HockeyAllsvenskan facts for kids
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| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2005 |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Country |  Sweden |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Brynäs IF |
| TV partner(s) | C More |
| Promotion to | SHL |
| Relegation to | Hockeyettan |
| Official website | HockeyAllsvenskan.se |
HockeyAllsvenskan is a professional ice hockey league in Sweden. It's the second-highest league in Swedish ice hockey, right after the top league, the SHL. Since the 2009–10 season, fourteen teams compete in HockeyAllsvenskan.
Contents
How HockeyAllsvenskan Started
The name Allsvenskan has been used for different hockey leagues in Sweden over the years. From 1948 to 1975, it was the name for the top league. Later, in 1975, the current top league, the SHL, was created.
The second-highest league was called Division 2 for a long time. In 1982, the name Allsvenskan came back for a new league. This league was played after Christmas. The best teams from Division 1 would join it. The top teams in this new Allsvenskan could then try to get promoted to the top league.
Over the years, the rules for promotion and how many teams played changed a few times. In 1999, the league split into two parts: Allsvenskan Norra (North) and Södra (South). The best teams from these two groups would then play in a league called SuperAllsvenskan.
Finally, for the 2005–06 season, the two sections merged. This created the single league we know today, called HockeyAllsvenskan. It has been played as one league covering the whole season ever since.
How a HockeyAllsvenskan Season Works
The HockeyAllsvenskan season is played like a round-robin tournament. This means every team plays every other team four times. They play two games at home and two games away. Each team plays a total of 52 games during the regular season.
Playoffs and Promotion
After the regular season, the top teams battle it out:
- The teams that finish 1st and 2nd play in the HockeyAllsvenskan Final. The winner of this final gets a chance to play against the 14th-placed team from the SHL. They play a best-of-seven series to see which team gets to be in the SHL next season.
- Teams that finish 3rd to 8th play in a special playoff series called the Slutspelsserie. The winner of this series then plays against the loser of the HockeyAllsvenskan Final. The winner of that game gets to challenge the 13th-placed team from the SHL for a spot in the top league.
Staying in the League
The two teams that finish last in HockeyAllsvenskan have to play in a special qualification series. This series is called the Kvalserien. They play against four teams from Hockeyettan, which is the league below HockeyAllsvenskan. The goal is to avoid being moved down to Hockeyettan.
Teams Playing in HockeyAllsvenskan
Here are the teams that played in the 2023–24 season:
| Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIK | Stockholm | Hovet | 8,094 |
| Almtuna IS | Uppsala | Upplands Bilforum Arena | 2,800 |
| IF Björklöven | Umeå | A3 Arena | 5,400 |
| Brynäs IF | Gävle | Monitor ERP Arena | 7,909 |
| BIK Karlskoga | Karlskoga | Nobelhallen | 6,300 |
| Djurgårdens IF | Stockholm | Hovet | 8,094 |
| Kalmar HC | Kalmar | Hatstore Arena | 2,500 |
| Mora IK | Mora | Smidjegrav Arena | 4,500 |
| Nybro Vikings | Nybro | Liljas Arena | 2,380 |
| Södertälje SK | Södertälje | Scaniarinken | 6,200 |
| Tingsryds AIF | Tingsryd | Nelson Garden Arena | 3,400 |
| Västerviks IK | Västervik | Plivit Arena | 2,500 |
| Västerås IK | Västerås | ABB Arena Nord | 4,902 |
| Östersunds IK | Östersund | Östersund Arena | 2,700 |
How Many Fans Attend Games?
HockeyAllsvenskan has become very popular over the years. More and more fans come to watch the games. In the 2011–12 season, it had the highest average number of fans per game of any second-tier league in Europe. About 2,606 people watched each game.
The next season, 2012–13, even more fans came. The average attendance jumped to 3,227 people per game. This was a big increase! Some big teams joined the league that year, which helped bring in more spectators. For example, Djurgårdens IF had many fans.
Overall, from 2005 to 2012, the average number of fans grew by over 60%. This shows how much the league has grown.
Attendance Statistics Over Time
| Season | Spectators |
|---|---|
| 2005–06 |
1,996
|
| 2006–07 |
1,887
|
| 2007–08 |
2,007
|
| 2008–09 |
2,363
|
| 2009–10 |
2,362
|
| 2010–11 |
2,363
|
| 2011–12 |
2,610
|
| 2012–13 |
3,227
|
| 2013–14 |
3,016
|
| 2014–15 |
2,986
|
| 2015–16 |
2,514
|
| 2016–17 |
2,637
|
| 2017–18 |
2,705
|
| 2018–19 |
2,713
|
| 2019–20 |
2,606
|
| Season | Team | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | IF Björklöven | 3,423 |
| 2006–07 | Leksands IF | 4,127 |
| 2007–08 | Leksands IF | 5,152 |
| 2008–09 | IF Malmö Redhawks | 5,916 |
| 2009–10 | IF Malmö Redhawks | 5,592 |
| 2010–11 | Leksands IF | 4,842 |
| 2011–12 | IF Malmö Redhawks | 6,114 |
| 2012–13 | Djurgårdens IF | 6,184 |
| 2013–14 | Djurgårdens IF | 6,142 |
| 2014–15 | IF Malmö Redhawks | 6,258 |
| 2015–16 | Leksands IF | 4,576 |
| 2016–17 | MODO Hockey | 4,031 |
| 2017–18 | Leksands IF | 5,140 |
| 2018–19 | AIK | 4,698 |
| 2019–20 | IF Björklöven | 4,754 |
Watching Games on TV
C More Entertainment has been showing HockeyAllsvenskan games since 2015. Some games are on TV, and others can be watched online. Before C More, Viasat had the rights to broadcast the games from 2009 to 2015.
See Also
