From interview with Hrade Kralove president,about CHL:
"....I didn't want to participate in it, I offered Petr Briza Sparta can play instead of us.....CHL sponges on clubs. We got 20000 EUR starting price money,which is ridiculous amount compering to travelling costs to Turku, Nottingham and Bern......Those are wasted money. I am responsible to owners and sponzors.Their priority is extraleague.
"...money is the crucial factor. Starting price money must be interesting like it was in that Gazprom year. Unfortunately it lasted only one year. No offence to anybody, but CHL is not interesting for clubs. Structure of participants is horrible. YOu wouldnt understand what was going on in Nottingham. It was a parody to hockey. If such a team played in Spengler, they would be in 3 for the entire match. Referees?Disaster. You just bring injured players from there. Therefore you safe you difference players.
"Petr BRiza sees future of hockey in CHL. I have completely opposite opinion. OUr fans want to see matches against traditional clubs like Sparta,Brno,Pardubice.They are not interested in Turku or Nottingham.
"You waste your own money, you are afraid of your players and russians dont participate, so what kind of Champions league it is? And to be honest, you know why is Nottingham first? Because teams battle for last two spots."
"....there is 300000 EUR penalty if you dont participate. If we gain participation next year, we won't play it...."
unfortunately only for czech posters:
http://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/hokej...ika-sef-hradce-co-si-mysli-o-lize-mistru.html
Just to make it clear, such "open" opinions are not typical even here. Its hard to oppose him with money issue. Otherwise I think he has really short view on it. He is definetely wrong about what are fans interested in. Hradec attendance in first two games was more than solid. Based on negative FB comments about their perfomance in CHL, I would say they would easily attack 5000 or more in further matches, if they took it seriously. Not being said, that most CHL matches are better than half of extralegues games.
In my opinion,despite budget and roster, Hradec Kralove is historically so far pretty meaningless team in czech hockey. I dont remember any NHL prospect they brought up except Hronek. So they havent done so much for czech hockey. They want to win the tittle but they dont behave and talk like champions.Czechs are not in situation to despise or avoid matches with Turku, Bern,Panthers etc. I believe it makes our players better.
I didnt watch any games against Panthers so I can not judge it. Bern didnt complain if Iam correct.
Anyway, as Vroutek said, Hradec lost all three games in league
))Nottingham karma already works
))