Jokerit 2018-2019 - I Am, We Are!

[Jussi]

Laaja selvitys paljastaa SM-liigaseurojen surkean tilan – paikoin surkuhupaisaa huseeraamista

Sports teams are hardly ever a solid investment, and certainly not in European hockey. People buying them have completely different reasons for it.

That's over two years old.

There' still clubs making losses (notably TPS but they've got the SuperCell guys as owners now, so no problem and a new arena in the works), but for example Tappara has made a combined profit of around 1,5 million euros for two consecutive seasons. Some clubs are still paying off arena renovation investments which shows in the fiscal result.

 

[CPFC]

That's over two years old.

There' still clubs making losses (notably TPS but they've got the SuperCell guys as owners now, so no problem and a new arena in the works), but for example Tappara has made a combined profit of around 1,5 million euros for two consecutive seasons. Some clubs are still paying off arena renovation investments which shows in the fiscal result.

Clubs like JYP, Pelicans and Ilves are not doing that great. Also, many Liiga teams are artificially inflating their equity, which makes them appear healthier than they really are. It's discussed here https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/uutinen/r44jLa9W

Sure, some clubs are fine, like Tappara, Kärpät and HIFK but Liiga is getting quite disparate on the financial front. The new broadcasting deal will help the bottom feeders but time will tell how sustainable that is. At the moment it seems like Telia will make huge losses with their deal and the situation might not improve in the future. Broadcasting Liiga has never been a lucrative thing, especially now when it's bundled with a terrible Telia product (OP:n analyytikot arvioivat: Telian Liiga-hanke maksaa vuosittain noin 27 miljoonaa euroa).

 

[Jussi]

Clubs like JYP, Pelicans and Ilves are not doing that great. Also, many Liiga teams are artificially inflating their equity, which makes them appear healthier than they really are. It's discussed here https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/uutinen/r44jLa9W

Sure, some clubs are fine, like Tappara, Kärpät and HIFK but Liiga is getting quite disparate on the financial front. The new broadcasting deal will help the bottom feeders but time will tell how sustainable that is. At the moment it seems like Telia will make huge losses with their deal and the situation might not improve in the future. Broadcasting Liiga has never been a lucrative thing, especially now when it's bundled with a terrible Telia product (OP:n analyytikot arvioivat: Telian Liiga-hanke maksaa vuosittain noin 27 miljoonaa euroa).

Jääkiekkolehti's Liiga preview issue had the latest figures and Pelicans increased their turnover to 7,22 million euros and a very slight profit of 2000+ euros under second year GMKolu. Jyp ended up with loss due to early playoff exit. Ilves made their best ever profit of 159K euros udner new management and ownership.

 

[CPFC]

Jääkiekkolehti's Liiga preview issue had the latest figures and Pelicans increased their turnover to 7,22 million euros and a very slight profit of 2000+ euros under second year GMKolu. Jyp ended up with loss due to early playoff exit. Ilves made their best ever profit of 159K euros udner new management and ownership.

And a profit of 2000 euros is hardly a solid investment, like Albatros said. Ilves is still on shaky feet, they've lost almost 5 million euros during the previous 7 years. If they fail to reach the playoffs with their young team, they might accumulate losses again. Face it, Liiga is not a profitable business for many clubs and a sound investor would look elsewhere for a more profitable target.

 

[Jussi]

And a profit of 2000 euros is hardly a solid investment, like Albatros said. Ilves is still on shaky feet, they've lost almost 5 million euros during the previous 7 years. If they fail to reach the playoffs with their young team, they might accumulate losses again. Face it, Liiga is not a profitable business for many clubs and a sound investor would look elsewhere for a more profitable target.

I'm not saying it is but club management or rather managing of the finances in some clubs has been shoddy if not even downright amateurish. But most clubs made profit last season, IIRC from the Jääkiekkolehti issue. They're picking smarter people for CEOs /GMs and are handling their finances better (except the Satakunta and Varsinais-Suomi clubs...). But it's not really smart to expect every club to make the profit all the time in every team sports in a country the size of Finland. Small town clubs are limited by population, local economy and arena size. But unlike KHL clubs, they can at least make profit.

 

[Jussi]

Was yesterday's 7072 also a KHL era lowest attendance for Jokerit? At this rate they're heading for the lowest average attendance easily.

Edit: it apparently was the lowest attendance ever in KHL for Jokerit.

