik for Berlin, Gogulla for Cologne, Potthoff for Iserlohn come to my mind right away. The others will most likely become regular players in the next couple of years.

And I just got back from the Mannheim-Krefeld game and 17 year old Andre Huebscher played in front of 13600.