WC: WC popularity and attendance

[Cruor]

The Slovakia numbers, which were great, are explained by many factors. One is obviously geography and population density, the Austria-Slovenia attendance numbers aren't so mysterious if you realize that Austria is a 30 minute car ride away from the venue. Another is that these smaller hockey countries have much much more supportive fans, there is a sense of pride that I think bigger hockey nation sometimes lack. And a first WC in Slovakia was a big big deal for them.


Bottom line is this was in many respects a fudged opportunity for the organizers, 30 metres north of the Globe you have Hovet a 8000-seat venue which was left unused. Commercials started rolling out a week after the tournament started promoting 8€ tickets, these were nowhere to be found at the time. What they should have done was price some matches at 10€, inviting youth hockey players or youth from around Sweden to buy even cheaper ones.

There were so many possibilities, hopefully someone will have to fall on their sword for these 2 years.

 

[xxxx]

The Slovakia numbers, which were great, are explained by many factors. One is obviously geography and population density, the Austria-Slovenia attendance numbers aren't so mysterious if you realize that Austria is a 30 minute car ride away from the venue. Another is that these smaller hockey countries have much much more supportive fans, there is a sense of pride that I think bigger hockey nation sometimes lack. And a first WC in Slovakia was a big big deal for them.


Bottom line is this was in many respects a fudged opportunity for the organizers, 30 metres north of the Globe you have Hovet a 8000-seat venue which was left unused. Commercials started rolling out a week after the tournament started promoting 8€ tickets, these were nowhere to be found at the time. What they should have done was price some matches at 10€, inviting youth hockey players or youth from around Sweden to buy even cheaper ones.

There were so many possibilities, hopefully someone will have to fall on their sword for these 2 years.

These are the reasons why IIHF should organize this tournament in these countries again. But they should change something if they wanna hold the event in Finland / Sweden or even Russia. I do think that Sweden and Finland are two great hockey countries, and it's not like people don't wanna watch hockey there. Another fact: There isn't any team playing Elitserien in Stockholm. So the city may be unaccustomed to watching hockey all the time.

Hope another tournament in Sweden will be better This tournament wasn't that bad in terms of hockey though.

 

[Jonimaus]

These are the reasons why IIHF should organize this tournament in these countries again. But they should change something if they wanna hold the event in Finland / Sweden or even Russia. I do think that Sweden and Finland are two great hockey countries, and it's not like people don't wanna watch hockey there. Another fact: There isn't any team playing Elitserien in Stockholm. So the city may be unaccustomed to watching hockey all the time.

Hope another tournament in Sweden will be better This tournament wasn't that bad in terms of hockey though.

Your facts are wrong. There is still 1, and 2 years go there were 2, 1 team has great following (actually the one that got demoted), and 1 has decent.

 

[xxxx]

Your facts are wrong. There is still 1, and 2 years go there were 2, 1 team has great following (actually the one that got demoted), and 1 has decent.

Really ? Oops, then sorry, didn't know that.

 

[Slimmy]

I still don't agree. Both sides benefit through each stage of development. Using your logic you could argue the exact opposite in that a nation owes a player something for representing them at a tournament. After all the main person responsible for a players development is the player himself.

Then the player should practice on his own then, see how far he goes..
Maybe everyone should study by their own aswell. No need for a society at all. Why not just dig your own ditches and build your own roads.

 

[Slimmy]

I'm just glad this stupid two countries WHCs come to the end. And I hope that Stockholm especially won't be applying for antoher WHC for a long time.

Agreed. Stockholm suck at hosting the WHC. Never agian..

 

[OldYellar]

I live in Stockholm, I love hockey and I wanted to watch all the games. I went to ONE game. You know why? Short-side ticket is 150 bucks and a longside ticket almost 300 bucks. It is way.. way too expensive.

 

[Reindl87]

Having a world championchip every year is simply a joke, let's be honest. Having it while the NHl season is still going on is even a bigger joke.
The IHf World Championships are an annual tournament for National teams, but i wouldn't call the winner a world champion. The value of that tournament is simply too low.

