Finland and Slovakia: almost same but very different

[Nexon]

TV ratings isnt a great variable. Try to count, how many people playing active football in some sort of leagues. Not only top 3 leagues. But the low level "beer leagues". If im correct , every week it is about 100 000 active players. Every week. Plus another 100 000 + in junior leagues.

This not good variable either, in Czech or even Canada there are more active football players, still not many care about leagues and competitions.

 

[Jakk123]

I share your opinion regarding the troubling financial situation and the stagnation due to the caused uncertainty.

However: HC Slovan Bratislava allowed a bunch of Slovak players to compete with players in the 2nd best league of the world (KHL). This enabled Slovak hockey players to play on a highly competitive hockey level on a regular basis. Now with Slovan gone, this benefit is gone. Being able to develop (especially young) players in a KHL organization is a big advantage, because players (even if not skilled enough in the beginning) will adapt to KHL hockey level over time.

The Slovak hockey league surely isn't "bad", but miles away from the leading European leagues. It really is a shame. Same story happened with HC Lev Praha, even if the Czech Extraliga is slightly better off than the Slovak Extraliga.

Yes, I agree that being able to develop young players in a KHL organization is an advantage, but I don't see how was that the case of Slovan. All they did was sign bunch of older NA or Czech players. The only younger players with potential were maybe Liska, Sukel and Dano. They didn't even bother to sign up the U20 team for the MHL, all they did was talk about how they are planning on doing it. If I was a young Slovak player, I would definitely rather head to the Czech league than play for Slovan.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

I share your opinion regarding the troubling financial situation and the stagnation due to the caused uncertainty.

However: HC Slovan Bratislava allowed a bunch of Slovak players to compete with players in the 2nd best league of the world (KHL). This enabled Slovak hockey players to play on a highly competitive hockey level on a regular basis. Now with Slovan gone, this benefit is gone. Being able to develop (especially young) players in a KHL organization is a big advantage, because players (even if not skilled enough in the beginning) will adapt to KHL hockey level over time.

The Slovak hockey league surely isn't "bad", but miles away from the leading European leagues. It really is a shame. Same story happened with HC Lev Praha, even if the Czech Extraliga is slightly better off than the Slovak Extraliga.

How many Slovak players have there been in Slovan who have found a job in a league better than the Czech league after leaving Slovan in all those years they played the KHL? These days a good younh player can get themselves a contract in Liiga even from Slovak league, look at Kristof and Bucek. And they can always go to the Czech league from Slovak league.

The argument why the then leadership of Slovak federation let Slovan leave was that they would be the core of the national team. And how many times since 2012 was this actually true? Once?

The overall benefit of having Slovan in the KHL over having them back in Slovak league is minimal.

Slovan's departure almost destroyed the league which would leave Slovakia without a professional hockey league. Instead it grew from the ashes a bit and even went as far as throwing out clubs that had debts in order to stabilize.

Slovan with a budget of 2-3 million Euro can bring good things for the Slo ak league and that in turn can bring good things to Slovak hockey. Look at the IHWC this year, all the teams that made it to the QF have stable good leagues at home.

The question is though what kind of justice can clubs in Skalica and Martin feel in case Slovan gets accepted back into the league with the huge amount of debt and is it worth it to destroy the somewhat good image that the league has struggled to build during Slovan's absence?

Also the Slovak federation announcing that they are taking back control over the league just a few days ahead of Slovan saying they want back in stinks.

 

[member 305909]

Football is much more popular in Slovakia than hockey in terms of younger generation. Kids now want to be the next hamsik. Of course, people who never actually talk to slovak youngsters or actually go outside will think hockey is still more popular. And who cares about annual tv ratings? Slovakia beating italy in World Cup in our first World Cup is arguably the greatest Slovak upset in history. Slovakia is producing star players in football at much higher pace than hockey. In fact the hockey program in juniors is somehow becoming worse, after watching some 30 u20 games this year, it’s quite obvious. Zlina is becoming a gold mine for Central European prospects. Younger generation is looking to athletes such as Skriniar, Hamsik, and Lobotka. Even Duda has gained popularity. Now if only Roma could start playing organized football at high percentage...

It's the same about everywhere in Europe. In Finland hockey is undisputed #1 and unless I'm mistaken in Lithuania it is basketball, they are very good at it, but elsewhere in Europe it is football.

Never gonna be in Finland however. I can guarantee that! Never gonna be in North-America either but I'm less prepared to guarantee that.

 

[Namejs]

It's the same about everywhere in Europe. In Finland hockey is undisputed #1 and unless I'm mistaken in Lithuania it is basketball, they are very good at it, but elsewhere in Europe it is football.

Never gonna be in Finland however. I can guarantee that! Never gonna be in North-America either but I'm less prepared to guarantee that.

No, it's not. In Latvia hockey is the most popular spectator sport and basketball is the most popular in terms of player count. And that's the clear cut top 2.

Soccer is something you play during summertime for fun. The attendance rates for the domestic soccer league are more or less similar to floorball (a type of indoor hockey for North American readers out there). As an avid sports fan, I can name maybe 3 or 4 current members of the Latvian soccer national team.

Soccer is also not the most popular sport in Estonia.

 

[stastny12]

No, it's not. In Latvia hockey is the most popular spectator sport and basketball is the most popular in terms of player count. And that's the clear cut top 2.

Soccer is something you play during summertime for fun. The attendance rates for the domestic soccer league are more or less similar to floorball (a type of indoor hockey for North American readers out there). As an avid sports fan, I can name maybe 3 or 4 current members of the Latvian soccer national team.

