Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Anyang Halla have six home games in December.
Flipping through the channels the other day I was reminded South Korea has two professional hockey teams, the Anyang Halla (안양한라) and High1 (하이원) out of Chuncheon. They compete in the seven-team Asia League Ice Hockey. You'll find a schedule of upcoming games for Anyang here (in English here), though nothing turned up for the Chuncheon team. "Regular" tickets for Anyang cost 6,000 won for adults. The attendance for the most recent game in Anyang, on November 1st versus the Tohoku Freeblades, was 759, the one before that was 889, down perhaps because of the heavy rain from the home opener's figure 1,482. Their arena seats 1,284, and location and direction information is here.
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17 comments:
I went to the Halla once. Not only were there no fight, but the bar was closed too! It was a disgrace.
I'm afraid, Anyang Halla, that you only get one chance with me, and I'm sorry to say you blew it.
An-yang (clap clap) Hal-la (clap clap)
Stevie, that must have been a really off day. For even when they were losing the reason to go to an Anyang Halla game was to watch the refs chip the blood off the ice.
Well, I went with high expectations of lots of blood and lots of beer, but left disappointed on both counts. However, if they could give me some sort of cast-iron, money-back guarantee that there would be violence on the ice and alcohol off it, I might consider giving them a second chance. MAYBE. But that would have to be it. I can't get hurt again...
I'd like to go to a game at some point, but Anyang is kind of far away.
How does the league compare to other professional ones? At or around ECHL level? Junior?
I'll let you know on the 5th. I'm planning on checking out a game. I've seen a few games on TV and it appears to be reasonably competent.
The hardcore Canuck hockey fans say they're sloppy, but professional clean hockey is not why I go to the games. It's just to have some beers with friends and have a good time. Sexy cheerleaders, lack of safety with flying hockey pucks, people cheering on a game they don't understand, loser Canadian English teachers telling the Canadian hockey players they're losers...
Not really knocking on Canadian English teachers being losers. It's just funny to hear drunk NSETs telling hockey players to "get a real job."
Koreans aren't the only ones with blinders to irony.
Maybe the Herald or the Joongang Ilbo could interview the foreign players on the teams to get a little info about what brought them here, why they chose Korea, the best and worst things about playing here, and what they expect from the rest of their careers.
I see a former Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick plays in Korea. You'd think coming to Asia to play'd be even . . . laster than a last resort, considering they could probably play with one of the many minor league North American teams. Maybe just for something different?
I also wonder how baseball and hockey teams get their foreign talent. I really doubt Gangwon was scouting anybody, or chose Jeremy Van Hoof out of all the thousands of active hockey players in the minors back home. Do these guys just apply for jobs with teams?
They don't pay them that much, I'm sure. One used to work part-time at a school my wife worked at.
How does the league compare to other professional ones? At or around ECHL level? Junior?
I don't know the American system, but compared to the Canadian system, maybe a Junior B league.
Brian wrote:
Maybe the Herald or the Joongang Ilbo could interview the foreign players on the teams to get a little info about what brought them here, why they chose Korea, the best and worst things about playing here
Brian, you're turning into a taxi driver. ;)
Seriously, though, yours is a nice idea for one of the papers.
I went to see a game earlier this season. It obviously doesn't measure up to the elite pro North American or European leagues, but it is competitive and entertaining to watch. ROK Hounds assessment seems about right (Canadian Junior B), although some of the players could probably compete at a higher level. For 6000 Won it was a great deal. It's just nice to get out to the rink and see a game anyway.
ROK Hounds assessment seems about right (Canadian Junior B), although some of the players could probably compete at a higher level.
One of my step-brothers played Junior A hockey for one of the OHL teams, and the level of play here is not quite up there. But as you say, there are a couple players here who could probably hack a Junior A level.
ROK Hounds assessment seems about right (Canadian Junior B), although some of the players could probably compete at a higher level.
One of my step-brothers played Junior A hockey for one of the OHL teams, and the level of play here is not quite up there. But as you say, there are a couple players here who could probably hack a Junior A level.
They don't pay them that much
That was like the early days of the NHL. They used to have to take jobs in the off season. One player named Tim Horton started a donut shop he could manage in the off season. And the rest is history.
Maybe they could get better than Junior B if they had more time on the ice, but most ice rinks in Korea are jam-packed with kids their mothers are trying to turn into the next Kim Yuna.
And Kim Dong-sungs
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