US Junior Team Part II

[bigblue_dl]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

I mentioned the game here at work, over lunch, and one of my coworkers, who is a casual hockey fan but a hardcore fan by any means said that he watched it. He said he was with some friends at a BWW and they had the game on, so they ended up staying and watching the whole thing, and when the US won, the entire restaurant started cheering and chanting USA. Now, that is cool.

 

[LynahFan]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

I agree the NHL players are the best system players in the world but I disagree a bunch of 17 to 19 year old kids surely can perform a fine result.

Team USA got into penalty trouble and that my friends is the reason why they gave up their two goal lead. It wasn't because Blais decided to use the 1-2-2 system.

Indeed. And you could even argue that the penalty that led to the penultimate goal was the result of not going into ENOUGH of a shell - guys still crashing the net, trying to make things happen in the offensive zone when they should have been content to dump and cycle in the corners instead.

 

[GreatLakerMohawk]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Enjoy John Carlson's no-look game-winning goal.

 

[Puck Swami]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Kinda like your prediction of a fifth place finish for Team USA. Anywhere in America? Please don't pontificate when you don't know what you're talking about and yet act like it. Even Saskatoon had attendance issues and was only operating at 89% capacity for the tournament. Once again, location, venue, proven market strategies, price and accessibility to ticket sales are key issues for success. The 2005 WJC in GF was well attended and successful. As one example, it would also work at the X in St. Paul, especially now with Team USAs success.

Perhaps you didn't fully understand my post. The Grand Forks experiment was successful because of the proximity of Winnipeg-based Canadian fans being so close to Grand Forks. Without Canadian fans, Grand Forks would have been half full and a financial disaster. USA Hockey MUST have easy driving access for Canadian fans if they want to host this thing with any degree of success. That's why the tournament is going to be in Buffalo next year, and not Albany or Boston or Minneapolis. There simply aren't that many Americans who are interested in this tourney.

Minnesota has never shown much appetite for junior hockey. High School Hockey? Yes. College Hockey? Yes. Junior Hockey? Not so much. I'd don't think you'd sell out the X for this tourney. 10,000? Maybe.

 

[candycanes99]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Perhaps you didn't fully understand my post. The Grand Forks experiment was successful because of the proximity of Winnipeg-based Canadian fans being so close to Grand Forks. Without Canadian fans, Grand Forks would have been half full and a financial disaster. USA Hockey MUST have easy driving access for Canadian fans if they want to host this thing with any degree of success. That's why the tournament is going to be in Buffalo next year, and not Albany or Boston or Minneapolis. There simply aren't that many Americans who are interested in this tourney.

But with a little press for winning gold and having the tourney technically in the US next year, awareness could go up and a few more people (maybe not a lot) will become interested. Never to the point where they can move it further south, but hopefully they can have it on this side of the border more often.

 

[Runninwiththedogs]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Minnesota has never shown much appetite for junior hockey. High School Hockey? Yes. College Hockey? Yes. Junior Hockey? Not so much. I'd don't think you'd sell out the X for this tourney. 10,000? Maybe.

Hm. Well, I live in Minnesota, could not give a **** about junior hockey, and I would go.

 

[UMDBulldogHockeyIsKing]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Hm. Well, I live in Minnesota, could not give a **** about junior hockey, and I would go.

The question is, how many people OUTSIDE the Twin Cities metro area would go, though? I can't see people driving down in flocks from Ely, Int'l Falls, Warroad, or even south from Mankato, Rochester, etc. Especially right after the holidays. I just don't know how a tourney would go here.

 

[Hokydad]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

The question is, how many people OUTSIDE the Twin Cities metro area would go, though? I can't see people driving down in flocks from Ely, Int'l Falls, Warroad, or even south from Mankato, Rochester, etc. Especially right after the holidays. I just don't know how a tourney would go here.

4 words......

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE

This has proven that people in the mid west, remote areas will in fact go to these games. If you can get 8-9,000 at a game between Indiana and Cedar rapids, you could get more for US V Canada.

Just my opinion.

 

[UMDBulldogHockeyIsKing]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

4 words......

