Summer, increased scrutiny to blame for small crowds at world juniors: Hockey Canada
Empty seats have been a staple at the unusual world junior hockey championship in Edmonton this month — and Hockey Canada says scandals surrounding the organization are, in part, holding fans back.
While the tournament usually sees thousands of avid hockey lovers turn out for each game, the average attendance for the tournament's 20 preliminary round matches was 1,319.
Hockey Canada said there are "a few reasons" people have opted to stay home for the rescheduled 2022 tournament.
"First, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed this tournament to August," the organization said in a statement Tuesday. "And second, there is understandable scrutiny from Canadians of Hockey Canada and the culture of hockey."
Criticism of Hockey Canada loomed large as the 10-team tournament began on Aug. 9.
The national sports organization has come under fire in recent months for its handling of sexual assault allegations levied against members of two former world junior teams.
The allegations prompted parliamentary inquiries and the federal government has frozen its funding of the organization.
Big-name sponsors — including Telus and Canadian Tire — followed suit, leaving the ice at Rogers Place free of ads and the surrounding boards devoid of the usual logos.
"Our focus is ensuring the players who have trained for the past several months can compete on this important stage — and for the fans to enjoy a positive experience," Hockey Canada said.
The first day of the tournament saw three games, none of which cracked 1,000 fans. The biggest draw was a matchup between the U.S. and Germany where attendance was recorded at 829.
Canada played its first game the following day — a 5-2 win over Latvia — in front of 2,779 people. No attendance was reported for a bout between Switzerland and Sweden at 12 p.m. local time the same day.
The crowds slowly swelled as the tournament progressed, with a crowd of 5,204 watching Canada's final preliminary round game, a 6-3 win over Finland on Monday.
Hockey Canada is one of the organizations likely to lose out financially due to the disappointing ticket sales.
"The stakeholders of the event — the (International Ice Hockey Federation), Hockey Canada and the participating federations — all make financial contributions to ensure the event takes place," Hockey Canada said.
"Net proceeds from the world juniors are shared between Hockey Canada, Hockey Canada members, the (Canadian Hockey League) and the IIHF."
More than 1,500 tickets were available on Ticketmaster on Tuesday for Canada's quarterfinal game against Switzerland on Wednesday.
The 2022 tournament was originally scheduled to be played in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., in December, but rising COVID-19 cases among players and officials forced games to be forfeited after just four days.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.