How can the World Championship improve as an event?

[Xokkeu]

Ideally I think the best solution would be a World Cup type tournament organized every two years. Four is too far apart for a sport that doesn't have a consistent international calendar like FIFA. While I personally enjoy the IIHF Worlds, and wish that they'd be the true World Championship every year, I don't believe it's realistic.

If you could find a way for the NHL to shut down around Christmas, and host a World Cup during the winter break, I think it could hit a sweet spot. Many people around the world would have time off, so time zone changes would be less of an issue. Seeing how the U20s have grown, I attribute much of that to the time of year they are played. There's a gap in the Canadian sports calendar. In the US it would compete with college football bowl season, but frankly I'll take that competition. Buffalo Wild Wings bowl vs USA/Canada?

Ideally the money would mostly go to the IIHF, to be distributed among federations. To satisfy the NHL, they would need some form of revenue sharing, at least to cover the insurance for player contracts and to keep the greedy owners happy. If the NHL is getting a cut that means the rest of the leagues get a cut. Throwing out random numbers but something like 50/50 with the IIHF getting 50%. The NHL and other leagues getting the rest of the 50%, which would be split up on a ratio of how many players from each league are in the tournament. The NHL portion would then be split evenly between the NHL and NHLPA.

As for hosting, I think it would be good to kick it off in Toronto. Then move the next one to Europe, say Moscow to satisfy the KHL. After that a hosting process would take place just like the current Worlds.

I think this would be the best compromise solution for everybody available, but just like Israel/Palestine, I don't see any of the warring parties agreeing to anything substantial anytime soon.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

How would the Olympic status raise the status of junior hockey? Juniors have been playing in Olympics in soccer and what's the status of it? Almost nobody watches it and the status of the tournament is near zero.

I don't see any reason why junior hockey should have higher status anyway. Of course we all know that junior hockey is respected and popular in Canada/NA, but it doesn't mean that it should have Olympic status only because of that.

I don't like soccer's U23 format. For hockey I would stick to a straight U20 format and also look for some sort of agreement from all the leagues that all U20 players would be released for the tournament. I'm pretty sure if the U20's were at the OG it would attract new fans to the U20 tournament in non-Olympic years. If the NHL did not go this would be the next most popular format.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

There is only one international competition the World pays attention to, so for the game's sake let's hope the NHL will send their players for the long run if it aims to promote the game. Watching U-23 players amongst the terrific Olympians would be an insult to those sportsmen to have kids like those amongst them who don't have a clue of what sport and the Olympic spirit is about. Football can do it because it's the World's game, they can do anything. Hockey can't, being such a minority sport, it needs all the exposure it can get. And that only comes through the Olympics.

Gymnastics, which is one of the most popular Olympic sports uses much younger athletes, so sorry but I don't buy that argument. I think the U20 players would be even more excited to participate than the pros.

 

[Xokkeu]

Gymnastics, which is one of the most popular Olympic sports uses much younger athletes, so sorry but I don't buy that argument. I think the U20 players would be even more excited to participate than the pros.

They use the best athletes possible. They don't try to suppress the talent level.

 

[cutchemist42]

Ideally I think the best solution would be a World Cup type tournament organized every two years. Four is too far apart for a sport that doesn't have a consistent international calendar like FIFA. While I personally enjoy the IIHF Worlds, and wish that they'd be the true World Championship every year, I don't believe it's realistic.

If you could find a way for the NHL to shut down around Christmas, and host a World Cup during the winter break, I think it could hit a sweet spot. Many people around the world would have time off, so time zone changes would be less of an issue. Seeing how the U20s have grown, I attribute much of that to the time of year they are played. There's a gap in the Canadian sports calendar. In the US it would compete with college football bowl season, but frankly I'll take that competition. Buffalo Wild Wings bowl vs USA/Canada?

Ideally the money would mostly go to the IIHF, to be distributed among federations. To satisfy the NHL, they would need some form of revenue sharing, at least to cover the insurance for player contracts and to keep the greedy owners happy. If the NHL is getting a cut that means the rest of the leagues get a cut. Throwing out random numbers but something like 50/50 with the IIHF getting 50%. The NHL and other leagues getting the rest of the 50%, which would be split up on a ratio of how many players from each league are in the tournament. The NHL portion would then be split evenly between the NHL and NHLPA.

As for hosting, I think it would be good to kick it off in Toronto. Then move the next one to Europe, say Moscow to satisfy the KHL. After that a hosting process would take place just like the current Worlds.

I think this would be the best compromise solution for everybody available, but just like Israel/Palestine, I don't see any of the warring parties agreeing to anything substantial anytime soon.

I like a lot of stuff said in here. Give all parties a cut (IIHF/NHL/KHL/etc) and lets host this a tourney in a time of year that is actually truly winter with all players at peak ability.

The World Championships will always be what they are because of the NHL schedule, the Olympics is not liked by the NHL, and the World Cup is a preason torueny in favour of one continent/league. Every tourney has some slight flaws that I feel dont exist with other sports.

