Why is Norway not good at hockey compared to Sweden/Finland?
- Thread starter Eagle Eye Cherry
- Start date
Uno Bench
Swedish citizen
- Mar 7, 2012
- 450
- 0
Agreed, they are dominant at other winter sports instead. Norweigians in general seem to prefer individual sports more than team sports. Swedes are the other way around. Norwegians will probably bring home more golds and and medals in Sotchi than Swedes Danes and Finns combined..
None of that explains why they are not good at hockey though. 
There has obviously been a conscious decision not to play hockey as much as their neighbours. I have often wondered why myself....
More mountains or something so they go for skiing in stead? What?
There has obviously been a conscious decision not to play hockey as much as their neighbours. I have often wondered why myself....
More mountains or something so they go for skiing in stead? What?
Hurt
Registered User
- Apr 6, 2009
- 28,305
- 801
They're a dominant winter sports country (they tied for third with USA in Vancouver with 9 Golds, only behind Germany in 2nd with 10 and Canada in 1st with 14). Odd that their success hasn't translated that well over to hockey but can't win them all, right?
Uno Bench
Swedish citizen
- Mar 7, 2012
- 450
- 0
Well read again.. They dont like team sports Its their thing, in general, of course there are exceptions like the Norwegian womens handball team. In general though they are more individual. Could be because of their geografy, landscape where mountains and fjords make it difficult to build rinks and to get together as large groups to form teamsNone of that explains why they are not good at hockey though.
There has obviously been a conscious decision not to play hockey as much as their neighbours. I have often wondered why myself....
More mountains or something so they go for skiing in stead? What?
NotABadPeriod
ForFriendshipDikembe
- Oct 28, 2006
- 53,946
- 11,125
Last time this topic came up someone mentioned that in Norway hockey is seen as a more brutish sport compared to the more popular snow sports.
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
To build on the responses, there's also the presence of mountains that has aided their specializing in snow sports. The Scandinavian Mountains also run into Sweden, but that's not where the population bases are in Sweden. Finland is extremely flat, especially south of Lapland.
ABOUT SWEDEN HOCKEY
Total Players
64,214
Male Players
13,060
Junior Players
47,968
Female Players
3,186
Indoor Rinks
352
Outdoor Rinks
139
Nation Population
9,119,423
ABOUT FINNISH HOCKEY
Total Players
66,636
Male Players
24,778
Junior Players
37,071
Female Players
4,787
Indoor Rinks
259
Outdoor Rinks
15
Nation Population
5,266,114
Total Players
64,214
Male Players
13,060
Junior Players
47,968
Female Players
3,186
Indoor Rinks
352
Outdoor Rinks
139
Nation Population
9,119,423
ABOUT FINNISH HOCKEY
Total Players
66,636
Male Players
24,778
Junior Players
37,071
Female Players
4,787
Indoor Rinks
259
Outdoor Rinks
15
Nation Population
5,266,114
jekoh
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2004
- 4,416
- 4
Why does Canada suck at soccer? Because they're obsessed with hockey.
Why does Norway suck at hockey? Because they're obsessed with skiing.
Why does Norway suck at hockey? Because they're obsessed with skiing.
Seems like Norway is dominating everything else though, 1st place with 306 medals and probably number one in buying Tesla's. 
TheMoreYouKnow
Registered User
Why is Switzerland so much better than Austria at hockey? Why is Austria better than Switzerland at alpine skiing? Why do some kinds of pasta taste better than others?
There are so many unanswered questions...
There are so many unanswered questions...
Lobstertainment
Oh no, my brains.
Lower population, and not very many rinks and arenas I believe. When anyone and everyone goes skiing for fun I imagine you'd be a big ski fan too growing up there.
If they build more rinks and get their hockey program to get more young kids in hockey then you'd see Norway move up the world charts. Problem is hockey equipment is expensive and the rinks/icetime is limited while theres like an infinite amount of ski slopes and a pair of skis and poles won't set you back nearly as much as skates, stick, and pads would.
If they build more rinks and get their hockey program to get more young kids in hockey then you'd see Norway move up the world charts. Problem is hockey equipment is expensive and the rinks/icetime is limited while theres like an infinite amount of ski slopes and a pair of skis and poles won't set you back nearly as much as skates, stick, and pads would.
Maybe this is a bit stereo typical but equipment being expensive isn't really a problem over there...
They grew up next to the mountains and snow covered fields. Wish they were better at hockey though.
The only relevant answer can be summed with one word, infrastructure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_indoor_ice_rinks_in_Norway
In contrast to Norway, new rinks started being built in Finland and Sweden in much higher amounts decades ago, and this helped the sport grow exponentially in both countries in popularity and amount of players.