For god's sake why don't they simply make a real world championship every four years in August/September?
An actual tournament that lasts like 3 -4 weeks were the best players compete and where teams don't play every single day. There could also be a best of 3 format for the elimination game.
A real world championship like that could do so much more for the sport of ice hockey than that gimmick thing they call world championships now.
Every four year a real world championship and every 4 years the Olympics. That would mean we would see best on best international hockey which would simply be amazing.
The current situation is simply

 

[slovakiasnextone]

The Slovakia numbers, which were great, are explained by many factors. One is obviously geography and population density, the Austria-Slovenia attendance numbers aren't so mysterious if you realize that Austria is a 30 minute car ride away from the venue. Another is that these smaller hockey countries have much much more supportive fans, there is a sense of pride that I think bigger hockey nation sometimes lack. And a first WC in Slovakia was a big big deal for them.


Bottom line is this was in many respects a fudged opportunity for the organizers, 30 metres north of the Globe you have Hovet a 8000-seat venue which was left unused. Commercials started rolling out a week after the tournament started promoting 8€ tickets, these were nowhere to be found at the time. What they should have done was price some matches at 10€, inviting youth hockey players or youth from around Sweden to buy even cheaper ones.

There were so many possibilities, hopefully someone will have to fall on their sword for these 2 years.

The high attendance in Bratislava was also caused by the fact that the demand for tickets of Slovakia games was so high that if you wanted on you had to buy tickets for the whole group as far as I can remember. Also the other group there had the Czechs in them and having the WC in Bratislava was basically like having it at home for them (just as 2004 in Ostrava was for Slovaks). Combine that with everything you said and the fact that the WC is the sporting event of the year in Slovakia, it's so big here like in almost no other country and unlike the other countries where it is so big like the Czech republic, Slovakia had hosted the WC for the first time as an independent country as you mentioned.

But I still believe that the WC in Slovakia could have done even better attendance wise if the organizators were smarter about prices in the 2nd venue in Košice, where most of the games had a low attendance. The notable exception was a game between Canada and Sweden, which was almost a sell out, which IMO shows that people there were willing to watch the games, just for more accurate prices. As they were already unhappy about the lack of Slovakia games there, the lack of play off games and combined with high prices the attendance for the games between the middle of the pack teams and bottom feeders had a pretty low attendance.

 

[ES]

I think they made a big mistake to schedule quarter-finals in the working time. Last year they had same times but the difference was that in 2012 it was Ascension Day so people were not at work.

While I agree that quarter-finals deserve to be played so that they don't clash, maybe they should consider splitting them for two days.

 

[Past Considerations]

Some people might remember Kalervo Kummola's blatant lie and comparison last year to NHL ticket prizes (claimed they cost 400 euros). Now he compares them to Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix's second most expensive package, which grants access to 8th floor restaurant seat (btw, sold out). Cheapest tickets are much cheaper - 89 eur.

"I don't comment the ticket prizes [yes, I do]. I'll just say that a ticket to Monaco F1 GP costs 1300 pounds. It's all relative."

http://www.hs.fi/urheilu/Mistä+hinnoista+Kummola+puhuu/a1369100135291

 

[Cruor]

It's all relative indeed, WC's can be called many things but "Formula 1" of hockey doesn't spring to mind

 

[Gemini]

According to the Finnish media, Sweden made a combined loss of nearly 3 million euros from the two tournaments. In comparison, last year Finland profited nearly 10 million euros.

 

[Pominville Knows]

According to the Finnish media, Sweden made a combined loss of nearly 3 million euros from the two tournaments. In comparison, last year Finland profited nearly 10 million euros.

I have not had high thoughts about the swedish hockey association for quite a few years now, but i would like to know how much of those losses stems from last year and this year, respectively.
Last year as we know they put the prizes waaay to high which aformemost led to empty arenas in games where Sweden did'nt play. This year they said that they had leant that lesson only now they sold some tickets at redicoulously low prizes. I dont understand how any of these two stances will bring plus at the end.