 

[Xokkeu]

I like a lot of stuff said in here. Give all parties a cut (IIHF/NHL/KHL/etc) and lets host this a tourney in a time of year that is actually truly winter with all players at peak ability.

The World Championships will always be what they are because of the NHL schedule, the Olympics is not liked by the NHL, and the World Cup is a preason torueny in favour of one continent/league. Every tourney has some slight flaws that I feel dont exist with other sports.

I think the Olympics give hockey an unparalleled platform for exposure, but giving over complete control to the IOC is not beneficial in the long run. Theoretically it would be nice to have a true World Cup to replace them, but for now they are the best of a bad option.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

They use the best athletes possible. They don't try to suppress the talent level.

The problem is that once you take out the NHL and AHL you have already severely suppressed the talent level. I know a lot of Europeans would be happy to say FU to North Americans if the NHL pulled out and continue on with an OG with only Euro based players, but then you are automatically alienating your biggest (and wealthiest) fan base (ie NA) and basically going back to pre 1998 Olympic hockey. Using the U20 format would be the more fair and globally more popular option if the NHL pulled out.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

I think the Olympics give hockey an unparalleled platform for exposure, but giving over complete control to the IOC is not beneficial in the long run. Theoretically it would be nice to have a true World Cup to replace them, but for now they are the best of a bad option.

Hockey will always be at the Olympics in some form, so that exposure is not going to go away.

 

[Urbanskog]

I think the Olympics give hockey an unparalleled platform for exposure, but giving over complete control to the IOC is not beneficial in the long run. Theoretically it would be nice to have a true World Cup to replace them, but for now they are the best of a bad option.

The World Cup would never gain audience as big as Olympic hockey.

 

[Xokkeu]

The World Cup would never gain audience as big as Olympic hockey.

I'd love your winning lottery numbers as well.

 

[Xokkeu]

The problem is that once you take out the NHL and AHL you have already severely suppressed the talent level. I know a lot of Europeans would be happy to say FU to North Americans if the NHL pulled out and continue on with an OG with only Euro based players, but then you are automatically alienating your biggest (and wealthiest) fan base (ie NA) and basically going back to pre 1998 Olympic hockey. Using the U20 format would be the more fair and globally more popular option if the NHL pulled out.

No using the U20 option would just basically make hockey a bit of a joke at the Olympics. It'd end up like baseball, ignored and forgotten, but probably not kicked out because the winter olympics don't have as many sports as the summer.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

No using the U20 option would just basically make hockey a bit of a joke at the Olympics. It'd end up like baseball, ignored and forgotten, but probably not kicked out because the winter olympics don't have as many sports as the summer.

Yikes, sounds dramatic. It certainly wouldn't be considered a joke here or by any existing WJC fans. It would still attract the boatloads of Olympic fans who tune into all OG sports. I don't have any doubt that overall it would be more popular than pre-98 Olympic hockey.

 

[Xokkeu]

Yikes, sounds dramatic. It certainly wouldn't be considered a joke here or by any existing WJC fans. It would still attract the boatloads of Olympic fans who tune into all OG sports. I don't have any doubt that overall it would be more popular than pre-98 Olympic hockey.

How popular is U23 soccer? It's nearly irrelevant. It barely gets noticed even by Americans who love the Olympics and have started flocking to the FIFA World Cup in droves. Casual fans are going to tune out. They'll watch whatever new flavor of figure skating or downhill skiing NBC is putting out. Meanwhile Europeans will just ignore it, but I suppose a small niche market of Canadian prospect hounds will tune in religiously.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

How popular is U23 soccer? It's nearly irrelevant. It barely gets noticed even by Americans who love the Olympics and have started flocking to the FIFA World Cup in droves. Casual fans are going to tune out. They'll watch whatever new flavor of figure skating or downhill skiing NBC is putting out. Meanwhile Europeans will just ignore it, but I suppose a small niche market of Canadian prospect hounds will tune in religiously.

The u23 plus 3 overagers is a strange format that I don't like and there are all kinds of theories out there as to why fifa uses it. I'm sure the fifa u20 format would be much more popular.

 

[xxxx]

How popular is U23 soccer? It's nearly irrelevant. It barely gets noticed even by Americans who love the Olympics and have started flocking to the FIFA World Cup in droves. Casual fans are going to tune out. They'll watch whatever new flavor of figure skating or downhill skiing NBC is putting out. Meanwhile Europeans will just ignore it, but I suppose a small niche market of Canadian prospect hounds will tune in religiously.

You can't compare soccer to hockey in this manner. Ice hockey is basically the main sport of the winter olympic games - I think even without NHL-ers - but soccer has much tougher competition, there are a lot of highly watched sports at the summer olympics.


So I think U-20 hockey at olympics would not be a bad idea.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

How popular is U23 soccer? It's nearly irrelevant. It barely gets noticed even by Americans who love the Olympics and have started flocking to the FIFA World Cup in droves. Casual fans are going to tune out. They'll watch whatever new flavor of figure skating or downhill skiing NBC is putting out. Meanwhile Europeans will just ignore it, but I suppose a small niche market of Canadian prospect hounds will tune in religiously.

