Liiga - 2023/2024

[Lackhalak]

Now that Liiga is at 16 teams, do other euro leagues follow? Adding 4 home games of revenue is fairly significant I would imagine.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Can Kiekko-Espoo handle being a liiga team?

 

[ES]

Can Kiekko-Espoo handle being a liiga team?

Espoo has a strong junior pedigree starting from players born in the late '60s. The previous effort was owned for a long time by a sugar daddy and made huge yearly losses. Then the team was sold to a group who had no idea how to create a sensible budget, therefore team was bankrupt within four years.

The current group seems to be more realistic. The arena is good but there are still difficulties since the club doesn't get much profit from the food and drinks the spectators buy. And I think it's still the same with the majority of the suites.

However, even when playing in the second tier the team had more partners than Blues had in their later Liiga years. Of course that doesn't tell all about the money they give but from that perspective the financial base should be better.


NHL players in 2023-24 who have played some junior years in Espoo.
Miro Heiskanen (moved to HIFK before turning 15)
Eeli Tolvanen (originally from Vihti, played in Espoo U16, U18 and U20 teams)
Urho Vaakanainen (originally from Joensuu, played in Espoo U16, U18, U20 and men's teams)
Jani Hakanpää (originally from Vantaa, played in Espoo U20 and men's teams)
Jesse Ylönen
Nikolas Matinpalo

Plus some AHL players
Roni Hirvonen
Niko Huuhtanen