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A yr in the past, in November 2018, the FIH had its international congress. An occasion the place a number of necessary choices concerning the way forward for our sport had been communicated. Additionally roughly a yr in the past we spoke with the “new” CEO of the FIH Thierry Weil, earlier than the worldwide congress on some my worries for the way forward for our sport. Following the worldwide congress a yr in the past we had a chat with Mike Joyce, director of improvement for the FIH concerning the Hockey2024 plan that was about to launch.
So at the moment, roughly a yr down the highway, with the top of 2019 in sight, we thought it could be good to have one other discuss with these two directors from FIH concerning the plans launched in 2018 and what has been completed since then in 2019 or might be in 2020. We outlined 10 subjects to debate with them:
- FIH Professional League
- FIH Qualifiers
- Tokyo 2020
- A dry synthetic pitch
- The FIH.dwell platform
- Hockey2024
- Rising hockey
- LA 2028
- One brief format of hockey
- Do all stakeholders have a voice?
Please be aware this column just isn’t an actual transcript (removed from it) of the podcast. I do advocate each studying the complete column in addition to listening the complete podcast… 😉
FIH Professional League
2019 has been the yr of the launch of the FIH Professional League greater than anything in all probability. At the very least by way of visibility on a worldwide scale. 
FIH felt it was essential to strengthen the promotion of hockey all over the world. Once they spoke to broadcasters their main difficulty with our sport was the dearth of a hard and fast calendar, a time of yr when broadcasters had been assured of sufficient worldwide video games to schedule of their programming. So the want from broadcasters for a extra constant hockey calendar has been fulfilled. The key studying from this primary yr of the FIH Professional League has been the house & away video games within the present schedule had been an excessive amount of of a stress on the well being of gamers. So the 2nd yr will see an necessary change with double house video games for some opponents this yr adopted by double away video games for a similar the following yr. This implies journey is reduce in half which isn’t solely higher for our environmental footprint however particularly might be much less of a pressure on participant well being. Suggestions from coaches and gamers, based on Weil, was very constructive. However clearly some adjustments had been wanted going into yr two. The change of schedule for participant welfare but additionally a change within the manufacturing of those occasions for TV. Extra uniformity in exhibiting a recognisable format of the sport on TV. One other difficulty in yr 1 has been the dearth of supporters within the stands in some nations. A reality Weil blames on the brief preparation time between the ultimate inexperienced mild and the primary Professional League video games. Not permitting sufficient time for some good advertising of those occasions to attract within the crowds. This time nevertheless there may be sufficient time for the marketeers in every nation to work on a superb ticketing plan and promotion of their house video games. For instance in Germany this time the advertising company that was in cost for the very profitable indoor world cup will be sure that the German hockey supporters won’t miss out on their house video games once more, based on Weil. Financially it’s clear this primary yr has been an funding. A a lot wanted funding within the promotion of hockey. However one other equally necessary purpose is to create income and revenue for the FIH to make use of for the event of hockey all over the world. As a result of as a way to develop hockey, extra money is required. So clearly a marketing strategy for this occasion in some unspecified time in the future in time might want to present income to have the ability to do extra for rising our sport of hockey. Although Weil states he would even be pleased with a break even and extra promotion of our sport, the marketing strategy by the FIH assumes a revenue might be generated to assist develop hockey as of 2022 or 2023 on the newest.
Nonetheless, even when I take into account myself a giant fan of prime worldwide hockey & the FIH Professional League… I might be curious to see a full analysis by 2023-2024 to see how a lot cash not solely the FIH has invested within the Professional League however add to this additionally the cash invested by the collaborating nations and do a full ROI analysis evaluating to what we might have anticipated in rising hockey if this cash had been spent immediately into improvement of leisure hockey as an alternative of the promotion of tophockey.
I nonetheless take into account myself a fan of the idea of extra house video games for worldwide hockey and do suppose the Professional League in itself is a good suggestion to advertise hockey. Nevertheless the way in which it’s organised now, even after some adjustments, I nonetheless imagine the burden on home membership hockey is an excessive amount of and could possibly be averted.
FIH Qualifiers
Probably not new, although in a reinvented format, 2019 additionally introduced us some spectacular hockey and drama throughout the FIH Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020. The Olympics is performed with 12 nations for each women and men. Each groups of the host nation qualify immediately, as do the 5 continental champions. The remaining comes by the FIH Qualifiers. As a substitute of the normal match the place the highest 6 or 7 acquired their Olympic ticket, the FIH determined to go together with a brand new format. Primarily based upon their international rating nations had been drawn in opposition to 1 opponent and needed to beat them in a better of two, performed at house for the best ranked nation.
