Re-Schedule Blunder: A Mistake By The IIHF

As week two of the 2022 World Junior hockey tournament begins, there are seemingly more questions than answers regarding the interest in the event. With TV ratings and fan attendance at a resoundingly low number, it gives the avid hockey fan chills thinking about the memories this tournament provides yearly. Are we going to see the gold medal game played in an arena with only half its seats filled? Will Canadian sports fans switch to the Blue Jays or pre-season NFL football as a sign of disinterest? Without a crystal ball telling us the answers, we won’t know until the final horn. But isn’t this something to worry about moving forward?

There are plenty of factors resulting in a downfall of both ticket sales and viewership. I want to briefly discuss three reasons contributing to the lack of popularity.

1. Summer is not hockey season in Canada

Are fans burnt out from the intensity of the NHL playoffs that ended just under two months ago? Are traveling costs exceeding the value delivered by the IIHF and its product? Hockey fans in Canada know that summers are short-lived, meaning time spent outside away from our TV screens becomes more invigorating to us. A mental refresh from the world of sports, if you will.

Families are more likely to vacation or partake in other activities during the summer months, and it's noticeable that the tournament is not generating the interest as intended. A lesson here, don't fix what's not broken. This summer should be a one-and-done.

2. Lack of talent spread across the teams

The overall quality of play seems lacklustre this year as several key players are absent from their respective teams. Each year several players representing their pro teams during this event do not play despite their eligibility. Whether it's the players' personal choice or management's final call, we never truly get to see a best-on-best in any given year. Shane Wright, Owen Power, Kaiden Guhle, Matty Beniers and this years first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky are all missing from this years tournament, to name a few.

Another factor of sloppy play is the little time to generate chemistry and regain skills to a high level. With only a handful of practices and pre-tournament games to rely on, the players needed more time to adjust. Unfortunately, these result in a poor tournament experience for both players and fans.

3. Tournament Marketing

The World Junior tournament has been viewed by sports fans for well over 40 years (Boxing Day, Canada plays!). So, how was there little-to-no marketing about the makeup event this year? TSN, which holds the rights to this event, does not air many sports during the summer months. Therefore, they should have little competition for tv ratings.

Is a disinterest growing in the event? Were fans not wanting to show support to Hockey Canada after its recent scandal? Is the quality of the product simply not as good as it once was? The harsher questions seem to hit home this year as empty seats are a growing concern. Add that to the minimal television viewing and the decision to re-schedule this year’s tournament, and you see the results of a poor decision. Unquestionably, the IIHF has its work cut out to re-invigorate this amazing tournament hockey fans have grown to love over the years.