Comments and complaints about the Paris games

[TorstenFrings]

I honestly don't see the point of splitting it between countries. You want to create a buzz for the tournament and splitting it in two doesn't help. Switzerland has an abundance of top quality stadiums (and won't even host it at its best one, Berne) and I see no need sending half of it to a hockey no name country.

I also am not sure why it only has to be at two stadiums? Particularly at a small country like Switzerland, why not spread it around a bit? Big games at big stadiums but why can't Slovenia vs Italy be hosted in a 5k arena? Packing that out would give a better atmosphere than a largely empty colosseum.

It was meant in the spirit of spreading hockey to up and coming countries. Group B isn't playing in Paris, because Germany has only that one arena either.

Dunno about the smaller arenas though. It's obviously a result of the two arenas approach, but why they do it that way? Who knows. Maybe they do not want to spread themselves to thin. Not sure what kind of resources IIHF has in comparison to other sports that do it differently.

 

[Xokkeu]

It was meant in the spirit of spreading hockey to up and coming countries. Group B isn't playing in Paris, because Germany has only that one arena either.

Dunno about the smaller arenas though. It's obviously a result of the two arenas approach, but why they do it that way? Who knows. Maybe they do not want to spread themselves to thin. Not sure what kind of resources IIHF has in comparison to other sports that do it differently.

They do two arenas because of the number of games that need to be played.

 

[almostawake]

The should have looked at a possible Italy combo for Switzerland in 2020 though.

No, they shouldn't have.

In Italy you are looking at Torino, Milano, or Bolzano. Milano and Torino would have less atmosphere than Paris -- locals wouldn't even turn up in numbers for their team, let alone other teams. Bolzano would have local fan support, but is a 7,200 arena and the city is, infrastructurely speaking, at the ass end of nowhere.

And this is not even getting into how disastrous it would be from an organizational point of view.

 

[almostawake]

I honestly don't see the point of splitting it between countries. You want to create a buzz for the tournament and splitting it in two doesn't help. Switzerland has an abundance of top quality stadiums (and won't even host it at its best one, Berne) and I see no need sending half of it to a hockey no name country.

Worth noting that Lausanne will have a brand new arena for 2020 that (while not the largest) will almost certainly be the nicest and most luxurious arena in Switzerland.

I also am not sure why it only has to be at two stadiums? Particularly at a small country like Switzerland, why not spread it around a bit? Big games at big stadiums but why can't Slovenia vs Italy be hosted in a 5k arena? Packing that out would give a better atmosphere than a largely empty colosseum.

Huge costs associated with keeping arenas capable of operating at full several weeks (a month?) after the end of the primary tenant's season. Huge cost associated with providing security, getting permissions, etc. Lack of atmosphere due to lack of critical mass, fan zone, etc.

 

[Tuoppi]

Possibilities for future games could be:
Seattle, Victoria
Saskatoon, Regina
Duluth, Grand forks
Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Rochester
Halifax, St. John's, Providence
London, Sheffield
Oslo, Gothenburg
Copenhagen, Malmö
Helsinki, St. Petersburgh
Munich, Salzburg
Lugano, Milan, Bolzano
Warsaw, Krakow, Ostrava
Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest
Klagenfurt, Ljubljana, Zagreb
Moscow, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod
Kazan, Ufa, Magnitogorsk
Oulu, Luleå, Skellefteå
Omsk, Astana, Novosibirsk
Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Sapporo, Anchorage

 

[Xokkeu]

Possibilities for future games could be:
Seattle, Victoria
Saskatoon, Regina
Duluth, Grand forks
Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Rochester
Halifax, St. John's, Providence
London, Sheffield
Oslo, Gothenburg
Copenhagen, Malmö
Helsinki, St. Petersburgh
Munich, Salzburg
Lugano, Milan, Bolzano
Warsaw, Krakow, Ostrava
Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest
Klagenfurt, Ljubljana, Zagreb
Moscow, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod
Kazan, Ufa, Magnitogorsk
Oulu, Luleå, Skellefteå
Omsk, Astana, Novosibirsk
Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Sapporo, Anchorage

I would go the college route in bigger cities in the US. Not that I think they'll ever come to America and for good reason. Instead I'd propose Madison/Minneapolis, Ann Arbor/ Cleveland, Boston/ Quebec

 

[HereNow16]

I had a standing room ticket in Cologne for €16. Show up a little early and you get a nice action view spot at the glass right behind the goal. Can't complain about that.
The beer was like a fiver though, that's where they get ya

Lol 5 euros for a beer. At an NHL game they are $10 so can't complain.