I can’t disguise the actual fact I used to be considerably sceptical about this beforehand and would have most popular to maintain the prevailing match format. Feeling that will be the fairest format for all to succeed in for the celebs. I nonetheless suppose a match has some benefits over the 1 vs 1 format of those new model qualifiers. However I’ve acquired to confess the drama and pleasure proven throughout the video games performed in these new qualifiers had been thrilling.
Thierry Weil shared my shock on the success of those Qualifiers, although for various causes… His primary difficulty with the brand new format was the dearth of time (solely 6 weeks) in between the second the collaborating nations had been recognized and the video games had been performed. He feared it could not be sufficient time to commercialise these occasions, the place my issues had been concerning the sport and a good probability for all to undergo primarily based upon deserves.
So the adjustments launched by FIH are about making it extra industrial. Clearly when you solely (!) take a look at the industrial aspect you’re certain to make errors that would harm the game. The FIH concept is to have extra time between asserting the collaborating nations and the precise video games as a way to “promote” the occasion to public, broadcasters, sponsors, and so on… That is sensible. Nevertheless if you don’t keep in mind the golf equipment in your planning you’ll be hurting hockey as an alternative of rising the game. So what occurs… As a result of nobody on the FIH is defending membership pursuits they schedule these qualifying video games in March. This implies golf equipment and their gamers get no time to coach & observe collectively (bear in mind the complaints by the German captain Mats Grambusch in our podcast with him over the past EC) and the essential a part of most European membership competitions as soon as once more is harmed.
So my want for hockey in 2020 and past could be a protected window of 2x 3 months for home membership hockey! September, October and November + March, April, Could needs to be devoted to home membership hockey. Worldwide hockey might have his fair proportion with December, January, February + June, July, August. That method broadcasters know which months they’ll give attention to worldwide hockey, plus they might/ought to focus a few of their consideration throughout these different months additionally on the highest home leagues and market these everywhere in the world. There’s some spectacular hockey to be seen between golf equipment as nicely!
Sadly, the FIH declare they perceive the significance of golf equipment and recognise these home membership leagues are the inspiration of our sport. However phrases are low cost… All that basically issues is what you do! When push involves shove it’s all concerning the worldwide video games for the FIH. So the reply to my concern on these qualifiers to be performed in March was the necessity for a long run worldwide calendar. Dwelling & away video games as an alternative of two house video games and extra time to market & promote these qualifying occasions. And a few shuffling round with the FIH Professional League video games in these months to create a little bit bit extra respiration room for the golf equipment. In my view that won’t remedy something, the home membership leagues and worldwide hockey have to divide the yr into manageable blocks of time adequate for each so as to add their worth to the sport of hockey. Some half-hearted compromises received’t do the trick. In 2020 the FIH says she has given the month of April again to membership hockey. That’s simply not sufficient!
Tokyo 2020
Weil is happy to have two main occasions in hockey with each the World Cup and the Olympic Video games. When at first he acknowledged it ought to all be concerning the World Cup, he says a yr within the job he now has a greater understanding of the significance of the Olympics for hockey. He’s very enthusiastic concerning the venue for hockey throughout the Tokyo Video games. Near town centre, with two fields inside strolling distance from one another. Ticketing gross sales is doing very nicely based on Weil. The 2 host groups managed to qualify on their very own and never only for being the host nation. That’s exceptional and good outcomes from a bunch nation will assist make the Video games successful as nicely. We’ve one of the best groups for each males & ladies from everywhere in the world with nations from all continents. Not lots of crew sports activities can declare this…
Weil additionally confirmed the participation of the South Africa ladies. Though they didn’t meet all the standards set out by their very own nationwide Olympic committee, South Africa did verify each their women and men will participate within the Tokyo Video games. So the drama of refusing the boys to go to Rio 4 years in the past just isn’t repeated.
Dry synthetic pitch
Kind of a yr in the past, throughout the FIH international congress it was introduced the 2024 Video games in Paris, would see our sport performed on a dry synthetic pitch with none water. Clearly the thought just isn’t to return to grass or sandfilled turfs. Hockey has developed due to the waterbased pitches to an ever sooner, 3D sport. So the ambition is to have the identical enjoying circumstances gamers and coaches have at the moment however on a turf with none water.
Although many consultants (pay attention for instance to our podcast with Arnoud Fiolet from RSI) nonetheless doubt the feasibility of this ambition, Weil maintains will probably be performed.
To start with of 2020 gamers and coaches might be concerned in testing the primary steps in direction of a dry pitch. Weil states ideally the following World Cup in 2023 would already be performed on this dry pitch. For the Youth Olympic Video games in 2022 in Dakar (Senegal) a turf with none water is a should. Meaning we are going to see the primary dry pitches to check the brand new expertise on the very newest in 2022, ideally even in 2021…. based on Thierry Weil that’s.