 

[Whiskey In the Jar]

Jokerit have climbed to 5th place in season outrights by various bookers. Started at ~11th. I think that is one of the highest ranks team has been and it is usually quite a good indicator how the team is doing, as large bookers nowadays have highly sophisticated systems for calculating odds.

What comes to attendance, as I said just before the season start was expecting a big drop. Jokerit had a really good attendance, one of the largest in europe past seasons so it was inevitable pretty much. This is a global phenom and khl teams are no outliers here. It is all over the western world, not just hockey, but NFL ratings started to decline already in 2015 which was the first warning signs something is going on. This might be still be short term decline / correction but I would not count on it. If the trend would continue, it would mean between 2020-2030 many teams, or even sports leagues will go bust eventually. In khl teams paychecks dont really come from attendance that much, but many sports leagues attendance is very important. Even SKA is having lower attendance this season? Correct if im wrong.

 

[vorky]

Jokerit have climbed to 5th place in season outrights by various bookers. Started at ~11th. I think that is one of the highest ranks team has been and it is usually quite a good indicator how the team is doing, as large bookers nowadays have highly sophisticated systems for calculating odds.

What comes to attendance, as I said just before the season start was expecting a big drop. Jokerit had a really good attendance, one of the largest in europe past seasons so it was inevitable pretty much. This is a global phenom and khl teams are no outliers here. It is all over the western world, not just hockey, but NFL ratings started to decline already in 2015 which was the first warning signs something is going on. This might be still be short term decline / correction but I would not count on it. If the trend would continue, it would mean between 2020-2030 many teams, or even sports leagues will go bust eventually. In khl teams paychecks dont really come from attendance that much, but many sports leagues attendance is very important. Even SKA is having lower attendance this season? Correct if im wrong.

The KHL as a league is on the similar numbers as last regular season, 6200 on average. Club with similar (+/- 100) numbers are Spartak, Traktor, Magnitka, Torpedo, Severstal, Sibir. Club with higher attendance are Barys, Riga (+1000), Avto, CSKA (+4000), Neftekhimik, Vityaz, KRS.

Regarding SKA. They are fine. Only Salavat Yulaev & Avangard are teams-"headliners" who came to Neva town this season. Traditional rivals as CSKA, Ak Bars, Dynamo Msc, even Magnitka & Loko will visit St.Peterburg later.

SKA vs Salavat (12200), vs Jokerit (10000), vs Spartak (11000), vs Avangard (11200), vs Sibir & Sochi (10000)

It is likely there will not be matches between European clubs and Far East teams in the future, less travelling, more games vs teams, who draw more fans than Far East teams.

 

[Jussi]

Jokerit sued by long time Finnish player agent Jarmo Korkki: https://www.is.fi/khl/art-2000005858667.html

Korkki claims Jokerit have not paid him the agent fee over the transfer of Ryan Zapolski whom he was representing at the time. He's also claiming VAT payments from a longer period of time. Due to sanctions, Jokerit paid the agent fee abroad, but neglected to pay the VAT. The tax department have then been asking for it from Korkki's company. The amount Korkki is demanding was not made public but according to Ilta-Sanomat sources it' a 5 figure sum.

 

[Albatros]

It is likely there will not be matches between European clubs and Far East teams in the future, less travelling, more games vs teams, who draw more fans than Far East teams.

And no business opportunities in China anymore.

 

[Jussi]

And no business opportunities in China anymore.

Yeah, that ship has sailed for now.

 

[Exarz]

What comes to attendance, as I said just before the season start was expecting a big drop. Jokerit had a really good attendance, one of the largest in europe past seasons so it was inevitable pretty much. This is a global phenom and khl teams are no outliers here. It is all over the western world, not just hockey, but NFL ratings started to decline already in 2015 which was the first warning signs something is going on. This might be still be short term decline / correction but I would not count on it. If the trend would continue, it would mean between 2020-2030 many teams, or even sports leagues will go bust eventually. In khl teams paychecks dont really come from attendance that much, but many sports leagues attendance is very important. Even SKA is having lower attendance this season? Correct if im wrong.

I don't know but it feels like the negative press during the off season has caught up to the average hockey fans that Jokerit attract. I don't blame them, it feels like a lot of shady things are going on behind closed doors. Sure, losing Tolvanen and not getting a new star player might cause a bit of a drop, but being a top team in the league while so far averaging 8,386 spectators and having only one game with more than 10,000 spectators (against SKA) implies that something is not right. In addition to this, I believe that ticket prices are more expensive this season than the previous ones. At least that's my perception.

