This all reminds me of the discussions about whether intelligent extraterrestrial life exists or not.
Some people want to believe that there is someone out there somewhere who is willing to pay the bills. But if there is this someone, why isn't Torpedo Leipzig shooting for the Gagarin cup yet? I guess I'm a sceptic (but I do believe in aliens).
btw, why is not Kölner Haie in ET?
Of course, you can be right.
Lets have a look to KHL´s history.
Finland
It was revealed that Karpat Oulu had offer to join KHL in 2008. Why did not join? Not ready...and federation/IIHF was against it.
There was rumours about Espoo Blues a year or two ago. Did not happen, reason as with Oulu?
Now, Jokerit is going to join. Federation supports it.
Central Europe
Reports about Karlovy Vary in 2008/09 - did not happen, federation/IIHF against it.
A year later, Lev Hradec, cz federation against. Then attempts with Lev Poprad, svk federation against. A year later, Lev PP joined. And now Slovan and Lev Praha in KHL.
You know, IIHF and federations were against KHL, it took 4 or 5 yrs but now IIHF is pro-KHL expansion and some federations allowed their clubs to join. As I know swedish and german federation are still against, but who knows? Btw, KHL was/is in talks with 4 DEL clubs.
The question remains that funding has to come from somewhere.
The existing pro hockey clubs in Germany rely heavily on local sponsorship deals. I don't see these sponsors investing more money in a project with less exposure.
Money was not/is not/will not be a problem. Or do you think that Gazprom and co. does not have power/influence to lure some german/global sponsors, especially in Germany? It is not condition that sponsor must search for profit from the beginning, it is not and never was a condition, KHL does not work like that NOW. Look at Jokerit, there are sponsors which did not support hockey/clubs in SM-Liiga but they can do it in KHL because of russian (not only oil) market. Jokerit had budget of 8M euro, does the club/local sponsors have potencial to increase budget for 15-25M euro? Of course not, nobody cares about small local sponsors, there are other guys... guys having connection with Gazprom and co. There is not better option for such deal (finding sponsor) than Germany, country which industrial gigants see Russia as no.1 market. It all depends on politics, especially minister of finance, the current one is not ideal for KHL´s expansion into Germany. Therefore we dont see german club yet, but this can change very quickly.
Coq Rouge
If you join, you can not leave. Any reason KHl to fold?
I have another reactions from german hockey fans. Yes, loyalty is there but Germans are pro-international competitions as well. Look at Eisbären, nobody cares about ET in Europe, but fans in Berlin come to games? What is different among playing Jokerit in ET and Jokerit in KHL? I dont say that all fans are the same, but Eisbären is a great example, fans follows international games of the club.
I know a lot of hockey fans from Berlin, who never will attend a "normal" game of the Eisbären. I am one of them.
I think you underestimate the loyalty of German fans to their traditions. Germans care more about their team, their identity and history than for the level of competitiveness.
Look at Hannover, they got a DEL team (which has just sold its license to Schwenningen) but they already had a team in the 2nd tier league. (Hannover Indians).
Attendance in the las couple of years:
2009/10: Scorpions: 5.074 Indians: 3.040
2010/11: Scorpions: 4.353 Indians: 3.033
2011/12: Scorpions: 3.847 Indians: 3.015
2012/13: Scorpions: 3.114 Indians: 2.831
Sure, the Scorpions had more people to their games, but the difference isn't as big as it should be, if you're arguing that a better league draws a better crowd, too.
I don't think that any fanebase in the DEL would accept playing against teams far away which they have no history/rivalries with and would accept the fact that it's unreasonable expensive to go to away games.
go after Salzburg first
They don't have an arena. HockeyArenas.net has renders of a project due 2015 but googling revealed 0 information about it.
Why not to play in Munchen if new arena is built?
I have another reactions from german hockey fans. Yes, loyalty is there but Germans are pro-international competitions as well. Look at Eisbären, nobody cares about ET in Europe, but fans in Berlin come to games? What is different among playing Jokerit in ET and Jokerit in KHL? I dont say that all fans are the same, but Eisbären is a great example, fans follows international games of the club.
what do you mean by "normal"?