WC: 2024 World Championship general discussion

[jj cale]

No matter how you slice it the WJC's in Canada and the WHC in Praque are a step above for international tournaments, they are normally the best we get as fans on a consistent basis.

 

[Old Man Jags]

As you know, I watch the Czech games very closely.. man do they play in half empty arenas when they don't play Canada in Canada.

Absolutely correct.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

That should be a good goal for Canada.

 

[Silky Johnson]

As you know, I watch the Czech games very closely.. man do they play in half empty arenas when they don't play Canada in Canada.

When the Czechs played at the WJC in 2009 in Ottawa their lowest attended game was 17,664. There average attendance was very close to capacity.

This is in a country that has WJC every other year and without the benefit of cheap easy access from the majority of the other countries involved.

FYI there are tons of fans from other counties in Prague now. Way more than I have ever seen in NA for any tournament. This totally makes sense as it's really easy to hop in and out from other European countries.

 

[Czechboy]

And since I"m on it.lol... watching Canada vs Denmark right now.. Packed arena! Those aren't all Danish and Canuck fans.

Please find me a sold out Czech vs Denmark U20 game in Canada. Or the attendance of the non Canada pool arena. Because Ostrava is selling out too.

 

[Czechboy]

When the Czechs played at the WJC in 2009 in Ottawa their lowest attended game was 17,664. There average attendance was very close to capacity.

This is in a country that has WJC every other year and without the benefit of cheap easy access from the majority of the other countries involved.

FYI there are tons of fans from other counties in Prague now. Way more than I have ever seen in NA for any tournament. This totally makes sense as it's really easy to hop in and out from other European countries.

2009 is a long time ago. Your second paragraph is why the areans are empty and dead for the last few WJ's (not the Canada games).

Agree, our access to games makes it amazing. Euro's showing up from all over the world and partying makes it better. There is absolutely nothing like that at a World Jr for the non Canada fans.

Only thing I can think of that would beat both would be a World Cup in Vegas... I could see everyone showing up for that. Make it happen Bettman!

 

[Old Man Jags]

When the Czechs played at the WJC in 2009 in Ottawa their lowest attended game was 17,664. There average attendance was very close to capacity.

This is in a country that has WJC every other year and without the benefit of cheap easy access from the majority of the other countries involved.

FYI there are tons of fans from other counties in Prague now. Way more than I have ever seen in NA for any tournament. This totally makes sense as it's really easy to hop in and out from other European countries.

Yes, Prague will definitely have tons of foreign fans - it’s generally quite an attractive destination. Like tournaments in Vienna, it will attract fans who will combine it with a little holiday in a nice city. Ostrava on the other hand is sadly pretty awful. There will be tons and tons of Polish fans I imagine - they even attend the games of the local football team with zero Polish context - but otherwise…. Not a place for a nice little city break!

 

[Old Man Jags]

Talking of Ostrava… I am ashamed to ask this as a Czech, I feel there must be a clear and obvious reason I am not aware of but should be, but why are our world championships always held in Prague and Ostrava and not Prague and Brno? The latter two are the two biggest cities in the country and unlike Ostrava, Brno is a beautiful city that is attractive to visit.

Maybe Czechboy could enlighten me?

 

[Czechboy]

Talking of Ostrava… I am ashamed to ask this as a Czech, I feel there must be a clear and obvious reason I am not aware of but should be, but why are our world championships always held in Prague and Ostrava and not Prague and Brno? The latter two are the two biggest cities in the country and unlike Ostrava, Brno is a beautiful city that is attractive to visit.

Maybe Czechboy could enlighten me?

Czechboy is from Brno and really hates that it isn't split between the 2. Very direct train ride between Praha and Brno too! Plus, the world really should visit the Pegas Mircrobrewery once!

I assume it's an arena issue? Otherwise, makes no sense. Brno is also 100kms from Vienna and Trencin. Another easy train ride. Maybe the arena.. maybe the better proximity of Ostrava to Slovakia and Poland? Although, not by much km wise.

 

[Mirinho]

Next WCH in Czech rep. will be in Prague and Brno. Brno is building new modern arena ARENA BRNO - The largest strategic project in Brno
so finnaly all fans will be satisfied

 

[Silky Johnson]

2009 is a long time ago. Your second paragraph is why the areans are empty and dead for the last few WJ's (not the Canada games).

Agree, our access to games makes it amazing. Euro's showing up from all over the world and partying makes it better. There is absolutely nothing like that at a World Jr for the non Canada fans.

Only thing I can think of that would beat both would be a World Cup in Vegas... I could see everyone showing up for that. Make it happen Bettman!