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE

This has proven that people in the mid west, remote areas will in fact go to these games. If you can get 8-9,000 at a game between Indiana and Cedar rapids, you could get more for US V Canada.

Just my opinion.

And how many of those 8-9,000 were from places other than Indiana or Cedar Rapids? How many of those were intent on staying for 10-12 days to catch that game? Sure you might get a ton for one big game, but how many are you going to get for the entire tournament? That's the point, so your example here is kind of moot.

 

[MW4Bucky&SNC]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

I don't have anything to add to the venue debate, but I wanted to say a couple of things. #1) The 4 on 4 in OT for however long things go is awesome. It makes something already gut-wrenching doubly so. #2) I've been so ****ed off at the Canadians for a decade because of their reactions to the U.S. team and previously booing the anthem. I wanted to come on here and give them a big F U, but their classy reaction to a tough defeat cooled me off quite a bit.

 

[Stack]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Perhaps you didn't fully understand my post. The Grand Forks experiment was successful because of the proximity of Winnipeg-based Canadian fans being so close to Grand Forks. Without Canadian fans, Grand Forks would have been half full and a financial disaster. USA Hockey MUST have easy driving access for Canadian fans if they want to host this thing with any degree of success. That's why the tournament is going to be in Buffalo next year, and not Albany or Boston or Minneapolis. There simply aren't that many Americans who are interested in this tourney.

Minnesota has never shown much appetite for junior hockey. High School Hockey? Yes. College Hockey? Yes. Junior Hockey? Not so much. I'd don't think you'd sell out the X for this tourney. 10,000? Maybe.

One of the major problems with the tournament as far as hosting is concerned is that to get the tournament you must put up millions of dollars up front. I've heard that Grand Forks put up 5 mllion dollars to host the tourney a few years back. Another problem is that it is eleven days long during the Christmas/New Years holidays. Heck I live in Fargo and as big a fan as I am I didn't buy season tickets because of holiday commitments. I went to three games but full tourney tickets foot the bill.
When this was held in Finland in 2004 the rinks had an average attendance lower than 50%. Even though us Americans wish it was held on US soil more often the reality is that it works in Canada or on border cities like Grand Forks and Buffalo because of the Canadians.

I'm sure they will have this overseas again but it will be lightly attended since only Canada truly cares about the U20 World Juniors. Oh yeah and myself and the other people posting here. Man was it sweet to see that winning goal last night. Our friend kept telling us she could hardly breathe near the end of the game. That was me.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Hm. Well, I live in Minnesota, could not give a **** about junior hockey, and I would go.

How many games would you attend? The big question isn't how many people will go see USA vs Latvia but how many people will go see Czech Republic vs Austria. Also, as far as Minneapolis/St. Paul is concerned...the issue is where to have it. I discussed this with bigblue_dl the other day because I said I would go to this tournament. Mariucci always has the Dodge Holiday Classic and the X has the Schwan Cup Hockey Tournament during the timing of the WJHC. I'm not sure it could work here with the timing of the other events. I'd love to see and with the quality of the games I watched this year, I'd attend as many as I could afford.

 

[bronconick]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

4 words......

UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE

This has proven that people in the mid west, remote areas will in fact go to these games. If you can get 8-9,000 at a game between Indiana and Cedar rapids, you could get more for US V Canada.

Just my opinion.

Where did you get 8-9,000?

http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi

The league average is 2,383. If you go back a year, eliminating the US National team's 323 per night, you get 2,881, with Lincoln leading with 4,314.

Indiana had a home game on the 28th of last February vs. Cedar Rapids with 11,120. The game before and after were 3,000 or so. The previous and next games vs. Cedar Rapids were around 3,000. That sort of implies some sort of $2 tickets or something.

 

[CHFAN222]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

I think a big east coast city such as Boston or NYC could be a good host for the event if it is marketed well. Both cities aren't to far from Canada and would be a fun week long stay for visitors north of the border. They would also be more accessible in terms of flight options and hotels to any European fans that may want to make the overseas journey. While both are notably Pro Sports towns since this would be some of the best talent in the world it would get people interested and draw a crowd. The Boston area could host big games at the TD Garden and some of the smaller games at Agganis. NYC can have games played at both the Prudential Center and the championship game at MSG.

