Prince Daniel of Sweden and Prince Oscar of Sweden watch the HockeyAllsvenskan ice hockey match between AIK IF and Mora IK at Friends Arena stadium in Solna, Sweden -March 16th 2024.
Princess Estelle of Sweden and Prince Oscar of Sweden watch the HockeyAllsvenskan ice hockey match between AIK IF and Mora IK at Friends Arena stadium in Solna, Sweden -March 16th 2024.
Prince Daniel of Sweden, Princess Estelle of Sweden and Prince Oscar of Sweden watch the HockeyAllsvenskan ice hockey match between AIK IF and Mora IK at Friends Arena stadium in Solna, Sweden -March 16th 2024.
Right Wing6’1/194RightMora IK/HockeyAllsvenskan
Related: TiJ Iginla
Michael Brandsegg Nygard was fantastic for Norway at the U20 World Juniors, recording 3 goals and 5 points in 5 games, and was their best player in the tournament. A three-zone competitive player who is good with the puck and equally as good at chasing it down. Above all, the Norwegian winger plays with intensity and defensive…
This was supposed to be the season of opportunities for the teams in the Swedish second league, Hockeyallsvenskan, since the SHL are going to expand to the next season. Instead of just two teams getting the chance to advance, there is now room for four.
But now, with just a few months left of the season, SHL and SIF(the Swedish ice hockey federation) a few days ago released a new agreement.
In that agreement you can find two new demands on the teams in the SHL. The first one is that your team needs to have at least 4 million sek in equity. This to prevent economic problems for the teams, which is good.
The other new demand on the other hand, is that on september 1, every SHL team need to have an arena that takes 5 000 people(at least 3 500 of those 5 000 needs to be seated and the rest are aloud to be standing). A demand that very few of the teams in Hockeyallsvenskan right now are able to reach.
For example, Karlskrona HK are right now nr 1 are on one of the teams that are fighting for an SHL spot. Their arena currently takes 2 564 people seated and 900 standing. In their case they would have to expand and build it bigger. Something that may not be able to happen since it's Karlskrona town that owns the arena, like it it's for many other teams in Sweden. A remodeling with the town as owners can take months and not every town has the money to put on the arena. So only private owned arenas are able to make an expansion of the arena that fast. So the new demands pretty much hinder 90% of the teams in Hockeyallsvenskan to make the step up into the SHL.
It's frustrating to see how SHL tries to close up the league and hinder teams that not fit into their standards... Why work towards bigger arenas when the teams can't fill up the arenas they have now? Who want's to go and see a team play in a half empty arena? That will only it will only degrade the SHL as a brand.
Mora IK is one of the teams that have taken a public stand against the agreement and how the SHL and SIF are working. Here are the words from the Mora IK CEO and board:
"We Mora IK have long been questioned the information about the requirements to play in the SHL that is passed around in the different medias. We have tried to address the issues on a number of occasions in Hockeyallsvenskan without getting any clear answers. The answers we received is that it is between SIF and SHL. We have always been positive about the need for cooperation between the various leagues both upwards and downwards, where we have wished that Association would take greater responsibility for Swedish hockey.
Last week we had the chairman and club director meeting in Hockeyallsvenskan. In which a new approach regarding educational benefits was introduced that we saw very positive about. There are several things that are good and we believe that we are on the right track on many issues. However, we have always felt that we are outside the process in several important questions regarding the Swedish elite hockey and its rule book.
It has always felt like the SIF and SHL chosen to draw the future of Swedish hockey without to share and sanction thoughts, ideas and decisions with the districts, Hockeyallsvenskan, Hockeyettan and others in Swedish hockey.
Mora IK does not contradict the requirements presented yesterday regarding equity requirement of 4 million, on the contrary, this is both healthy and good for the stability of the clubs.
When it comes to the arena requirement we do not understand the high requirement on the number of seats. There should be other requirements that is better to make good TV broadcasts, facilities, security, etc. If it's only bigger venues you want then we accept this but to have it as a requirement for next season is totally unreasonable. It's the same thing as that you do not want the smaller towns/clubs in the SHL. The stadiums owned by municipalities that need to be rebuilt, we have communal and political processes that take time and is outside the clubs' control and influence. Moreover, the towns are forced to the Public Procurement Act (LOU) which means that the time makes this impossible to cope in such a short time.
The consequence is that local politicians will determine which teams play in the SHL.
Those clubs that own their stadiums themselves will also have a difficult time to get to an expansion in such a short time. It makes the whole decision entirely unreasonable. To gain exemption in 2-3 years would be a reasonable time frame.
To change a set of rules at the end of the "season of opportunity" is not credible and acceptable. We Mora IK do not believe that there is support in the regulatory framework to take such decisions during the season and we will vigorously investigate and pursue this matter.
Our CEO in Hockeyallsvenskan Stefan Bengtsson yesterday went to the media and said that the agreement between SHL and SIF was good for Hockeyallsvenskan.
We would very clearly say that in the way the Agreement is presented with the absurdity surrounding the arena requirement, he does not have a mandate for such a statement regarding Mora IK.
Together with the new contract around the arena requirement, the removal of the kvalserie and the effects of it, Swedish hockey is now in danger of being depleted. Our assessment is that we teams from the smaller towns will not have the finances to engage in development for children, youth and senior activities. Meanwhile, you kill the dreams of small towns/clubs, which is the Swedish norm and momentum of the Swedish sports movement.
We Mora IK think SIF's behavior in these matters where they have chosen to exclude most of the Swedish elite hockey is beneath contempt."
I couldn't agree more with Mora IK and hopefully the SHL and SIF come to their senses. If not I feel like the recent development of both Hockeyallsvenskan and Hockeyettan will stop and the system that has brought up many amazing hockey players will no longer have the same possibilities. Swedish hockey needs to work together, and not like the SHL and SIF that excludes the other leagues when discussing the future of Swedish hockey. They need to realize that they need each other in order to progress. And the SHL need to realize what the fans want, because without them the league is nothing.
