No fans

[Coinneach]

I watched some highlights and I was shocked, how empty stadium was. What is the reason for that?

Click to read more...

 

[TheBeastCoast]

It is the middle of summer. People are doing that.

 

[Lays]

Even if it’s the middle of the summer there’s absolutely no excuse for having 30 fans in the stands for the WJC. Embarrassing

 

[Gillings]

What’s the scoop on this!?

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Games at 12pm/4pm on a random tuesday in the middle of summer when people are working isn't going to draw a crowd in any city.

This isn't December 27th when people are off between xmas and new years and the games are played in two different cities.

A little reality check is needed here.

 

[Hallzy]

Canada Vs Latvia is sold out but I just checked and basically the entire lower bowl is available for Austria Germany - however the cheapest ticket is 98$+ tax so I'm not sure who is going to pay that unless they're Austrian or German lol

 

[Bonin21]

Imagine how a US host city would get absolutely ripped for the same.

 

[HolyGhost]

I watched some highlights and I was shocked, how empty stadium was. What is the reason for that?

CANADIANS will need to remember this when they complain about empty seats at the worlds and other events.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Imagine how a US host city would get absolutely ripped for the same.

Sure, in December, but not in August.

 

[ViD]

Because it’s a crap tournament in the middle of Summer without a top team and missing one of the two potential generational players in the next draft

For Canada fans, no Canada - Russia rivalry and nearly every game will be a blow out win for Canada, where’s the incentive to watch ?

Also, the sexual scandals might have a toll too.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

The outrage at people not paying $100 to give up a summer afternoon they are likely working to watch Finland Latvia. I mean come on people. The attendance for games outside of Canadian/medal round games was never going to be strong and I even doubt the Canadian games will have the same number of people a Christmas tournament would have.

 

[ijuka]

Incompetence, I imagine.

Ticket prices are supposed to be set to a level that will fill the arena - no more, no less. If 100 bucks leaves the arena empty, 5 bucks might have earned them more money while filling the rink.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Because it’s a crap tournament in the middle of Summer without a top team and missing one of the two potential generational players in the next draft

For Canada fans, no Canada - Russia rivalry and nearly every game will be a blow out win for Canada, where’s the incentive to watch ?

One lower bowl ticket between the bluelines to Canada - Latvia tonight is 180$ (fees included).

 

[ViD]

One lower bowl ticket between the bluelines to Canada - Latvia tonight is 180$ + fees.

Yikes. Are they ramping up the prices because there’s no sponsors?

 

[NeverForget06]

Yikes. Are they ramping up the prices because there’s no sponsors?

Nah, usually people will just pay that up here. An Oiler's ticket for the same general area (club seats) would be like $220 Canadian for a regular season game.

 

[njdevil26]

I wonder if there's any reason for them to not care if anyone shows up... because if the whole "middle of the summer" thing is a real reason... along with time of day... the tickets are grossly overpriced and maybe on purpose.

Is anyone at the arena from HF? Are the concessions closed? Does it look like they were expecting crowds?

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

The fact that the Oilers had a long playoff run and so did the Oil Kings is likely another factor. People are probably a bit ''hockey fatigued'' in Edmonton and not willing to pay crazy prices to watch non-Team Canada games in the first part of tournament in the middle of summer.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Yikes. Are they ramping up the prices because there’s no sponsors?

I think they royally messed up the pricing and the schedule.

Had they put more premier matchups on friday, saturday, sunday they would have been able to sell lots of tickets or even mini packs to people from out of town who want to take in some of the better (non-blowout) games.

But they didn't do that and expected people to fork out NHL prices to a C level world jr tournament in august. Dumb.

 

[Mrb1p]

Tickets are way too f***ing expensive.

Let em rot there, ill watch from streams because the prices are insane.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Greed.

Hockey Canada trying to make as much as possible selling tickets to games between Sweden/Switzerland for 100 bucks a seat in the middle of the day in Summer

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I watched some highlights and I was shocked, how empty stadium was. What is the reason for that?

Because they chose to do this is August

 

[iCanada]

Lots of reasons.

1) Hockey Canada needs to get their shit together. Not really interested in supporting their rape apologist fund.

2) Schedule neglects locals for those abroad; this is fine in December when everyone is on holidays, but I'm not leaving work for a Round Robin game between two countries I'm not interested in.

3) Pricing misses the mark quite heavily. Tickets to a single game are the same as tickets for the entire fringe festival. On top of that you have the nhl standard 20 dollar beers, the expensive parking, etc.

4) Tournament this year pretty watered down. All the big names staying home for nhl camp.

5) No one is watching sports right now, so the typical big marketing campaign these events usually have just didn't exist. Lots of locals don't even know the event is happening.

6) hockey fatigue; Edmonton supported both the Oil Kings and Oilers on deeeeep playoff berths after like 10 months straight off rarara hockey hockey hockey. Need a break.

7) Is the middle of summer, this is rare time when we get to do many things around the city, so we're doing them instead. Can watch hockey any time.

 

[bert]

Tickets are way too f***ing expensive.

Let em rot there, ill watch from streams because the prices are insane.

Its crazy what they cost for a tournament that no one is getting paid to play in. Its actually an embarrassment. Hockey Canada just blowing it in every way possible

 

[Ace]

I wouldn’t give one penny to Hockey Canada knowing what they use the money for

 

[Statsy]

I have to admit it’s shocking to see the arena so empty for a WJC game in Canada. However, there has been a perfect storm of factors that have brought us to this.

-It’s summer
-We’re missing a huge amount of players
-We’re missing a top rival
-Ticket prices are crazy
-A large portion of the country is furious with Hockey Canada over sex scandals
-The usual barrage of promotion for ticket sales both online and on TV didn’t happen
-TSN didn’t provide any hype at all, trying to maintain its distance
-Possible fatigue from having multiple WJC’s held in the same location.

It’s a sad state of affairs, but I think our country has filled enough arenas for this tournament over the past three decades or so that I would think people could cut us a little slack on this one.