KHL Expansion Part VII

[vorky]

Slovan GM, Patrik Ziman, for pluska.sk: According to the new Strategy, KHL wants to expand to the West. Russian clubs will leave & the league will be more European. That is good for Slovan.

source

 

[Jussi]

According to YLE (finnish public broadcast company) London is one step closer to get a KHL team and it might be in as soon as next season.

Article also says there will be 24 teams in KHL next season.

 

[Toro2017]

Article also says there will be 24 teams in KHL next season.

Chernyshenko basicly told us that on tass.ru last month. 6 division, each having 4 teams. So if London will be in next season, how would the west most division look like? London, Slovan, Riga and Jokerit? Or will it be London, Slovan, Riga and Minsk? Or will they want more exposure for SKA and CSKA? So SKA, CSKA, Dinamo Moskow and London. Jokerit would then go to same division with Riga, Slovan and Minsk..

And if London will play already next season, it would mean that instead of three, four teams needs to go.

More over, will we see another expansion team in east? Because four team division with Admiral, Amur and Kunlun would be perfect for team from Shanghai or Seoul.

 

[kabidjan18]

Any chance for a team in Poland? Any talk surrounding that possibility?

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Any chance for a team in Poland? Any talk surrounding that possibility?

Their project of a team in Gdansk was something from a few years ago, never even got close to see the light and I guess that ship has sailed

 

[Rigafan]

London would be a great place to expand for various reasons but I will believe it when I see it. The UK establishment is Russophobic beyond belief and will try to gum up the works in any way they can.

The UK is just as corrupt as anywhere else. Money talks!

Plus the establishment is only interested in money - they don't even know what hockey is. If they were so Russophobic half of these £1m+ homes in London would be empty!

 

[Jussi]

The UK is just as corrupt as anywhere else. Money talks!

Plus the establishment is only interested in money - they don't even know what hockey is. If they were so Russophobic half of these £1m+ homes in London would be empty!

The article mentioned that they were looking for a 7000 seater arena with plans to play at the O2 against "big" teams. Considering it's the most heavily booked indoor arena in the world, I would think they'd have a hard time finding dates for next season.

 

[vorky]

The article mentioned that they were looking for a 7000 seater arena with plans to play at the O2 against "big" teams. Considering it's the most heavily booked indoor arena in the world, I would think they'd have a hard time finding dates for next season.

Do you really believe the story?

 

[Jussi]

Do you really believe the story?

Well to be clear, the article begins with the statement "If the KHL's ambitious wishes come true, there could be KHL hockey in London next season already. " Supposedly the plans are further ahead than with Kunlun two years ago. At no point do they say it's certain they'd start next season. YLE are the most trustworthy (sports) media in Finland so usually there' no reason to doubt them.

 

[vorky]

Well to be clear, the article begins with the statement "If the KHL's ambitious wishes come true, there could be KHL hockey in London next season already. " Supposedly the plans are further ahead than with Kunlun two years ago. At no point do they say it's certain they'd start next season. YLE are the most trustworthy (sports) media in Finland so usually there' no reason to doubt them.

That is your opinion.

 

[Jussi]

That is your opinion.

Which?

 

[mkev400]

The article mentioned that they were looking for a 7000 seater arena with plans to play at the O2 against "big" teams. Considering it's the most heavily booked indoor arena in the world, I would think they'd have a hard time finding dates for next season.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the idea for London to make the Copper Box (Olympic Handball Venue from 2012) suitable for Hockey in case London would receive a KHL franchise?
In any case, I think its a long shot that London will ever get a KHL franchise, and I still doubt they'd draw very well other than from Canadian and maybe Russian expats. Football rules supreme in London and I think there is more of a desire to get more NFL dates to fill up London's stadia than there is to see a a largely Canadian (and probably Russian) centric team with a few British people thrown in for the practice squad. Also, London is a huge metropolitan area with lots of entertainment options to spend your € or rather £ on. If the team turns out to be a dud, which given the fact that they will be lumped in a conference without the chance of ever winning something (thanks to two Army sports clubs) I think the new toy smell will wear off quickly.
Now, don't get me wrong, Ice hockey does work in Britain (went to my first Elite League game in Belfast last week and the atmosphere was just as exuberant as it is in Germany) but I think it needs to grow naturally. Hockey country in the UK (at least at top level) is Belfast, Nottingham and Sheffield, which have a vastly different demographic than London, with considerable local fan support. I dont think many of these fans would be traveling to London all too often if they have a solid standard of hockey right at their doorstep.

(And as usual I have digressed from what I set out to do, so Im gonna end this here).

 

[vorky]

DEL managing director, Gernot Tripcke, has been at KHL AllStar in Astana. The question is why? Rene Fasel is there as well, but it is not a suprise, he has been at KHL events every season.

 

[Go Donbass]

Since this thread has been resurrected, thought I'd post this here. Just read an article on Allhockey, where it's been proposed that instead of dumping some of the smaller clubs, that they merge and form one club and play half their games in one city and half in the other. Interesting concept. Not sure how well it will work though.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Question is, is there an actual merit to doing that? VHL needs to improve its reputation as soon as possible for teams to realize there is nothing wrong playing in it.

 

[Go Donbass]

Question is, is there an actual merit to doing that? VHL needs to improve its reputation as soon as possible for teams to realize there is nothing wrong playing in it.

