Pre-season tour thoughts

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #1
Would a Pre-season tour be a good idea.

So....after my Lausanne away game which was awesome would fans like to see a Pre-season warm up tour.
Each season choose a different league to tour which could then give fans a chance to experience a away game combined with a holiday.
Swiss league one year, Finnish league another maybe a big one of AHL or ECHL with those teams being in close proximity as possible.
The red army could organize a package tour for the European leagues.
I'd be up for that, 4 games over 2 week tour.
Obviously not really thought of the full logistics, it's just an open idea, with a couple of home friendlies after, what do others think.

I know this season hasn't even started yet but it would take a couple of years to sort out.
Boredom on train has set in so my mind wanders with ideas lol
 
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Meridian

Active Member
#2
I suppose the big issue with this would be the cost to the devils. Travel etc would soon rack up, they've often said how expensive the CHL is and that has the benefit of home games.

As a fan I would love it though
 

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
Thread starter #3
European tour I think of just one league wouldn't be to bad. Land in Germany, tour bus, 4 teams not to far apart, biggest cost I guess would be rooms or sleeper coaches, whichever ends up cheaper.
 

NathanG

Well-Known Member
#4
Absolutely yes 1 million percent!!

The French league would be a great shout. I've been to see Rouen and Amiens. Nice cities and a short drive apart up in the North there. Could even throw in a team from Belgium as those would be close too.

Speaking of trips. Is anyone going to Finland in 3 weeks?? I did start a thread. Currently no replies...... :'(
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
#5
Absolutely yes 1 million percent!!

The French league would be a great shout. I've been to see Rouen and Amiens. Nice cities and a short drive apart up in the North there. Could even throw in a team from Belgium as those would be close too.

Speaking of trips. Is anyone going to Finland in 3 weeks?? I did start a thread. Currently no replies...... :'(
To be honest, from what I've seen, the French league seems to be a step behind us, and the Belgians aren't even in the conversation. Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and others are far better options from a hockey standpoint.
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#6
To be honest, from what I've seen, the French league seems to be a step behind us, and the Belgians aren't even in the conversation. Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and others are far better options from a hockey standpoint.
The French league is a strange one - I have watched quite a bit and you have some very good teams in it (Gap, Rouen, Grenoble and others) and then some very amateur set ups at the bottom. Whilst in the EIHL I would not be confident betting my mortgage on any game, in France I would be. I would still back the Devils against the French champions but it would be a close game in all likelihood

Love the idea of a pre-season tour - Switzerland would be ideal please :)
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#7
Absolutely yes 1 million percent!!

The French league would be a great shout. I've been to see Rouen and Amiens. Nice cities and a short drive apart up in the North there. Could even throw in a team from Belgium as those would be close too.

Speaking of trips. Is anyone going to Finland in 3 weeks?? I did start a thread. Currently no replies...... :'(
I did look into it but it seems like a pain of a place to get to and work might be a problem....
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
#8
The French league is a strange one - I have watched quite a bit and you have some very good teams in it (Gap, Rouen, Grenoble and others) and then some very amateur set ups at the bottom. Whilst in the EIHL I would not be confident betting my mortgage on any game, in France I would be. I would still back the Devils against the French champions but it would be a close game in all likelihood

Love the idea of a pre-season tour - Switzerland would be ideal please :)
In the season that superleague started, a group of us got a minibus to travel to breast when the devils had a preseason match there. (Don't get me started on the ferry journey) Hopefully things have moved on a bit there, but it was a horrible little rink, and not a great standard.
 

kettdevil1

Well-Known Member
#9
In the season that superleague started, a group of us got a minibus to travel to breast when the devils had a preseason match there. (Don't get me started on the ferry journey) Hopefully things have moved on a bit there, but it was a horrible little rink, and not a great standard.
Brest have been a yo-yo club between divisions for some time and they would be one of the teams I would suggest are in the poorer half of the league. Never been to their rink but I am pretty sure the Brest games were at the start of the EIHL and hence we were in the BBT at them time so that's pretty damning if theirs was worse!
There are some good rinks in France, Gap is a great venue, Lyon and others too.... I wouldn't write it off for a tour if you select the right teams
 

moggy#9

Well-Known Member
#12
Devils try out camp was in Brest prior to the first Superleague season it was here that Vez appeared first.
Indeed. That was also when we had Glenn Anderson hanging around the team. From what I can recall of the rink they had at the time it was an older, grottier version of Slough.
 
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