Canada to host 2010 World Juniors

[Viking 1]

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/news_sto...canadian_hockey

Why do no other countries care about this tournament? Every year it's about the best and most exciting hockey of the year, but nobody shows up to the games unless it's in Canada, and to my knowledge no other countries watch it on TV. I know in the U.S. it isn't even on TV anywhere, and that I really don't understand, because the U.S. broadcasting rights could probably be bought for about 50 cents, and somebody like Versus, or one of the 15 ESPN's or the NHL Network could carry it. Combine that with how many U.S. college players play in it, and how ga-ga Americans are over college sports and you could get maybe one or two dozen people to watch this thing on American TV. If it's going to be in Canada all the time, then the games are going to be in good time slots, and the American team is always in contention, so there's a chance of getting to show a gold medal game with the American team playing. I'd also think they'd want to show the thing on TV so that when the tournament is in the U.S. in 2011, a few people might know what it is, and show up to the arenas (see: 1996, Boston).

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

I'll take a wild stab -

Maybe it's because junior-age hockey is prevalent in every major city in Canada, while in the US, other than colleges in New England, Michigan and Minnkota it isn't?

[Viking 1]

Okay, but New England, Michigan, and Minnesota are the only places people in the U.S. watch hockey in general - not just junior-aged hockey. I know it's a small audience, but I would think the hockey audience that does exist would watch it. Even when it's in hockey areas, nobody watches or goes to the games unless it's in a border area with Canadians coming down to watch; like the sellouts in Grand Forks, North Dakota versus the empty arenas in Boston/surrounding area... But it's not just the lack of American support I don't get - to a certain extent I can let that go, because it's America and it's hockey. But it doesn't seem to be well supported, or have any profile in Europe either. When it's there, the arenas always seem to be empty, or half empty, and the interest in it must not be that high if they don't even bid to host it (particularly since I'm sure any country but Canada would have been all but guaranteed to get it if they'd bid). Those European countries seem to be great hockey countries, and the world juniors is great hockey, so I don't know why it doesn't match up.