The event, scheduled to begin in Lucknow from December 8, will be played in hockey's traditional two-session format of 35 minutes each instead of the current international format of four quarters of 15 minutes each.
Hockey fans that are used to witnessing the sport in its action-packed new format of four quarters each will have to adjust watching it in the slower old format of two halves each during upcoming the FIH Junior World Cup.
The event, scheduled to begin in Lucknow from December 8, will be played in hockey's traditional two-session format of 35 minutes each instead of the current international format of four quarters of 15 minutes each.
The reason? The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is using the new format as trial only in senior international games and major events organised by FIH.
"The new regulations are still in its trial period," newly-elected FIH president Narinder Batra said on Saturday. "Thus, according to the FIH protocol, we cannot implement the new format across all levels of the sport. The trial period of the new regulations will end in 2017, after which we will review the pros and cons of it and take a call on whether to implement it across all levels."
The FIH kick-started the new format from September 2014 with the objective of making the game shorter, quicker and attracting more eyeballs. It also gave players more breathers in the game, television spectators more opportunities to catch replays and FIH more scope for advertising revenue. The new rules have since been used in all major FIH events such as the Champions Trophy, Hockey World League. Even the 2016 Rio Olympics had the sport in four quarters.
Asked if having the Junior World Cup in the old format will have an impact on its popularity and revenue scope from advertisements, Batra said: "Not really. In fact, it would have been a problem for the players had it been in the new format, since the junior boys around the world have been playing only in the old format, even in their respective national championships. It would have been difficult for them to suddenly adjust to the new format."
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