Where are the "hockey towns" of the world?

[SCBdude]

In Switzerland it's Bern, Ambri and Davos.

 

[Belenos]

Biel's label two or three years ago was hockeytown.

In Switzerland it has to be Ambri (which is not actually a town), Davos, Lausanne and Biel.

Bern is NOT a hockey town because most of it's fans aren't from the city itself. Most of the people in Bern are supporting the local football team.

 

[DrunkElkCZ]

In Czech Republic - Brno, Pardubice, Kladno, Litvinov.. maybe some more

 

[robwangjing]

If I am not mistaken about Chinese hockey Qiqihar is also in the running...

Kushiro for Japan, is that possible?

Yes you absolutely right, the province of Heilongjiang has both these cities. National teams are mostly 50/50 of players from those two. But I think Harbin is the overall popular, and is bigger. Qiqihar is a strong number two and then there is basically nothing.

HLJ could have a national team of their own, don't need the rest of China.

About Japan I don't know.

 

[maroon 6]

Ornskoldvik in Sweden has a population of around 30,000

Some players from there are Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund, Sedin twins, Victor Hedman, Tobias Enstrom, Niklas Sundstrom and more.

 

[stv11]

In Switzerland it's Bern, Ambri and Davos.

Not sure about Bern, football is also very well supported there. And Ambrì probably fails the "town" part.

Davos and Langnau, maybe Lausanne, seem like the best answers for Switzerland, although hockey is pretty popular accross the entire country.

 

[babyshamble]

Sarpsborg (Norway), but I think that Stavanger has surpassed Sarpsborg in recent years after getting their new arena.

 

[Ciccarelli]

In Finland it's Pori for sure. Loudest fans and a great culture.

 

[andersej]

For Denmark I'd like to add the Copenhagen suburb of Rødovre to go along with Herning. Herning has had more on ice success and thus more fans at games, but Rødovre and Herning are about equal when it comes to producing NHL or international calibre players and way above the rest of the country.

Also, there's no doubt hockey is the number one sport in Rødovre, I'm not sure that is the case in Herning with the current success of FC Midtjylland.

 

[CPFC]

In Finland it's Pori for sure. Loudest fans and a great culture.

Nothing special about Pori. Usually a pretty lame atmosphere (they got dominated by Raumam Boja just a few days ago) and a terrible arena.

It's hard to nominate a "stand-out" hockey town from Finland. Tampere is the one with the biggest traditions, but it has been a mediocre place at best in the last decades in terms of success, attendance and player production.

Turku was pretty dominant in the 90's, but they're in a really difficult situation at the moment.

Oulu is a sound choice right now. Lots of good homegrown players and a successful decade behind them.

 

[helax]

I'd say that Gävle and Skelefteå are ahead of Örnsköldsvik atm, both towns has had a more progressive development of young talent recently.

 

[FiLe]

Nothing special about Pori. Usually a pretty lame atmosphere (they got dominated by Raumam Boja just a few days ago) and a terrible arena.

It's hard to nominate a "stand-out" hockey town from Finland. Tampere is the one with the biggest traditions, but it has been a mediocre place at best in the last decades in terms of success, attendance and player production.

Turku was pretty dominant in the 90's, but they're in a really difficult situation at the moment.

Oulu is a sound choice right now. Lots of good homegrown players and a successful decade behind them.

I wasn't aware that in order to be called a "hockey town", the local team(s) must be constantly winning and successful.

"S***w culture and traditions and fanatical followers, if the team is pish, the town is pish."

 

[CPFC]

I wasn't aware that in order to be called a "hockey town", the local team(s) must be constantly winning and successful.

It's part of the equation. Passionate and proficient hockey culture is more likely to produce success than failure.

 

[FiLe]

It's part of the equation. Passionate and proficient hockey culture is more likely to produce success than failure.

It can also create complacency, which will in turn generate (usually temporary) failure. But that doesn't mean that the passion and proficiency still aren't there.

Besides, you can create a "hockey town" just about anywhere with enough local success. But true hockey towns retain their culture and passion towards the sport even through failure and hardship. For example, Tampere is pretty constant in that sense. It remains to be seen what happens in Oulu when Kärpät hits a stretch that makes the glory years seem like a memory long past.

