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Post by chiefdave on May 16, 2016 12:01:46 GMT
Would be great to get this. Cheap and easy for GB fans to get to. Pretty sure we'd see bigger crowds than in the last couple of tournaments.
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Post by Stuart Coles on May 20, 2016 11:24:55 GMT
The bid was announced this morning as being successful.
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Post by chiefdave on May 22, 2016 21:20:57 GMT
Might have to make the trip. The downside is it will be a lot more expensive than if it had been somewhere in Eastern Europe!
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Post by Stuart Coles on May 23, 2016 14:55:40 GMT
It will be a lot more expensive. The positive side is the IHUK wanted to host the tournament and found a willing partner. My concern is that will they get the crowds to make it worthwhile? You only host a tournament because it gives you home advantage and good PR. If fans turn up (and I mean 4000+) for the GB games, you'll get a great atmosphere and it'll be wonderful. If they can't muster the support, you lose both of the reasons for hosting. If the tournament was held on the mainland - you could account for a drop in local fans because they're not interested in Team GB by making it easier for the surrounding areas to get to. If on a TV broadcast you see fans disguised as empty seats, it looks awful and there's no good PR there.
I also don't see how this is going to be good for "GB hockey" - arguably will be great for Belfast and the Giants but I doubt the sport as a whole across the country will benefit. The media platforms by which hockey currently uses will only engage with the committed fan (I loved the recent WC coverage, but I'm converted, they don't need me...); although again I'm sure this is something IHUK have thought of.
Those are my reservations, but they've been successful now so it's time to move on from there and it's up to the ice hockey community in the UK to back them and help make it a success. If only they hadn't scheduled it in the first week of term here at Warwick...
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Post by fairyduzt on May 24, 2016 15:30:10 GMT
I'll be there - would never have considered travelling to watch GB, heck I don't even consider GB as one of my teams as I feel so disjointed from them due to location and have never actually considered seeing them play "live" - I know there are a lot of us who feel the same but are willing to go to the games. It might convert me - it might not - a lot will depend on the quality of what I see in front of me and the likelihood that I'll actually go to watch another game live - I'm not a TV hockey lover so I don't follow that NHL stuff  but I have thoroughly enjoyed the games outside the EIHL I have seen live - (apart from Steeldogs v Flames - that was awful) |
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but I have thoroughly enjoyed the games outside the EIHL I have seen live - (apart from Steeldogs v Flames - that was awful)