As many others, if not all, I applaud the ambition of wanting to realize this. Water is a scarce useful resource in lots of components of the world. Nevertheless till at the moment I’ve not but met the corporate stating they are going to be prepared by the top of 2021 with a turf that may assure the identical enjoying circumstances with out the usage of water. Most producers will state the brand new technology of turfs will want considerably much less water, however none will assure a dry synthetic pitch to my information. I hope Thierry Weil will show us incorrect right here!
FIH.dwell
One other promise launched throughout the international congress a yr in the past has been the devoted OTT platform to showcase hockey: FIH.dwell ! The platform introduced had every kind of fantastic options that will assist change the way in which we expertise hockey. Nevertheless when FIH.dwell launched in January it was form of a disappointment. The promised added worth in comparison with the prevailing YouTube channel was lacking.
However Weil assured us the unique imaginative and prescient and ambition was nonetheless there and a relaunch of the platform is foreseen for March 2020, so in simply a few months. Together with a lot of the added worth options promised a yr in the past. The OTT platform, as it’s referred to as technically, will permit lastly for the FIH to begin gathering information on its viewers. So sure, a few of will probably be behind a paywall. However higher to have some content material we beforehand couldn’t see due to contracts with sure broadcasters, now out there with out geoblocking. Even when generally it’s behind a paywall. So by March we are going to get a peak of what a revamped FIH.dwell platform might seem like. I’m curious….
Hockey2024
The worldwide improvement plan , referred to as Hockey2024, was launched throughout the international congress a yr in the past by Mike Joyce. 
We had a protracted discuss this then with Mike in one other podcast. So the place are we now? A yr down the highway….
Promotion & improvement go hand in hand…based on Joyce. The Professional League & co additionally assist improvement, these act as our store window.
Hockey 2024 can also be about having the plans prepared to maximise on these moments the place hockey will get to shine. So for Tokyo for instance the FIH is doing quite a bit to assist develop hockey in Japan.
On the congress we spoke concerning the 3 pillars for improvement: participation, schooling and infrastructure. In the meantime a fourth pillar was added: inspiration.
Equally wonderful was the hashtag for 2019 and a few nice work has been performed all over the world regarding that matter (gender stability) based on Joyce. Hockeydreams would be the hashtag for 2020, getting youth extra concerned.
Relating to schooling, the prevailing applications continued. 46 programs , 750 people licensed in 2019 and these needs to be doubled in 2020. However clearly rising hockey is the number one precedence for international improvement of hockey.
Rising hockey
For me rising hockey is usually about having extra infrastructure and rising the variety of lively gamers. My concern is (nonetheless at the moment) an excessive amount of focus goes to rising the variety of followers & followers as an alternative of leisure gamers. How is the expansion of lively gamers being measured globally and is there development? In 2020 a brand new “state of the sport” survey might be carried out to see what the impression has been. It is going to nonetheless be troublesome to measure the distinction between registered and occasional gamers… an issue for all sports activities. So the impression will turn into extra clear when the brand new survey has been performed in 2020. However my concern is we might be comfortable to see a development in participation whereas unable to show the variety of gamers have grown.
To be able to get extra gamers infrastructure is essential. However nonetheless… with the necessary message on the congress that hockey might be performed (additionally for official tournaments and occasions) on any floor, we should always not get caught on the dearth of synthetic turf pitches all over the world.
A serious message by Weil is to not fear a lot about having “the suitable infrastructure”. Simply exit and have some enjoyable enjoying hockey…. on no matter floor is offered! He’s proper!
So what has been performed concerning improvement in 2019. TAP East Africa concerned 7 completely different nations to get began in hockey, however that’s not all. Plenty of initiatives had been held in different areas additionally to advertise enjoying hockey. In line with Joyce it’s anticipated 4 or 5 new nations will be part of the FIH on the subsequent international congress.
Joyce additionally careworn yearly 1,1 million greenback is invested by FIH into continental federations to assist develop hockey of their area
As Weil additionally acknowledged, each penny made by FIH might be invested into improvement of the game, however based on their pondering promotion and occasions such because the Professional League additionally counts in direction of funding in improvement. I suppose, he’s acquired some extent. But it surely’s necessary it’s tracked cash is pent on tasks that develop the quantity of gamers, not simply the quantity of followers and followers. Weil says it’s finest observe to not separate these…. However in every little thing Weil does it’s clear his first purpose is to develop the viewers, hoping the gamers will observe. It’s a incorrect focus based on me. Sure we want each, however the final purpose is to have extra folks enjoying the game. That purpose is extra necessary in comparison with the expansion of the folks watching the sport, based on me.
