| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Guest4306
( )
|
 Posted - 12/28/2011 : 15:48:53
|
I just finished watching US lose 4-1 to Finland, and one could say it was a home game for the victors.
With an announced attendance of 14,000 fans for a non-Canada early round game (way to go Edmonton!), there were few US fans in Rexall Place. I purposely looked for US fans when they scored their only goal, but it seemed like there were only a hundred fans cheering for USA.
Jeez - friends and family joining the team should add up to 100 fans (which is my estimate, along with a few others in attendance who I asked), so where are the US fans?
Even if my estimate is off, and there were 200 or 300 US fans in attendance, that's still a low turnout of support. It would be understandable if the Juniors were in Sweden or Finland, but we're their northern neighbour.
For those who attended games in past Canadian host cities (Ottawa, Saskatoon, Regina,
Vancouver, etc.), I'm curious to know if there were many USA fans in attendance for the US games? And I also wonder if the non-Canadian games were sold out (or nearly sold out)?
|
|
|
Guest0052
( )
|
Posted - 12/28/2011 : 17:58:32
|
Besides family, who else from US would make the trip all the way to northern Alberta?
Most of the US players are from Minnesota area or north-eastern states, that's a long way to go for non family fans!
I'm sure more US fans would be there if the trip was only a few hours drive...
Would you travel thousands of miles to go watch Canada junior team (with none of your family members) play in another country? |
 |
|
|
Statman
Rookie
Canada
125 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2011 : 23:01:27
|
It's fairly obvious where this conversation is heading so let's cut to the chase.
The WJC's are not yet a big deal in the states and may never be. In fact hockey in general is just starting to take a foothold in the areas that aren't winter states like Minnesota. However, I can say that the WJC is starting to gain more popularity in other hockey countries (according to the forum posters from those countries that are claiming that), but no place will ever overtake Canada for love of this tournament we have.
To answer the question as to whether or not Canadians would drive thousands of miles to see a hockey tournament whitout having friends or family participating, the answer is "You bet your a**!". Lol. |
|
|
|
spade632
Rookie
Canada
247 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2011 : 23:18:44
|
Or they'd fly (as I did out to Calgary).
The games here have been pretty good - the crowd's definitely not fans of the Swedes or the Russians though. The roar when the Swiss scored today to tie it up (against Sweden) after coming back from 3-1 down was pretty loud (not Montreal in the playoffs loud, but still). They lost in a shootout though.
As to the OP - as Statman says, the World Jrs. are huge in Canada but no where near as big in the States (with some exceptions, no doubt).
Look at last year's tournament in Buffalo - it was in the US but it looked like Canada home games throughout! (Granted, Buffalo is a short drive - 2hrs or so from Toronto and about 6 from Ottawa - but even in tournaments overseas there is always a huge (or at least a very vocal) Canada contingent.
Still, you'd think that more US fans would make the trip. That said, the ticket sales were extremely popular so maybe they just couldn't get tickets (the original lottery of 17,000 packages last Jan. had something like 180,000+ entries).
|
Edited by - spade632 on 12/28/2011 23:20:38 |
|
|
|
umteman
PickupHockey Pro
USA
662 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2011 : 02:54:56
|
the economy also figures into this. many people are still unemployed and can't afford such a trip, while many others have only recently become re-employed and have no accumulated paid time off.
Did you hear about the retired proctologist? He spent 40 years saying "what's a place like this doing in a girl like you?" |
|
|
|
Guest2705
( )
|
Posted - 12/29/2011 : 04:39:06
|
| Also its college bowl season in the U.S and the NFL playoffs are just getting started. |
|
|
|
Guest7961
( )
|
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 03:20:34
|
| woody guthrie never saw a hockey game. richard nixon never saw one |
|
|
|
Guest8366
( )
|
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 08:40:28
|
quote:
Originally posted by spade632
Or they'd fly (as I did out to Calgary).
The games here have been pretty good - the crowd's definitely not fans of the Swedes or the Russians though. The roar when the Swiss scored today to tie it up (against Sweden) after coming back from 3-1 down was pretty loud (not Montreal in the playoffs loud, but still). They lost in a shootout though.
I wouldn't say the crowds are specifically cheering against the Swedes and Russians. From the games I have attended, and by the sheer nature of Canadian hockey fans, people like watching a competitive game. No true hockey fan likes to watch a blow out and there is nothing more exciting than having an underdog team tie up the game and take it to a shootout. More than likely and IMO, the fans are cheering for a competitive hockey game...not so much against the Swedes (in the example you gave above). |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
WJC - Where are US fans? 