WHC in Vegas would be cool but not if Vegas is still playing. But that is the real problem right. Regardless of who's fault it is, having the WHC in the middle of the by far most important league in the world playoffs is a joke.

By the way, comparing U20 in Canada to Mens seniors in Prague is not really apples to apples. A good U20 in Canada gets similar attendance to an average Men's senior in Europe. U20 in Europe gets half or less... with really much lower ticket prices...

I like hockey and am attending the tournament. It's fun and I'm having and will continue have a great time. But to say it's one of the best hockey atmospheres I just can't agree.

Best on best in Canada, SCF in a hockey market & best on best elsewhere - blows it out of the water. Like not even close. I think you need to have experienced all four to have an informed opinion.

 

[Old Man Jags]

Czechboy is from Brno and really hates that it isn't split between the 2. Very direct train ride between Praha and Brno too! Plus, the world really should visit the Pegas Mircrobrewery once!

I assume it's an arena issue? Otherwise, makes no sense. Brno is also 100kms from Vienna and Trencin. Another easy train ride. Maybe the arena.. maybe the better proximity of Ostrava to Slovakia and Poland? Although, not by much km wise.

Capacity-wise, Arena Brno fits nearly 13,000 for hockey games, so bigger than Ostrava. Anything wrong with that arena? Again, sorry if the answer is obvious. I just don’t know.

Economically it would also make sense for the Czech Republic. A visit to Brno by foreign fans will spark many return visits as the city is great. Ostrava, not so much.

EDIT: I see, the arena does not exist yet!!! I looked up the biggest capacity ice hockey are an and got that one. They did not mention the minor fact it does not exist yet!

 

[Czechboy]

Capacity-wise, Arena Brno fits nearly 13,000 for hockey games, so bigger than Ostrava. Anything wrong with that arena? Again, sorry if the answer is obvious. I just don’t know.

Economically it would also make sense for the Czech Republic. A visit to Brno by foreign fans will spark many return visits as the city is great. Ostrava, not so much.

Winning Group Arena - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Isn't this the arena?

 

[Old Man Jags]

Capacity-wise, Arena Brno fits nearly 13,000 for hockey games, so bigger than Ostrava. Anything wrong with that arena? Again, sorry if the answer is obvious. I just don’t know.

Economically it would also make sense for the Czech Republic. A visit to Brno by foreign fans will spark many return visits as the city is great. Ostrava, not so much.

EDIT: I see, the arena does not exist yet!!! I looked up the biggest capacity ice hockey are an and got that one. They did not mention the minor fact it does not exist yet!

Now I know why Kometa does not play in this magnificently large arena

Winning Group Arena - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Isn't this the arena?

Yes - please see my edits to the previous post . I did have a feeling that my question was a stupid one..

 

[Nexon]

WHC in Vegas would be cool but not if Vegas is still playing. But that is the real problem right. Regardless of who's fault it is, having the WHC in the middle of the by far most important league in the world playoffs is a joke.

By the way, comparing U20 in Canada to Mens seniors in Prague is not really apples to apples. A good U20 in Canada gets similar attendance to an average Men's senior in Europe. U20 in Europe gets half or less... with really much lower ticket prices...

I like hockey and am attending the tournament. It's fun and I'm having and will continue have a great time. But to say it's one of the best hockey atmospheres I just can't agree.

Best on best in Canada, SCF in a hockey market & best on best elsewhere - blows it out of the water. Like not even close. I think you need to have experienced all four to have an informed opinion.

Not many care about u20 outside of Canada and US, so that’s comparing apples and oranges.

 

[Old Man Jags]

Poster jjcale just posted something about the Euros still playing Live is Life, and it made me feel nostalgic. And that in turn made me think of the IIHF fan forum hosted on their website in the past, which was abandoned many years ago. Does anyone remember that?? Posters there were so aggressive and whiney and seemed to have a mental age of 11 (maybe actual age also), and did not seem to know much about hockey. So nationalistic and aggressive. I did not really partake but enjoyed looking at the trolling passively. I am sad it’s gone. But it makes me appreciate this crowd. The most antagonistic people on here are are a mixture of Gandhi and ice hockey super experts in comparison.

Ahh, nostalgia! I am getting old.

 

[Channelcat]

At times I get the impression that Mike Johnson and Gord Miller despise each other.

 

[vorky]

Winning Group Arena - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Isn't this the arena?

I think he talks about a new arena in Brno, which should be ready by 2026. Read here.

