The Finnish Hockey Association (SJ) wants to know in the coming weeks whether the hockey club from Latvia would be ready in 2022/2023. Latvian Television (LTV) reports to start the “Mestis” league in the so-called “Mestis” league in the season
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It has already been reported that the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF) has certain agreements to play for the Latvian adult team in at least the second highest league in Finland.
In the plot of LTV from the home of the 2022 World Championships in Tampere, the Latvian team is unlikely to claim a place in the Finnish top league.
“Our top league (‘League’) is like the National Hockey League (NHL),” said Harri Nummela, head of the Finnish Hockey Association, in a conversation with LTV. “It’s closed. There are some conditions for a team to enter the top league. It doesn’t just depend on success on the field. There are also economic requirements.”
The budgets of the Liiga teams range from six to ten million euros a year. LHF President Aigars Kalvītis does not hide that such a level is too expensive for the Latvian team. That’s why the federation is aiming for a place in the “Mestis” championship.
“The budget required in the Premier League is at least three times higher than in the Mestis League. It should start with the Mestis League. It is very important for us to keep 18- to 23-year-old boys in hockey. in professional hockey, “says Kalvitis.
The head of the federation emphasizes that the main task now is to “accumulate funds” so that such a plan can be implemented. “In any case, negotiations with the Finnish Hockey Federation have progressed so far that they expect a final response from us in the coming weeks. We need to understand how we will put our financial system in order to financially support such a club. That will be decided in two to three weeks.”
Nummela, on the other hand, says that the diversity of teams only benefits hockey. However, the decision should be made very quickly, because under normal circumstances, the calendar of the “Mestis” championship is scheduled for June.
“It’s too early to say if that’s possible. It’s all about the practicalities – how to organize it, who will cover the extra costs. I want to emphasize that this is nothing new. For several years now, there have been discussions that our “Mestis could be like the Baltic International League. So far no solution has been found,” explains Nummela.
Kalvitis does not yet reveal what such a team could be called. The head of the federation alone determines that it would be a Latvian team, but avoids comparisons with the Riga “Dinamo” team.
“Riga” Dinamo “KHL will no longer play. We, as Riga” Dinamo “, have resigned. And I do not see an opportunity to return.
It is reported that the LHF also plans to participate in the Finnish championships in the hockey school “Riga”. HS “Riga” has so far started in the St. Petersburg Open Championship.
