Avangard Omsk (KHL) & Vegas Golden Knights working on mutual event

[vorky]

Avangard Omsk Chairman Alexander Krylov visited several North American venues because Avangard is building a new venue. So, NA venues shared their experience with him.

Among others, he visited Vegas & talked to the Golden Knights. The NHL club was interested in Avangard´s development prospects model while Avangard was interested in the Golden Knights brand promotion & business.

Before COVID, both clubs started to work on some mutual event when Avangard would play a game in Vegas & the Golden Knights would come to Moscow where Avangard is playing now (to be precise, in the city of Balashika). It is not clear if both teams would play each other. He says the talks will resume after the pandemic.

Krylov is also the KHL Board of Directors member and the high executive in GazpromNeft.

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[Yukon Joe]

Would the NHL approve it though? It seems their typical model is to schedule a game between to NHL teams in a foreign city in order to grow the NHL brand, not just an individual team.

All the various sanctions against Russia don't help either. The sanctions are almost all targeted against various individuals with ties to the Russian regime. Avangard is owned by Gazprom Neft, which in turn is owned by Gazprom. I can't find a list of all the sanctioned individuals but there's a good chance one or more are tired to Gazprom.

 

[alko]

Vegas & the Golden Knights would come to Moscow where Avangard is playing now (to be precise, in the city of Balashika)

Why to Moscow? They should wait for Omsk Arena.

Btw. i think there could be some partnership. Every KHL team should have a partner team in NHL. Im not saying, they should be some farm team. No. They could make some friendly games, camps ... Only to promote hockey world wide.

 

[vorky]

Why to Moscow? They should wait for Omsk Arena.

Btw. i think there could be some partnership. Every KHL team should have a partner team in NHL. Im not saying, they should be some farm team. No. They could make some friendly games, camps ... Only to promote hockey world wide.

My understanding is Krylov visited NA sometimes a year ago or so. Perhaps, they did not want to wait for new Omsk Arena. Of course, they would not play in Balashika, but guessing at CSKA Arena or VTB Arena in Moscow. But still, with the virus, all plans are postponed, so if they agree, they will play it in Omsk. We will see.

 

[Exarz]

Really interesting initiative, but I highly doubt that an NHL team would actually travel to Omsk for a game, especially if you compare the infrastructure and logistics the NHL teams are used to. Plus, I doubt that Vegas would do this "just for fun", they probably want their part of the cake, which marketing- and revenue-wise is probably not located in Siberia. I believe it's either St. Petersburg, Moscow or nothing.

 

[vorky]

Really interesting initiative, but I highly doubt that an NHL team would actually travel to Omsk for a game, especially if you compare the infrastructure and logistics the NHL teams are used to. Plus, I doubt that Vegas would do this "just for fun", they probably want their part of the cake, which marketing- and revenue-wise is probably not located in Siberia. I believe it's either St. Petersburg, Moscow or nothing.

Of course, your scenario has its logic. We do not know what they discuss. Unfortunately, Krylov did not reveal all plan, especially if both clubs would meet on the ice. If so, then Moscow/StPete makes sense because all VIP guests, including the league´s leadership, are in those cities (especially in Moscow).

Still, it is good both sides discuss such events. It is a way how to promote the game of hockey.

 

[LadyStanley]

NHL has done the European Premiere games for a number of years. And games in Japan, China too.

Figuring out how to have such games in Russia is not that big a stretch. Including the VGK makes sense as they have not gone overseas as (almost?) every other team in the league has.

Between cancelling the 2020 European games. 2021 Seattle expansion, there's a lot of time for something like this to come to fruition.

 

[vorky]

I will just quote Avangard Omsk CEO, Alexander Krylov, saying both clubs started to negotiate on two games between clubs before COVID. The idea was both teams would play at new Arena Omsk opener. No words where & when the second match would be played, likely in Vegas. Avangard will start playing at the new arena next season, so likely september 2022. If I get Krylov´s words from this week, the talks between Vegas & Avangard are interrupted now. The NHL & KHL delegations should meet by mid-October to discuss a partnership (games), so likely the Vegas-Avangard idea will be discussed as well.