 

[Puck Swami]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

I think a big east coast city such as Boston or NYC could be a good host for the event if it is marketed well. Both cities aren't to far from Canada and would be a fun week long stay for visitors north of the border. They would also be more accessible in terms of flight options and hotels to any European fans that may want to make the overseas journey. While both are notably Pro Sports towns since this would be some of the best talent in the world it would get people interested and draw a crowd. The Boston area could host big games at the TD Garden and some of the smaller games at Agganis. NYC can have games played at both the Prudential Center and the championship game at MSG.

Boston hosted in 1995. Crickets. A few Canadians came.

 

[MadCityRich]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Interesting story on Canadian goalie Jake Allen. . I'm sure it was in the works, but going from a .500 team to a contender would make ME happy!

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2010/01/06/sp-allen-trade.html

 

[brianvf]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Interesting story on Canadian goalie Jake Allen. . I'm sure it was in the works, but going from a .500 team to a contender would make ME happy!

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2010/01/06/sp-allen-trade.html

They must have loved his bobbling of the puck that led to Stepan's goal last night.

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

I think a big east coast city such as Boston or NYC could be a good host for the event if it is marketed well. Both cities aren't to far from Canada and would be a fun week long stay for visitors north of the border. They would also be more accessible in terms of flight options and hotels to any European fans that may want to make the overseas journey. While both are notably Pro Sports towns since this would be some of the best talent in the world it would get people interested and draw a crowd. The Boston area could host big games at the TD Garden and some of the smaller games at Agganis. NYC can have games played at both the Prudential Center and the championship game at MSG.

I don't think the number of Europeans is really an issue, because they won't make up a huge portion of the fan base. Not many people care enough to make a 900 dollar, 8 hour flight across the Ocean for this tournament. That and only the Russians really have a large number of recent immigrants/ethnic fans in this country. Czech-,Swedish-, Finnish-, and Slovak-Americans are either so assimilated they won't really get up for watching the motherland or and/or are so dispersed, holding it in one location won't draw in meaningful numbers.

I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, and I hope to see more American interest next year, but I just don't think a one off title and a bit of coverage on sports center means this tournament is ready hit Chicago, New York, or Boston.

Its worth repeating, what would the crowds be like at Slovakia-Finland in St. Paul? These tickets aren't going to be 10 bucks a pop.

 

[scsutommyboy]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Perhaps you didn't fully understand my post. The Grand Forks experiment was successful because of the proximity of Winnipeg-based Canadian fans being so close to Grand Forks. Without Canadian fans, Grand Forks would have been half full and a financial disaster. USA Hockey MUST have easy driving access for Canadian fans if they want to host this thing with any degree of success. That's why the tournament is going to be in Buffalo next year, and not Albany or Boston or Minneapolis. There simply aren't that many Americans who are interested in this tourney.

Minnesota has never shown much appetite for junior hockey. High School Hockey? Yes. College Hockey? Yes. Junior Hockey? Not so much. I'd don't think you'd sell out the X for this tourney. 10,000? Maybe.

I agree the non USA and Canada games would struggle. However, I guarantee St. Paul can sell out the X with all Minnesota residents for all USA games especially a USA/Canada game. I would also guess Plenty of the same manatoba residents that went to grand Forks would drive the extra three hours to fill up any Canadian games. Now is that enough to make money? I don't know.

 

[MaizeRage]

Re: US Junior Team Part II

Its worth repeating, what would the crowds be like at Slovakia-Finland in St. Paul? These tickets aren't going to be 10 bucks a pop.

Those games don't draw well for anyone anywhere regardless of where you hold it. That's why the tournament usually utilizes a secondary rink for games with small crowds. When the tourney was in Grand Forks, they used the Baby Ralph in Thief River Falls. Tickets for those games are usually featured in a package and are a little cheaper.

A Twin Cities bid would likely be Mariucci and Ridder Arenas or something like the XCel Center and Aldrich Arena. Mariucci and Ridder make the most sense size-wise, though I could see the Olympic sheet on Mariucci being a mark against it.