Going to Cologne on Tuesday, so it's good to know what to expect regarding the beer price. When I went to Philly in February, they wanted $12 for a beer, which was the point when I opted out. But in Germany, 5 Euro is definitely the point where people are going to start to argue about it being too expensive.

I'm curious about the atmosphere around the stadium and during the games. It doesn't always come over too well on TV, but it always pains me a bit to see too many empty seats during the games. My personal feeling was that I've seen more of that in Paris than in Cologne so far, but that perception could be skewed because I haven't seen all games.

But I didn't even have the option to buy tickets for a single game through the official ticket site, and if I already have to buy tickets for all three games that day, I'm definitely going to be in my seat during all three of them, too. (If one of the games sucks, there's always beer, after all )

 

[Xokkeu]

Going to Cologne on Tuesday, so it's good to know what to expect regarding the beer price. When I went to Philly in February, they wanted $12 for a beer, which was the point when I opted out. But in Germany, 5 Euro is definitely the point where people are going to start to argue about it being too expensive.

I'm curious about the atmosphere around the stadium and during the games. It doesn't always come over too well on TV, but it always pains me a bit to see too many empty seats during the games. My personal feeling was that I've seen more of that in Paris than in Cologne so far, but that perception could be skewed because I haven't seen all games.

But I didn't even have the option to buy tickets for a single game through the official ticket site, and if I already have to buy tickets for all three games that day, I'm definitely going to be in my seat during all three of them, too. (If one of the games sucks, there's always beer, after all )

I bought singles the other day. Sometimes the site is weird.

For what it's worth seems the large beers are 3-4€ anyway. But traditionally they serve these little .2l things on rotation for 2€

 

[HereNow16]

I bought singles the other day. Sometimes the site is weird.

For what it's worth seems the large beers are 3-4€ anyway. But traditionally they serve these little .2l things on rotation for 2€

Kölsch. It's...well, technically, it's beer. (I know I'm not going to endear myself to Kölsch-lovers out there, but no. Just no. Not for me.)

But that's the fun thing about Germany being a beer-drinking nation. Everyone has an opinion on it, and you always have a starting point for very passionate discussions as to why your own opinion is right and everybody else is wrong.

 

[Roosters]

Here you can see how many spectators each game had:

https://www.facebook.com/EissportDe...9525606429397/423081428073814/?type=3&theater

 

[Xokkeu]

Kölsch. It's...well, technically, it's beer. (I know I'm not going to endear myself to Kölsch-lovers out there, but no. Just no. Not for me.)

But that's the fun thing about Germany being a beer-drinking nation. Everyone has an opinion on it, and you always have a starting point for very passionate discussions as to why your own opinion is right and everybody else is wrong.

Taste fine to me. Nothing special

 

[HereNow16]

Taste fine to me. Nothing special

That right there.
I tried getting drunk on Kölsch once. It was the buzz I had to work for the hardest in my entire life. The stuff just runs through like water. But to each their own, let them drink Kölsch and if there's another option around I'll gladly take that one.

 

[Xokkeu]

That right there.
I tried getting drunk on Kölsch once. It was the buzz I had to work for the hardest in my entire life. The stuff just runs through like water. But to each their own, let them drink Kölsch and if there's another option around I'll gladly take that one.

What's your typical choice of beer?

 

[Xokkeu]

That right there.
I tried getting drunk on Kölsch once. It was the buzz I had to work for the hardest in my entire life. The stuff just runs through like water. But to each their own, let them drink Kölsch and if there's another option around I'll gladly take that one.

Also I think let them drink Kolsch should be like the Rheinish version of Marie Antoinette

 

[HereNow16]

What's your typical choice of beer?

Also I think let them drink Kolsch should be like the Rheinish version of Marie Antoinette

Lol, I was thinking of Marie Antoinette when I wrote that.

Personally, I'm a big fan of either hoppy Pils beers, tending towards the more bitter variants. Either that, or dark and malty beers. I wouldn't call myself a big connoisseur, though. I'll try pretty much anything once, and Kölsch just doesn't do it for me.
Going out, I'm always happy if Beck's is on offer (my personal no hangover beer), else I mostly go for Flensburger or Rothaus Tannenzäpfle, and if a dark Krusovice is on offer somewhere I'm a happy camper. But all those are pretty mainstream beers here in Germany.

