Ranking the European Locations in the VHL
Last week, I wrote an article on the top North American locations in the VHL. I promised a look at the top European locations and here is that article. Europe is another hotbed of hockey with fans all across the continent. The continent has a population of 739.2 million people and is home to cosmopolitan capitals like Paris, London and Madrid. However, none of these cities currently host VHL teams, with Madrid having briefly hosted the Vasteras franchise in a failed relocation. The current teams are the Cologne Express, HC Davos Dynamo, Helsinki Titans, Riga Reign and the Vasteras Iron Eagles with teams in five different countries and in varying regions of the continent.
Number Five: Riga, Latvia
Have you ever seen the movie Hostel or any of its sequels? What about Eurotrip? If so, you will quickly understand why East Europe may not seem like a great location for a western born person with money. Obviously those are based on fiction, so I am joking, but in all reality, Riga is by far the poorest of all the cities and has a population of 693,064 people. The city is Latvia’s capital and was once a part of the powerful Soviet Union and is home to a large Russian population. As such, hockey is pretty big there with Dinamo Riga being one of the KHL’s most well-known clubs in the West. Basketball is still the most popular sport in Riga with BK VEF Riga being the three time Latvian Champions. There is not much pressure in Riga, though being one of the older franchises in the VHL there is something of a solid fan base. The team is seen as Eastern Europe’s team and as such has a fan base that stretches from Latvia to Russia.
Number Four: Vasteras, Sweden
Everyone knows I love Vasteras so it may come as a surprise I rank them so low, but let’s be honest, the city itself, while quaint, leaves a lot to be desired to some. With a population of 110,877 people, the city is by far the smallest city to host a VHL team and as such, has a local fan base that leaves a lot to be desired. The team itself has struggled for a long time, and the building they play in is usually only half full except for games with rivals Helsinki and the rare playoff game. The atmosphere at those games however is historical and makes it a very hard place for opposing teams to play sometimes. The climate in Vasteras is very typical of the north. Cold but with very gorgeous scenery and the city is home to the Vastersas Harbour which is a beautiful site to see. If the team itself can become successful in the near future, than it would be likely Vasteras can climb up these rankings, but with little to be excited about, the city itself is hardly a hockey hot bed right now.
Number Three: Cologne, Germany
Europe’s youngest team, Cologne has a population of 1,024,373 people and is located in Germany’s West close to Belgium and the Netherlands and has fans in those two countries. Cologne, like most of Germany, is a city rich in culture and history, both modern and ancient. The city is seen as one of the most cultured cities in Europe along with Barcelona and Paris. Like all of Germany, Cologne is known for its pride in its beer as well as its women. German hockey is not as big as Swedish or Finish hockey, but sports are taking very seriously throughout the entire country. With soccer being number one, there is not as much pressure on players there as there may be in other more hockey driven markets, and that bodes well for some players who wish to not play under immense pressure. In Cologne you are more of an athlete then a celebrity, and depending on who you are, that may be exactly how you want it to be.
Number Two: Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki is the largest city in Finland and hosts a population of 614,074 people in the city. The city has two teams in the SM-Liga and as such, there is a ton of competition for the spotlight in Helsinki. The team, having struggled this year, has fallen well behind the other two, but when the team was among the VHL’s best for the better part of four or five seasons, the Titans were chief among the thoughts of the Helsinki hockey fans. The team has a loud atmosphere in the rink and has various events going on outside the rink on game day that only add to the idea that the Titans are a community first kind of team. Finland itself is a hockey crazed country and has one of the best programs in the entire world of developing young talent, and the Titans help in that by hosting mini camps in the city as well as in other Finish hockey hot spots to nurture young talent in to the VHL and the other professional leagues across the globe. Fans in Helsinki are respectful of the players but they also expect a lot out of them and sometimes, the pressure can be too much for some players who have fizzled out of favor in the baby blue of the Titans.
Number One: Davos, Switzerland
Davos is the smallest city of the Europeans locations with just 11,156 people permanently living in Davos. Despite the small population, the team sells out on a consistent basis due to its status as an international city, Davos attracts fans from all around the world. Davos is home to the Spengler Cup, a tournament which takes place every year during Christmas time, and is also home to HC Davos of the Swizz League which shares the name with the VHL club. Davos is close to both Germany and Austria and as such attracts fans from those two countries as well as all over Switzerland, and in fact France as well. The team, despite being in a city with a small population, may have the largest fan base because of the proximity it has to so many major areas of Europe, and really, who doesn’t like Switzerland? The city is gorgeous, the fans are polite and enjoy the athlete’s presence and hockey is only one of many cultural attractions in the city. For those reasons, Davos is the top location for players in the European Conference.
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