Purely a guess, as I don't know the ins and outs of Russian hockey, but I'm guessing having teams in the highest league, keeps the youth programs performing at a high level. But again, what I know about Russian hockey wouldn't fill a thimble, so that's just a guess.

 

[mkev400]

DEL managing director, Gernot Tripcke, has been at KHL AllStar in Astana. The question is why? Rene Fasel is there as well, but it is not a suprise, he has been at KHL events every season.

Well, Gernot Tripcke is not only the Managing Director of the DEL (with a currently expiring contract this summer) but also a board member for the CHL. 4 Months ago he gave an interview in Germany in which he discussed the success of the DEL teams in the CHL this year and upon question from the interviewer also discussed KHL involvement, stating that the KHL will not get any special treatment but there is a regular dialog between the CHL and the KHL about the future of the competition and the latters involvement therein.
So in light of that I'd say he was in Astana as a representative of the CHL more so than the DEL.

 

[vorky]

Well, Gernot Tripcke is not only the Managing Director of the DEL (with a currently expiring contract this summer) but also a board member for the CHL. 4 Months ago he gave an interview in Germany in which he discussed the success of the DEL teams in the CHL this year and upon question from the interviewer also discussed KHL involvement, stating that the KHL will not get any special treatment but there is a regular dialog between the CHL and the KHL about the future of the competition and the latters involvement therein.
So in light of that I'd say he was in Astana as a representative of the CHL more so than the DEL.

Thanks. Do you have a link for his interview?

 

[mkev400]

Thanks. Do you have a link for his interview?

Yup, Unfortunately I could only find a recording of it from a DEL focused podcast in German. But here it is:

 

[vorky]

Yup, Unfortunately I could only find a recording of it from a DEL focused podcast in German. But here it is:

Thanks. I need to learn German I guess he talked only about the KHL/the CHL, not about the DEL/the KHL. Right?

What are his chances to remain DEL Managing Director? Who are other candidates?

 

[alko]

Thanks. I need to learn German I guess he talked only about the KHL/the CHL, not about the DEL/the KHL. Right?

What are his chances to remain DEL Managing Director? Who are other candidates?

What i understand from it:
1. They want 4. team from DEL to CHL. And hold your breath - they are proud, that DEL team beat Slovak Champion! And also Sweden.

2. They are happy, how it looks in summer. I mean, number of fans they see in stadiums. Its higher that for friendly games, about 60 % from regular season.

3. Teams from KHL are welcome (4). But not ok with separate rules for them. KHL teams shouldn't dictate the schedule. And they should also travel to Europe. Not that every other teams have to travel to Russia. Issues with logistics...

 

[vorky]

What i understand from it:
1. They want 4. team from DEL to CHL. And hold your breath - they are proud, that DEL team beat Slovak Champion! And also Sweden.

2. They are happy, how it looks in summer. I mean, number of fans they see in stadiums. Its higher that for friendly games, about 60 % from regular season.

3. Teams from KHL are welcome (4). But not ok with separate rules for them. KHL teams shouldn't dictate the schedule. And they should also travel to Europe. Not that every other teams have to travel to Russia. Issues with logistics...

Thx.

It is funny how they all afraid of travelling to Russia Does really anybody think that the KHL clubs would have a problem to travel to any European city?

Btw, the CHL scheduling sucks, even Hakan Loob thinks so.

 

[bordshockeypampen]

Btw, the CHL scheduling sucks, even Hakan Loob thinks so.

How would you schedule the CHL?

 

[vorky]

How would you schedule the CHL?

The biggest problem is a fact that they have to finish their season (regular + playoff) before the IIHF WCH starts (so mid/late April). The KHL would need 2-3 more weeks. Even the CHL´s season ends in February, they do not have a room for regular season games, so they have to schedule them for NT breaks.

If the IIHF WCH/the World Cup & the Olympics to be played in February, this scheduling problem would not occur, because the leagues would interrupt a season for 2 weeks in February, but could play in May.

I have not invented nothing new. All was said in the past.

“Say you play the Olympics in Year One, and Year Three you have a World Cup. Maybe in the other year you do a club championship across the Atlantic, and in the other year you do a special event. This year, for instance, is the 40th anniversary of the Canada-Russia series which has no equal in those countries. It’s like the Ryder Cup in golf, which was just made up, and went on to have enormous success. You are trying to build something the fans can identify with, associate with a club or team or country,” Fehr said

source

Can the NHL’s international participation with a break, for example in February, be extended to a break every two years (i.e. with a World Cup of Hockey two years after the Olympics) or every year (with a World Championship in non-Olympic years) as some suggested?

source

Fehr talked about 4 year cycle, where Year 2 & Year 4 would be free. Of course, the IIHF could organise WHC in those years. So, you have 4 year cycle with Olympics - IIHF WCH - World Cup - IIHF WCH or European Championship. The point is to have them in February.

European leagues would benefit from this scenario.

 

[Toro2017]

It is funny how they all afraid of travelling to Russia

What are you talking about? Who is afraid of travelling to Russia? The real reason why they don't like the idea to travel there, is because there is not so much money to be made there. The same reason why NHL does not visit Europe more often.

Just few days ago Suomikiekko.com told us, that Jokerit have lost over 47 million euros, last four years.