Why not do a 32 team world cup?

[Habsforever14]

Why doesn't hockey do a 32 team world cup? I know there will be a huge difference in parity but they would be more interest and would grow the sport imo.

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[ORRFForever]

Why doesn't hockey do a 32 team world cup? I know there will be a huge difference in parity but they would be more interest and would grow the sport imo.

Yikes! 32 is way too big for hockey. That's a bridge too far.

 

[Habsforever14]

Yikes! 32 is way too big for hockey. That's a bridge too far.

Why? In the soccer world cup there's also a huge difference between the best teams and worst teams.

 

[Marioesque]

Why? In the soccer world cup there's also a huge difference between the best teams and worst teams.

Not this huge.

 

[Habsforever14]

Not this huge.

I mean at first sure it could get ridiculous but what if a random teams make a surprising run? It could definitely make it more popular in the country also if Canada for example goes 10-0 up against a very weak country midway trough the 2nd it's not like they'll try to embarrass them, they will show mercy and the margin won't be absolutely insane.

 

[Marioesque]

I mean at first sure it could get ridiculous but what if a random teams make a surprising run? It could definitely make it more popular in the country also if Canada for example goes 10-0 up against a very weak country midway trough the 2nd it's not like they'll try to embarrass them, they will show mercy and the margin won't be absolutely insane.

People get tired of watching games where top 6 countries beat up on rank 10+ with relative ease in world championships. Imagine a Canadas best vs Israel game. It's not worth playing.

 

[Habsforever14]

People get tired of watching games where top 6 countries beat up on rank 10+ with relative ease in world championships. Imagine a Canadas best vs Israel game. It's not worth playing.

If we take this as an example, playing a country loke Canada could give the Israel players some experience and help them grow and come back stronger no?

 

[alko]

Only if we split Canada to every province (ok, with some exceptions. Sorry Nunavut).

And USA to at least 4 teams : East, North, West, South.

 

[HighLifeManIsHigh]

If we take this as an example, playing a country loke Canada could give the Israel players some experience and help them grow and come back stronger no?

Losing by 50+ doesn’t do anything positive for their program. It’s not like they’re close. Israel’s national team would get absolutely murdered by the Prince Albert Raiders. Never mind Team Canada’s best

The gap in hockey is too large for this to be worth it for anybody

 

[ValeriKamensky]

IMO even 12 teams are too much. The best cases were with 8 teams at Olympics and World Cup

 

[Eye of Ra]

Poland and Uk have shown they can play. Korea, Japan, Hungary, Ukraina is the same level as Poland and Uk. I see no problem expanding Wc to 24 teams.

 

[JackSlater]

There is no good reason for hockey to do this just because soccer did. The depth isn't close to being there.

 

[ORRFForever]

Why? In the soccer world cup there's also a huge difference between the best teams and worst teams.

Fair enough. It just seems like a stretch for hockey, my friend.

 

[Habsforever14]

Poland and Uk have shown they can play. Korea, Japan, Hungary, Ukraina is the same level as Poland and Uk. I see no problem expanding Wc to 24 teams.

Yeah you guys all have good points, 32 teams is perhaps a bit too much, but 24 teams could actually work like you said.

Fair enough. It just seems like a stretch for hockey, my friend.

You're probably right honestly.

IMO even 12 teams are too much. The best cases were with 8 teams at Olympics and World Cup

That seems too low imo. We can have a competitve competition with 16 teams atleast.

 

[ORRFForever]

Yeah you guys all have good points, 32 teams is perhaps a bit too much, but 24 teams could actually work like you said.


You're probably right honestly.


That seems too low imo. We can have a competitve competition with 16 teams atleast.

It's a nice idea. One day - not in my lifetime, maybe yours.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Countries 28-32 in Ice Hockey: Estonia, Netherlands, Spain, Serbia, Croatia.

Ice Hockey may as well not exist in those countries. Daniel Sprong was playing with 13 year olds when he was 5 years old and moved to Canada when he was 8 because remaining in Holland would have prevented him from advancing in Hockey. Hockey goes about 20-deep before it starts to get too embarrassing (and it's already heavily lopsided within the 20)

Meanwhile in Soccer, a historical powerhouse like Italy can miss a 32 team World Cup.

 

[ORRFForever]

Meanwhile in Soccer, a historical powerhouse like Italy can miss a 32 team World Cup.

I did not know that.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I did not know that.

They missed in both 2018 and 2022... and in between that, they won the European Championship in 2021 (which was still branded UEFA Euro 2020).

 

[Marioesque]

Countries 28-32 in Ice Hockey: Estonia, Netherlands, Spain, Serbia, Croatia.

Ice Hockey may as well not exist in those countries. Daniel Sprong was playing with 13 year olds when he was 5 years old and moved to Canada when he was 8 because remaining in Holland would have prevented him from advancing in Hockey. Hockey goes about 20-deep before it starts to get too embarrassing (and it's already heavily lopsided within the 20)

Meanwhile in Soccer, a historical powerhouse like Italy can miss a 32 team World Cup.

Yeah I was just checking last night and for example Spain had like 130+ registered hockey players. For the whole country. In Canada or Finland there's that many in a small rural town.

 

[Max Milk]

1. Canada
2. USA

1. Russia
2. Finland
3. Czechia
4. Switzerland
5. Slovakia
6. Sweden
7. Germany
8. Latvia
9. Denmark
10. Norway
11. Austria
12. France
13. Belarus
14. Great-Britain
15. Hungary
16. Slovenia
17. Italy
18. Poland

1. Kazakhstan
2. South Korea
3. Japan
4. China

24 team World Cup of Hockey
2 top ranking teams from North America
18 top ranking teams from Europe
4 top ranking teams from Asia​

 

[End on a Hinote]

Too niche of a sport for 32 teams, but I'm sure they can pull off a 12 team tournament.

 

[Boonk]

I mean at first sure it could get ridiculous but what if a random teams make a surprising run? It could definitely make it more popular in the country also if Canada for example goes 10-0 up against a very weak country midway trough the 2nd it's not like they'll try to embarrass them, they will show mercy and the margin won't be absolutely insane.

Nowhere near the amount of quality depth and enrolement in the sport for some random country outside of even the smaller, weaker hockey countries to go on a run. 16 teams at the IIHF World Championship every spring is already featuring too many teams and useless blowout games. No one wants to see 10-0, 20-0 games against shit beer league Div. 4 national teams.

 

[ORRFForever]

They missed in both 2018 and 2022... and in between that, they won the European Championship in 2021 (which was still branded UEFA Euro 2020).

Wow. That's good for the brand of soccer.

 

[Habsforever14]

Yeah I see now why it wouldn't be a good idea. However, we have to find a way to grow the sport. What do you guys think about a 24 team world cup? It wouldn't be that crazy no?

Countries 28-32 in Ice Hockey: Estonia, Netherlands, Spain, Serbia, Croatia.

Ice Hockey may as well not exist in those countries. Daniel Sprong was playing with 13 year olds when he was 5 years old and moved to Canada when he was 8 because remaining in Holland would have prevented him from advancing in Hockey. Hockey goes about 20-deep before it starts to get too embarrassing (and it's already heavily lopsided within the 20)

Meanwhile in Soccer, a historical powerhouse like Italy can miss a 32 team World Cup.

Wow that's a really interesting fact about Sprong I didn't even know.

 

[Zaddy91]

Only if we split Canada to every province (ok, with some exceptions. Sorry Nunavut).

And USA to at least 4 teams : East, North, West, South.

Thats actually cool.