Soccer is also not the most popular sport in Estonia.

I remember Euro 2004 and player Maris Verpakovskis, though.

Btw, I still think hockey is a bit more popular than soccer in Slovakia. Attendance on hockey league is far better, as well. Not only TV numbers.

 

[stastny12]

On the other hand, soccer in Slovakia is doing really good in recent years. Many new stadiums, lot of transfers for young slovakian players which are going immediately to Bundesliga or Seria A from Slovakian league. Thats pretty awesome.

Little fun fact, club AS Trencin beated Feynoord Rotterdam 4-0 in the European league preliminary round this season and now, they get relegated.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

I remember Euro 2004 and player Maris Verpakovskis, though.

Btw, I still think hockey is a bit more popular than soccer in Slovakia. Attendance on hockey league is far better, as well. Not only TV numbers.

I think there are different layers to a popularity of each sport.

I mean every Slovak village has a football pitch and a football club. I know that the number of football players is bigger than hockey players even in top hockey countries but the gap between hockey and football in Slovakia in this regard is extremely huge. In this regard hockey is closer to smaller sports such as handball.

 

[member 305909]

Football, or soccer as the NA-people call it, is like a victorious marching army crushing all resistance on its way.

However, in Finland football will never crush the resistance. Namely, there is something so Finnish about hockey that even if the Finnish football team through some miracle became as good as the Swedish counterpart, qualifying for the World Cup and the euros and advancing to the play-offs, football would never become the darling sport of the wide masses of Finland.

It just doesn't have the same appeal to it.

 

[Outofbodyinhungary]

I remember Euro 2004 and player Maris Verpakovskis, though.

Btw, I still think hockey is a bit more popular than soccer in Slovakia. Attendance on hockey league is far better, as well. Not only TV numbers.

Yeah the tv numbers are definitely better. Amongst the kids tho (age 20 or less) football is much more popular. I see more kids playing outside on fields more often than I did years ago. Additionally, whenever I’m in the east I see Romani kids playing with the ball, juggling or just passing around. I think we’ve become very good at developing young football prospects, our biggest problem in both hockey and soccer is the age gap between generations. Btw has anyone been down to the Tehelné pole ? I’ve heard it’s very nice

 

[93LEAFS]

Per Wiki:

115	Finland	5,522,015	November 30, 2018	0.072%	Official monthly estimate
116	Slovakia	5,445,087	June 30, 2018	0.071%	Official estimate

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Both countries with almost the same population.
Both countries, where ice-hockey is second most popular sport (after football).

But now comes the differencies:
Slovakia has only 10 727 registered players (according to IIHF)
Finland has 73 374

Slovaks top league is way way under the Finnish Sado Maso Liiga.

Slovak junior leagues are even more under the level of the Finnish.

Now tell me: Why? Why are there such big differences?

Simply put, look at the countries respective GDPs.

Slovakia in 2017: 95.77 billion
Finland in 2018: 251.9 billion

Hockey is a very expensive sport to play and to develop players. I would also look at the taxation and social policies combined with this. It's why smaller but wealthy countries that become interested to passionate hockey are going to rapidly grow compared to other comparable nations (for example growth of German and Swiss hockey.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

On the other hand, soccer in Slovakia is doing really good in recent years. Many new stadiums, lot of transfers for young slovakian players which are going immediately to Bundesliga or Seria A from Slovakian league. Thats pretty awesome.

Little fun fact, club AS Trencin beated Feynoord Rotterdam 4-0 in the European league preliminary round this season and now, they get relegated.

There is a lot of incentive for football clubs to raise players because of the money they can get from international transfers. There isn't such money in hockey, but that shouldn't prevent clubs from trying to raise good players for their own team either.

Football club from Zilina has had their own academy for years now and overall there are 12 football academies in Slovakia aa of 2017.

In hockey a pilot project will start in Trencin for 2019/2020 season, but it will take years to have the planned eight academies for each region.

 

[Husqvarna]

Bratislava is probably one of the funniest (alongside with Budapest, Hungary, that is!) of cities that I've ever visited on my trips around Europe followin' sports like: Football, Ice hockey and Formula 1.

Year in and year out.

Coz you Slovakian guys (and girls!) can rock when ya wanna!

Only seen people dancin' on tables(!), and not been thrown out by heavy-handed-guardian-punters, in Bratislava ... and in Nottingham(!); of all places on mother earth.
The last one supportin' a couple of Nottingham Forest chaps on their journey to Robin Hood-land. Even thou' I'm West Ham United.

Easy and cheap livin' there (Slovakia) too.

Imagine if Finland and Slovakia ever never will meet in the World Championships Finals - total mayhem both on and off ice - me thinx!

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Bratislava is probably one of the funniest (alongside with Budapest, Hungary, that is!) of cities that I've ever visited on my trips around Europe followin' sports like: Football, Ice hockey and Formula 1.

Year in and year out.

Coz you Slovakian guys (and girls!) can rock when ya wanna!

Only seen people dancin' on tables(!), and not been thrown out by heavy-handed-guardian-punters, in Bratislava ... and in Nottingham(!); of all places on mother earth.
The last one supportin' a couple of Nottingham Forest chaps on their journey to Robin Hood-land. Even thou' I'm West Ham United.

Easy and cheap livin' there (Slovakia) too.

Imagine if Finland and Slovakia ever never will meet in the World Championships Finals - total mayhem both on and off ice - me thinx!

I know at least of one pub in central Slovakia, in Banska Bystrica where dancing on the table was also almost encouraged.