Dont know about Finland, Sweden... but in Slovakia it is the highlight of the season. Not just for hockey fans, but also for people, they actually don't watch hockey. Like my wife. She even looks now, how plays Canada, Finland...
IIHF World Championships Fan Interest
- Thread starter ViD
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It's a two way street really. From a sporting point of view the old style 8-team tournament would be awesome. Hardly any meaningless very easily predictable games.
On the other hand the sport needs countries like Austria, France, Norway to be on the top level even though they aren't very good.
On the other hand the sport needs countries like Austria, France, Norway to be on the top level even though they aren't very good.
Disagree. HFBoards is the be all and endl all of hockey. The real problem is that the tournament is not best-on-best and finally the rest of the world is waking up to how meaningless it is.
The overall roster quality seems to have suffered. Of course the Russians are a big factor in that but not the only one. Players seem to decline invitations on a more regular basis than before. It has also become more difficult to insure players against risk of injuries for the federations. On top of that Canada and the US are sending younger teams with more college and rookie players than they used to.
WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
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Today:
Denmark vs. Austria
Slovenia vs. Norway
Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan
France vs. Hungary
Tomorrow:
United States vs. Austria
Latvia vs. Norway
Finland vs. France
Canada vs. Kazakhstan
No offense to anyone from any of these countries, but it's hard to get interested in these games. Of those 8 different matchups, which one is the most interesting to watch? Doesn't look like a single one to me. I like watching games when the big hockey nations are involved, but I think this tournament could stand to cull the herd a bit as there's just a lot of weak teams that don't generate much interest.
Denmark vs. Austria
Slovenia vs. Norway
Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan
France vs. Hungary
Tomorrow:
United States vs. Austria
Latvia vs. Norway
Finland vs. France
Canada vs. Kazakhstan
No offense to anyone from any of these countries, but it's hard to get interested in these games. Of those 8 different matchups, which one is the most interesting to watch? Doesn't look like a single one to me. I like watching games when the big hockey nations are involved, but I think this tournament could stand to cull the herd a bit as there's just a lot of weak teams that don't generate much interest.
ozo
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- Feb 24, 2010
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I agree maybe two teams could be cut until Belarus and Russia becomes a thing again, but further than that once you start cutting you can't stop until you reach a handful of teams. WJC already has 10 team tournament, show me a neutral fan who watched last relegation playoff between #9 and #10 team? Honestly?
Hockey is a tiny sport whether we like it or not, WC is a fine-ish tournament which still attracts ok talent and plenty of people cheering for their team. This is not a soccer World cup where neutral fans still watch every game of the tournament and it will never be. Cutting teams fixes nothing.
Also the World Cup of Hockey featured a lot of empty seats in some of the games, even though it was between just eight "best-on-best" teams in Toronto. There will always be the least interesting games, no matter what the format.
WarriorofTime
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- Jul 3, 2010
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With Chara wearing that abomination of a jersey, hard to blame the fans for not showing upAlso the World Cup of Hockey featured a lot of empty seats in some of the games, even though it was between just eight "best-on-best" teams in Toronto. There will always be the least interesting games, no matter what the format.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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That's it for me too.. I LOVE this tourney and I haven't even flipped the channel to a match.
Most exciting development is that Denmark has run the table over their 'peers' and are looking great. That's all I got. 2 days and I wont' even tune in.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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Tiered tickets would be nice or the 'daypass' like others have mentioned. The image above is from TO and there is no way I'd spend the necessary money, parking etc. to go to a Czech vs Team Euro matchup.lolAlso the World Cup of Hockey featured a lot of empty seats in some of the games, even though it was between just eight "best-on-best" teams in Toronto. There will always be the least interesting games, no matter what the format.
ozo
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2010
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You write that you ''Love the tourney'' and if I'm not mistaken in other thread you called yourself an international hockey superfan. Yet you don't bother to watch any of the actual tournament lol... What realistically are your expectations from WC then? You and everyone else with a lick of sense know how many teams can win a medal and with 90-95% certainty predict an outcome of every single international hockey game be it senior or junior team matchup. Sadly Latvia losing 17 times in a row Czechia is no coincidence.
With current NHL attitude we might never really get best on best tournament in foreseeable future, because currently from hanging around these boards daily, I gather that our best hope for NHLers wanting to report for OG's is that they might like to visit Milan more than Beijing haha.
I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything, I'm just being realistic. My best advice is to follow your national team and we ignore matchups we don't care about. And lets hope that Russia eventually returning to international scene again might ignite more interest in WC by more NHLers.
jcbio11
Registered User
ITT Bunch of filthy casuals. I watched some of Switzerland Kazachstan today and it was awesome.
PanniniClaus
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- Oct 12, 2006
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Gaylord Q Tinkledink
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- Apr 29, 2018
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Doesn't help this board decided to have a shit ton of ads because they for greedy.
To respond to OP..
Games are early in the US/Canada.
Teams aren't very good.
IIHF games aren't very good in general.
maclean
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2014
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I used to watch a lot more when I was younger. Always a good excuse to spend all day* at the pub
Edit: *all week
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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Thats wildly inaccurate. I said those 8 games are of no interest. They aren't. They have minimal affects on the standings and or quarterfinals. The other neat story out of them (other then Denmark) is that the Swiss are now 15-0 for goals for and against in 3 undefeated games. They are killing it.
Gold Standard
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- Sep 7, 2018
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Next year will be record setting. Team Canada Prague Powerhouse. and the two barred teams? They will still be barred.
That’s correct assessment. Even if you overlook the fact that Russia is out which is a major factor despite what many haters say as Russia always brought a great star filled roster, many fans and many sponsors, the overall quality of the rosters is terrible, just looking at 2019 rosters and what we have now is totally boring to watch… Canada team H vs Hungary, let’s go.
My only personal interest is checking how Fantilli and Carlsson are doing in these games
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