LA 2028
When requested if hockey will nonetheless be performed in LA 2028, Weil leaves no room for doubt: sure, hockey will nonetheless be within the Video games in 2028….
Clearly we have to proceed doing the suitable issues to advertise our sport and turn into extra related in fact. However hockey will nonetheless be on the Olympic roster based on Weil. When requested Weil additionally confirms hockey5s won’t exchange 11-a-side hockey within the Olympics. However he hopes 5s or a brief format might be added subsequent to 11s…. so we could have extra medals which appears to be an necessary criterium for the IOC.
Nevertheless I can’t relaxation assured till the IOC has confirmed our conventional format of hockey for the LA Video games…
One brief format
My place concerning the creation of Hockey5s as a brand new sport stays unsupportive. Take heed to my podcast on this matter entitled “Hockey5s: our Frankenstein’s monster” if you wish to know extra on this.
Sure, a brief format subsequent to the normal primary format of the sport (11-a-side) is fascinating for various wants. However why not use the prevailing brief format of the sport (indoor hockey) and adapt this to higher fit your (future) wants? If something our hockey household all over the world has confirmed to not be cautious of adjusting for the higher… And sure, indoor hockey is appropriate for enjoying open air as nicely.
Thierry Weil says he thinks indoor hockey and hockey5s will turn into one brief format! Inside 2 or 3 years this needs to be 1 format! If meaning enjoying with 5 outfield gamers and 1 goalie, enjoying with a scoring zone (the D or circle) an a sport the place dangerously hitting the ball just isn’t promoted, I’m all for it. Even when it means some particular “indoor” traits equivalent to not lifting the ball in play could be eliminated, even when again boards could be added as nicely.
I’m certain some indoor lovers wouldn’t be pleased with a number of the adjustments however something is healthier than the prevailing format of 5s. And I do agree with Weil, as I’ve mentioned all alongside, there isn’t a room for two brief codecs of the sport.
Do all stakeholders have a voice in FIH?
The chief board (EB) of the FIH is the place choices are made. Although Weil disputes this, claiming most suggestions made by the completely different FIH committees might be accepted with out change by the EB. The present EB members are elected by politics (together with, based on some, lobbying, “different” info, bribes and empty guarantees) by directors as an alternative of representatives of all related roles in hockey…. Right this moment the members of this EB are from 2 FIH, 1 participant consultant, 5 representatives from each continental federation and seven directors chosen by their fellow directors throughout the congress.
I distinguish 5 so referred to as stakeholders in our sport of hockey that needs to be proportionally represented throughout the determination making unit within the FIH.
- Gamers: ought to have a number of representatives with not less than 2 lively (!) prime athlete, 2 current ex prime athletes and a couple of lively younger U23 prime athlete… every time 1 male & 1 feminine, ideally from all continents
- Coaches: 1 male & 1 feminine coach from a prime 10 nation and 1 male & 1 feminine coach from nations exterior of prime 10, ideally from completely different continents – could possibly be coaches or excessive efficiency directors- however have to be lively
- Golf equipment: 2 representatives from prime golf equipment and a couple of representatives from leisure golf equipment, every from 4 completely different home leagues
- Directors : 1 consultant from every continent + FIH president + FIH sports activities director
- Followers: represented by CEO & advertising director FIH
Mike Joyce claims the FIH is listening to what completely different stakeholders are speaking about even when the y aren’t represented among the many determination makers. That’s a begin, however won’t do… stakeholders want a seat on the desk the place choices are made.
Thierry Weil says his door is at all times open for many who have an issue to debate or for who has concepts to make our sport even higher. Recommendable… however once more, not ok. Stakeholders deserve their seat on the desk. That’s extra than simply being heard.
My 3 needs for hockey in 2020… and past
Sadly it doesn’t work this manner, however ought to there be a “genie in a bottle” granting me 3 hockey needs for 2020 and past, my 3 needs could be:
- The assured continuation of 11-a-side hockey as our primary Olympic sport past Paris 2024
- All stakeholders, together with gamers, coaches and golf equipment, represented within the EB of the FIH
- A hard and fast calendar, respecting each worldwide and home hockey, with every 2 intervals of roughly 3 months uninterrupted & protected for both home or worldwide hockey.
Let me know what your needs could be… 😉
Please be aware, as talked about above, this column just isn’t an actual transcript of the podcast. I do advocate each studying the complete textual content in addition to listening the complete podcast.
Episode 34 was recorded on 2019-11-27 & revealed on 2012-12-26 by OSMpodcasts.com.
Host : Ernst Baart
Podcast: Studio Hockey