 

[Jussi]

I don't know but it feels like the negative press during the off season has caught up to the average hockey fans that Jokerit attract. I don't blame them, it feels like a lot of shady things are going on behind closed doors. Sure, losing Tolvanen and not getting a new star player might cause a bit of a drop, but being a top team in the league while so far averaging 8,386 spectators and having only one game with more than 10,000 spectators (against SKA) implies that something is not right. In addition to this, I believe that ticket prices are more expensive this season than the previous ones. At least that's my perception.

Seems to be that way but there's also cheap ticket campaigns going on as people at Jatkoaika have posted them.

 

[Jokerit Wasp]

I might have the chance to attend my first Jokerit match in 9 years, the last game of the season vs Dinamo Minsk at Hartwall.
Looking at ticketmaster it seems its already pretty well sold, any reason for this?
Wow ticket prices have increased, sure it was €12 to sit in 304 last time!

 

[SoundAndFury]

I might have the chance to attend my first Jokerit match in 9 years, the last game of the season vs Dinamo Minsk at Hartwall.

Jokerit fans want to see Pulkkinen? The only reason I can think off.

Also some (maybe all) NHL teams give away game-worn jerseys of players to the lucky attendees after the last home game of the season. Maybe Jokerit does the same or some similar season-ending event?

 

[Exarz]

Has anyone heard how many ticket that are sold for the Tallinn weekend? Doesn't seem to be much of interest...

 

[Exarz]

So it seems like one half of the arena is officially sold out for both tonight's and Sunday's games, and it's not "Jokerit's" side of the arena Most likely the same scenario as when Dinamo Riga played in Tallinn, a lot of Russian fans that don't give a crap about Jokerit.

 

[Exarz]

As expected, today's attendance was 3954. One match (if any) would've been enough...

 

[powerplaymaker]

As expected, today's attendance was 3954. One match (if any) would've been enough...

Well the first one was sold out even thoug most of the finns had to take an extra day off from work to get to Tallinn early.

And the atmosphere at the arena was crazy.

The second game sold a bit over half of the tickets as many finns went back home on Saturday. A few came to Tallinn on Sunday. Despite the evident hangover the atmosphere at the second game was nice. Firts period was a bit lame, but the rest was good!

 

[Exarz]

Well the first one was sold out even thoug most of the finns had to take an extra day off from work to get to Tallinn early.

And the atmosphere at the arena was crazy.

The second game sold a bit over half of the tickets as many finns went back home on Saturday. A few came to Tallinn on Sunday. Despite the evident hangover the atmosphere at the second game was nice. Firts period was a bit lame, but the rest was good!

Agreed, it was nice to actually play in a smaller arena since the atmosphere is so much different! However, I think that the Friday game would've been enough so the Sunday game could've been back in Helsinki.

 

[Exarz]

New (Finnish) owner on its way, will be presented around Christmas.

 

[vorky]

As expected, Jets signed Vesalainen so probably not playing in KHL next season.

 

[Jussi]

New (Finnish) owner on its way, will be presented around Christmas.

From Harkimo's twitter:

"Mun sanomiset Jokereista on tulkittu täysin väärin en ole sanonut että kauppoja on tehty.Sanoin että toinen osapuoli on tavattu ja identifioitu.Joulukuun aikana selviä päästänkö sopimukseen.Faneja en petä jos ei hyvää sopimusta tule."

 

[Jussi]

From the Vesalainen thread at the Jets' board:

Player Discussion: - Kristian Vesalainen [Update: Signed ELC]

really puzzling as to why Vesalainen went back home. he was starting to perform well in the AHL. he was 1 forward injury (or trade) away from forcing himself back on the Jets.

On the other hand:

Player Discussion: - Kristian Vesalainen [Update: Signed ELC]

This move to me is pretty consistant for his character, he always has bet on himself. He got heat for leaving Frölunda and that supposedly was some big indication of "character issues", which were promptly forgotten when he showed what he could do in HPK and then at Kärpät. He's betting on himself again by relinquishing the opportunity to get some meaningless call-up that he knows is unlikely and where he would play minor 4th line minutes instead focusing on putting in a years work and being confident that he's gonna be good enough to crack the roster from the get-go next year. Guy has balls.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Kristian Vesalainen is oficially on Jokerit till the end of the season.