 

[NyQuil]

Poster jjcale just posted something about the Euros still playing Live is Life, and it made me feel nostalgic. And that in turn made me think of the IIHF fan forum hosted on their website in the past, which was abandoned many years ago. Does anyone remember that?? Posters there were so aggressive and whiney and seemed to have a mental age of 11 (maybe actual age also), and did not seem to know much about hockey. So nationalistic and aggressive. I did not really partake but enjoyed looking at the trolling passively. I am sad it’s gone. But it makes me appreciate this crowd. The most antagonistic people on here are are a mixture of Gandhi and ice hockey super experts in comparison.

Ahh, nostalgia! I am getting old.

Yes it was ihwc.net.

Half of the posts were people arguing about WWII.

I mean, Canada took part in it but we don’t talk about it all the time. It’s bizarre.

I used to post there every year.

 

[NyQuil]

At times I get the impression that Mike Johnson and Gord Miller despise each other.

I think Johnson has this hilarious and darkly sarcastic deadpan side to him that you get to know after awhile.

We’ve had him or Noodles for quite awhile now for Ottawa broadcasts. Before that, it was him, Noodles and Ferraro taking turns.

He’s like the bizarro version of Noodles who is a very positive and upbeat guy.

 

[jj cale]

Poster jjcale just posted something about the Euros still playing Live is Life, and it made me feel nostalgic. And that in turn made me think of the IIHF fan forum hosted on their website in the past, which was abandoned many years ago. Does anyone remember that?? Posters there were so aggressive and whiney and seemed to have a mental age of 11 (maybe actual age also), and did not seem to know much about hockey. So nationalistic and aggressive. I did not really partake but enjoyed looking at the trolling passively. I am sad it’s gone. But it makes me appreciate this crowd. The most antagonistic people on here are are a mixture of Gandhi and ice hockey super experts in comparison.

Ahh, nostalgia! I am getting old.

I remember the IIHF forum very well. Rough neighborhood, lol.

It got so bad they ditched they whole thing, I still miss it though, I met some friends there I still have to this day.

 

[Namejs]

Poster jjcale just posted something about the Euros still playing Live is Life, and it made me feel nostalgic. And that in turn made me think of the IIHF fan forum hosted on their website in the past, which was abandoned many years ago. Does anyone remember that?? Posters there were so aggressive and whiney and seemed to have a mental age of 11 (maybe actual age also), and did not seem to know much about hockey. So nationalistic and aggressive. I did not really partake but enjoyed looking at the trolling passively. I am sad it’s gone. But it makes me appreciate this crowd. The most antagonistic people on here are are a mixture of Gandhi and ice hockey super experts in comparison.

Ahh, nostalgia! I am getting old.

I do remember the ihwc forums. That was at least 15 or even 20 years ago.

I probably was around 12 when I first signed up in early 00s. It was devastating when they shut it down.

 

[jcbio11]

Czechboy is from Brno and really hates that it isn't split between the 2. Very direct train ride between Praha and Brno too! Plus, the world really should visit the Pegas Mircrobrewery once!

I assume it's an arena issue? Otherwise, makes no sense. Brno is also 100kms from Vienna and Trencin. Another easy train ride. Maybe the arena.. maybe the better proximity of Ostrava to Slovakia and Poland? Although, not by much km wise.

As a Slovak from Bratislava, Brno is so much more easily accessible. Just hop on the D2 freeway heading north to Czechia and you're there in like an hour and something. Plus all the buses and trains on the Bratislava Prague route stop there I suppose.

And it's not just the ease of acess. I feel like Ostrava is very remote and there's no reason for me to go there. Anecdotal evidence, but I've never been to Ostrava or that neck of the woods, but been to Brno once for a concert and visited Prague a bunch of times (at least 5 times, possibly more).

Poster jjcale just posted something about the Euros still playing Live is Life, and it made me feel nostalgic. And that in turn made me think of the IIHF fan forum hosted on their website in the past, which was abandoned many years ago. Does anyone remember that?? Posters there were so aggressive and whiney and seemed to have a mental age of 11 (maybe actual age also), and did not seem to know much about hockey. So nationalistic and aggressive. I did not really partake but enjoyed looking at the trolling passively. I am sad it’s gone. But it makes me appreciate this crowd. The most antagonistic people on here are are a mixture of Gandhi and ice hockey super experts in comparison.

Ahh, nostalgia! I am getting old.

I remember! Your description of the place is spot on.

 

[Old Man Jags]

Yes it was ihwc.net.

Half of the posts were people arguing about WWII.

I mean, Canada took part in it but we don’t talk about it all the time. It’s bizarre.

I used to post there every year.

I think I remember that - a poster called nyquil, a pill to relax, posting in the forum’s context very reasonably.

 

[Czechboy]

I think he talks about a new arena in Brno, which should be ready by 2026. Read here.

Yes... And when that happens I think it will be Brno and Prague hosting which I think will be better. No offense to Ostrava of course.