 

[Xokkeu]

Lol, I was thinking of Marie Antoinette when I wrote that.

Personally, I'm a big fan of either hoppy Pils beers, tending towards the more bitter variants. Either that, or dark and malty beers. I wouldn't call myself a big connoisseur, though. I'll try pretty much anything once, and Kölsch just doesn't do it for me.
Going out, I'm always happy if Beck's is on offer (my personal no hangover beer), else I mostly go for Flensburger or Rothaus Tannenzäpfle, and if a dark Krusovice is on offer somewhere I'm a happy camper. But all those are pretty mainstream beers here in Germany.

I only asked because my American friends who love pale ales IPAs etc always complain about German beer. But for me "growing up" on a crisp clean German Pilsener is my favorite. Kolsch in America is genuinely awful though

 

[HereNow16]

I only asked because my American friends who love pale ales IPAs etc always complain about German beer. But for me "growing up" on a crisp clean German Pilsener is my favorite. Kolsch in America is genuinely awful though

I think a lot of it is what you're used to. I'm accustomed to German Pilsener and that's the taste I prefer. "Crisp clean" actually describes it pretty well, and personally I don't need any fancy experiments with my beer. Like, my two experiences drinking IPAs did not encourage me to try again anytime soon.
There's lots of prejudice towards American beer in Germany. My only experience was a tour of Yard's brewery in Philly, and I really liked most of the beers I tried there. (Except the pink one with cherry taste. That went too far. WAY too far. )

 

[Xokkeu]

I think a lot of it is what you're used to. I'm accustomed to German Pilsener and that's the taste I prefer. "Crisp clean" actually describes it pretty well, and personally I don't need any fancy experiments with my beer. Like, my two experiences drinking IPAs did not encourage me to try again anytime soon.
There's lots of prejudice towards American beer in Germany. My only experience was a tour of Yard's brewery in Philly, and I really liked most of the beers I tried there. (Except the pink one with cherry taste. That went too far. WAY too far. )

American beer has two versions. **** version of German beers and bitter beer face. No in between

 

[Tuoppi]

Boy, this thread is taking different directions.

 

[TorstenFrings]

Lol, I was thinking of Marie Antoinette when I wrote that.

Personally, I'm a big fan of either hoppy Pils beers, tending towards the more bitter variants. Either that, or dark and malty beers. I wouldn't call myself a big connoisseur, though. I'll try pretty much anything once, and Kölsch just doesn't do it for me.
Going out, I'm always happy if Beck's is on offer (my personal no hangover beer), else I mostly go for Flensburger or Rothaus Tannenzäpfle, and if a dark Krusovice is on offer somewhere I'm a happy camper. But all those are pretty mainstream beers here in Germany.

I co-sign your taste in beer. At least for the most part, Beck's used to be a whole lot better, but it's a decent enough choice, if you are out of Pils country, I guess. Do go for Haake Beck instead, if actually in Bremen. They did not "internationalize" the formula for that one after the takeover. Your taste in NHL teams? Not so much.

Boy, this thread is taking different directions.

Your countrymen started it. Kinda.

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

Possibilities for future games could be:
Seattle, Victoria
Saskatoon, Regina
Duluth, Grand forks
Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Rochester
Halifax, St. John's, Providence
London, Sheffield
Oslo, Gothenburg
Copenhagen, Malmö
Helsinki, St. Petersburgh
Munich, Salzburg
Lugano, Milan, Bolzano
Warsaw, Krakow, Ostrava
Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest
Klagenfurt, Ljubljana, Zagreb
Moscow, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod
Kazan, Ufa, Magnitogorsk
Oulu, Luleå, Skellefteå
Omsk, Astana, Novosibirsk
Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Sapporo, Anchorage

I'd love to see this happen, would be a 30min. drive to both cities for me.

 

[Maverick41]

I'd love to see this happen, would be a 30min. drive to both cities for me.

I wouldn't mind it either. My parents live in/near Munich. I would definitely try to catch a couple of games there.

 

[TorstenFrings]

I'd love to see this happen, would be a 30min. drive to both cities for me.

I vote Oslo, Gothenburg. The amount of drinking on ferry boats I could squeeze in.

 

[Braunbaer]

I only asked because my American friends who love pale ales IPAs etc always complain about German beer.

Do they even have beer in America? I mean ... real beer?

 

[Ilyeu]

The IIHF wants to promote hockey, they can't even get it right in their own continental territory. Bring it to small town in Canada.