Why Norway chose a different path 40-50 years ago, now that is another question entirely.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_indoor_ice_rinks_in_Norway
In contrast to Norway, new rinks started being built in Finland and Sweden in much higher amounts decades ago, and this helped the sport grow exponentially in both countries in popularity and amount of players.
Why Norway chose a different path 40-50 years ago, now that is another question entirely.
In the Nordic countries the stereotypical Norwegian is "the nature loving hiker". Skiing is much more ingrained as a pastime in their culture than in Sweden or Finland so it is natural that their infrastructure was planned differently.
Success builds success though, I think Zuccarello might have a bigger impact than people think with the way he's developing. Now Norwegian kids will look at him and start to think hockey is pretty cool.
premadonna
Registered User
- Oct 5, 2012
- 1,212
- 0
Isn't football the most popular sport in Norway?
It's all about the infrastructure(and politics, obviously). When my grandfather(born in the 30s) was young, bandy was more popular in Finland and Helsinki than hockey. Then for some reason Finland started to invest in hockey infrastructure(arenas, indoor ice rinks etc.) while bandy remained an outdoor sport. Now ~50 years later hockey is the most popular sport and bandy basically dead.
Last edited:
Kale Makar
Lets go Aves?
First of all, Norway is good at hockey. They're just as good or better than Denmark.
Why are they not as good as Sweden or Finland? Because hockey is not the most popular sport in Norway.
Why is that? Because football has a rich history in the country and is the most popular team sport, while skiing is hands down the most popular winter sport. It also has to compete with handball, which is also popular in Norway. It just never caught on as a mainstream thing in Norway.
Another factor is climate combined with the fact that Norway is a mountainous country. In the South, where most people live, the climate isn't as cold as in Finland or Central/Northern Sweden.
Some of it has also to do with a lower population when compared to Sweden.
So a number of factors are involved: climate, geography, culture, history.
The same applies to Denmark, except that the climate there is really mild/oceanic, which plays a much bigger role.
Why are they not as good as Sweden or Finland? Because hockey is not the most popular sport in Norway.
Why is that? Because football has a rich history in the country and is the most popular team sport, while skiing is hands down the most popular winter sport. It also has to compete with handball, which is also popular in Norway. It just never caught on as a mainstream thing in Norway.
Another factor is climate combined with the fact that Norway is a mountainous country. In the South, where most people live, the climate isn't as cold as in Finland or Central/Northern Sweden.
Some of it has also to do with a lower population when compared to Sweden.
So a number of factors are involved: climate, geography, culture, history.
The same applies to Denmark, except that the climate there is really mild/oceanic, which plays a much bigger role.
44 rinks
The main venue in Oslo for hockey is from 1952
People like skiing because skiers win olympic gold and make them proud
We are good at womens handball because we win, not because we like The game so much. Far less people watch handball compared to hockey, but we watch handball in wc because we usually win
Hockey is seen as a sport for The uneducated and people that like violence. Lots of ignorance When it comes to hockey
This is maybe The richest country in The world, so buying equipment is not an issue
Sad, but true
The main venue in Oslo for hockey is from 1952
People like skiing because skiers win olympic gold and make them proud
We are good at womens handball because we win, not because we like The game so much. Far less people watch handball compared to hockey, but we watch handball in wc because we usually win
Hockey is seen as a sport for The uneducated and people that like violence. Lots of ignorance When it comes to hockey
This is maybe The richest country in The world, so buying equipment is not an issue
Sad, but true
Switzerland actually weren't that good 15-20 years ago. Why has hockey become more popular in Switzerland in recent years? No clue. But it is obvious that they have made huge strides in developing their hockey programme.
Probably a lot of it comes down to investing in infrastructure.
jekoh
Registered User
- Jun 8, 2004
- 4,416
- 4
20 years ago they reached the semi-finals of the World Championship. They were already better than Austria.
It hasn't.
Bjorn Le
Hobocop
Norway is the richest Nordic country, if they put more money into infrastructure they could become better than Denmark.
Don't know how people can say they're better than Denmark though. Olympic qualification doesn't mean much; Denmark easily produces more high caliber players than Norway.
Hockey is arguably the most popular team sport in Switzerland. Not even close to the most in Austria.
Don't know how people can say they're better than Denmark though. Olympic qualification doesn't mean much; Denmark easily produces more high caliber players than Norway.
Hockey is arguably the most popular team sport in Switzerland. Not even close to the most in Austria.
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