Does the Olympic U23 tournament and qualification games attract the top U23 players? Obviously a much higher percentage of the players are professionals at U23 than at U20. I'm sure most countries don't get their best 3 players to be their overagers.

 

[roto]

I still can't understand how U20 players would make Olympic tournament interesting. It just makes no sense. Soccer in Olympics has shown that having juniors there ruins the tournament. Yes, Canadians love junior hockey and would love to see U20 players in Olympics, but rest of the world just doesn't care. Ice hockey doesn't need additional exposure/interest in Canada. It's unlikely that Americans would get high on some junior hockey in Olympics either.

Olympics are supposed to have the best athletes competing. We already have Youth Olympics for juniors. I bet Olympic ice hockey without NHLers would be far more popular around the the world in general than with U20 players. Yes, Canadians wouldn't care, but Olympics are not Canada-centric.

 

[Mr Kanadensisk]

I still can't understand how U20 players would make Olympic tournament interesting. It just makes no sense. Soccer in Olympics has shown that having juniors there ruins the tournament. Yes, Canadians love junior hockey and would love to see U20 players in Olympics, but rest of the world just doesn't care. Ice hockey doesn't need additional exposure/interest in Canada. It's unlikely that Americans would get high on some junior hockey in Olympics either.

Olympics are supposed to have the best athletes competing. We already have Youth Olympics for juniors. I bet Olympic ice hockey without NHLers would be far more popular around the the world in general than with U20 players. Yes, Canadians wouldn't care, but Olympics are not Canada-centric.

What is wrong with hockey getting additional exposure in Canada? Lot's of kids here don't play or choose other sports. I'm so sick of the Euro-centric attitude people like you and even worse, the IIHF, have. If nothing else the U20 format would be fair, unlike the WC and pre-98 OG which shamefully heavily favour Europeans.

What so many people conveniently forget is that there are more hockey players, fans and revenue on this side of the pond, so if there is going to be a tournament that one side ignores it would make a lot of sense to go with NA for a change.

 

[JackSlater]

The Olympic tournament with only teenagers would be terrible. The Olympics should be about the best athletes competing. This of course implies, correctly, that the Olympic tournament without NHL participation would also be terrible.

 

[Xokkeu]

The u23 plus 3 overagers is a strange format that I don't like and there are all kinds of theories out there as to why fifa uses it. I'm sure the fifa u20 format would be much more popular.

FIFA didn't want it to compete with their own World Cup as the premier event.

Making the soccer tournament even worse, by making the players even younger, I have no idea why that would be successful. FIFA already has a U20 World Cup and it's not particularly popular.

 

[Xokkeu]

Does the Olympic U23 tournament and qualification games attract the top U23 players? Obviously a much higher percentage of the players are professionals at U23 than at U20. I'm sure most countries don't get their best 3 players to be their overagers.

They attract the best U23s. Oscar, Neymar, Sandro, Pato all feature for Brazil in 2012.

 

[roto]

What is wrong with hockey getting additional exposure in Canada? Lot's of kids here don't play or choose other sports. I'm so sick of the Euro-centric attitude people like you and even worse, the IIHF, have. If nothing else the U20 format would be fair, unlike the WC and pre-98 OG which shamefully heavily favour Europeans.

There's nothing wrong with getting additional exposure in Canada, but it would ruin the tournament elsewhere. You seem to think that I'm Euro-centric but you're wrong. It's not only about Europe and NA. Ice hockey is played elsewhere too, even though many Canadians seem to forget that.

Yes, they're not necessarily big hockey countries, but that's why ice hockey needs exposure in those countries. It'd be ridiculous to make Olympic tournament have additional exposure only in Canada, which already is the ultimate ice hockey country in the world, and where kids almost born with sticks in their hands. If not having NHL players favors Europeans, then U20 tournament favors Canada, because Canada has best depth in every age group.

 

[cutchemist42]

FIFA didn't want it to compete with their own World Cup as the premier event.

Making the soccer tournament even worse, by making the players even younger, I have no idea why that would be successful. FIFA already has a U20 World Cup and it's not particularly popular.

Yep, which is why I laugh TSN/CBC/etc try to pump out every junior soccer tourney like its a big deal. I mean, they are ok to watch but its really only Canada that seems to have this obsession with junior sports at the international level.

It doesnt matter the sport either whether its soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball, etc. junior world tournaments just aren't the biggest deal to a lot of people.

 

[BladesofSTEELwFIRE]

The World Cup would never gain audience as big as Olympic hockey.

The World Cup is a hockey only event unlike the Olympics. Plus the World Cup of hockey rarely happens. Last one was 2004 right?

 

[Urbanskog]

The World Cup is a hockey only event unlike the Olympics. Plus the World Cup of hockey rarely happens. Last one was 2004 right?

And how many outside Canada and the USA actually cared about it?