 

[insert funny name]

Tampere is the hockey town of Finland, no question. It's where it all started. Just look at the history of Tappara and Ilves.

 

[CPFC]

Besides, you can create a "hockey town" just about anywhere with enough local success. But true hockey towns retain their culture and passion towards the sport even through failure and hardship. For example, Tampere is pretty constant in that sense. It remains to be seen what happens in Oulu when Kärpät hits a stretch that makes the glory years seem like a memory long past.

True that, but I never said that success is the only (or the most significant) denominator of a hockey town. It's more of a by-product of strong hockey culture.

 

[nabby12]

What a coincidence that this thread is up right now.

I just wrote a book called "Hockey Hotbeds" and its set to release on December 2nd, but available as a pre order right now.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/379954

Hockey Hotbeds is a collection of stories on thirty hockey cities/towns around the world that includes exclusive interviews with many of the games top players from the past, present and future. From Boston to Zurich, Ty Dilello takes you around the world in this must read for any major hockey or sports fan.

 

[Tampa Bay Kiwi]

New Zealand would have to be either Botany,Auckland or Queenstown

Australia would probably be Melbourne as they have 2 teams in there top competition. Also has the coldest climate of the cities with rinks.

I recently watched a game in Melbourne which was sold out and had a nice atmosphere.

 

[Sanf]

Tampere in Finland like mentioned. Really the growth place of Finnish hockey. First artificial ice rink was also in Tampere.

Hämeenlinna deserves a mention also. First smaller city to challenge bigger citys. In late 40´s early 50´s national team was composed of players from Tampere and Hämeenlinna. Still hockey crazy city with a team in Finnish league.

 

[McGlassbangers]

Basically every city/town in Finland is a hockey town except Loimaa (basketball), Maarianhamina (football) and Pietarsaari (football). If I had to name one it would be Tampere.

 

[LiveeviL]

I'd say that Gävle and Skelefteå are ahead of Örnsköldsvik atm, both towns has had a more progressive development of young talent recently.

Development does not make a town "hockey town". Hockey is religion in Örnsköldsvik. Sure there are great hockey culture in Skellefteå and Gävle, but it does not compare.

 

[Hedning]

It's not Stockholm, that's for sure. Hockey is about to more or less die out here. AIK have big problems with both attendance and staying afloat in the top tier. (it's probably just a matter of time until they're demoted if nothing happens)
Djurgården is a middle of the pack team in the second tier.
Hammarby collapsed (both on the ice & economically) and had to start all over. Now in the 3rd tier. etc, etc...

SHL is more and more for the countryside clubs with a strong economical backup from the region. Stockholm? Not so much, they just don't give a **** here.
AIK & DIF should try to get in to the KHL in my opinion (and others). It's probably their only hope for the moment. But it's important that both clubs stay connected, the rivalry is more or less their lifeblood. (Been so since 1891 in all sports. The clubs/fans sure hate each other tho (some times even violently) but they also need each other probably more than any other clubs) And if both would be accepted to the KHL, things can turn around, maybe? At least it's a better option than the death-sentence they more or less are living under atm.

 

[obskyr]

Omsk
Also Chelyabinsk, it can't stop erupting with hockey talent not without a reason. But still no other city in Russia is like Omsk.

 

[MikeModano9]

It was -45 with the wind chill last night here in Edmonton and we had 10,000 people show up for a Junior game. WHL.

 

[chokei]

Not sure about Bern, football is also very well supported there. And Ambrì probably fails the "town" part.

Davos and Langnau, maybe Lausanne, seem like the best answers for Switzerland, although hockey is pretty popular accross the entire country.

Depends if you determine Hockey Town by absolute or relative supporting. Relative, of course, there are also football fans in town, but absolute Bern is definitely a Hockey Town. The No. 1 sport in the city is hockey, even Streit talked about how much of a Hockey Town Bern is. How can the biggest fan base in Switzerland and Europe (attendance/game) not be a Hockey Town?

Fribourg seems pretty hockey crazy too.