Ya... Gradual 'organic' growth where you largely remain self-sufficient and live within your means probably isn't as exciting as wondering if your club is going to be bailed out so your last pay cheque doesn't bounce and your job survives into next season but few things in life are.
Anyway... Before this thread goes off the rails again and gets locked I guess I will give my .02 cents on a few things...
The name - Ya, I think we can all agree the name kind of sucks and really doesn't provide an accurate description of the tournament. You know what other tournament has a bad name? UEFA's Champions League... Nearly half the spots in the competition's main stage are reserved for teams that aren't champions. Despite the name the UCL is a monster. There are probably plenty of reasons why the CHL might not be a success but it's name isn't one of them.
Prize Money - It would be better if there was tens of millions of $ up for grabs but IMHO it isn't a necessity. Basketball's Euroleague has been built into something clubs, players and fans all care about and
there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of money to be won in that either.
Russian Money - It would probably be better to have everyone on board but I'm not sure why some think the CHL is doomed to fail without the backing of Russia or the KHL. The clubs involved in the CHL have been around for decades as have the domestic leagues they play in and they have all managed to survived this long without the support of Russia's oligarchy.
Participation - Detractors here seem to be hung up on the fact Djurgarden will be playing in the tournament next year as if somehow this is a huge blow to the legitmacy or prestige of the CHL. I find this odd because if Djurgarden failed in their promotion attempt, lost their place in the CHL and was faced with another year in the 2nd tier many on this board would be looking at them as a potential and desirable club to join the KHL. I mean how often has Malmo, a club that has spent the better part of the last decade mired in the 2nd tier, been brought up as a club that would be a great addition to the KHL? So just to make sure I understand Djurgarden in the CHL = CHL is a joke... An even worse club to the KHL = Europe's best league just became that much better!?
The Format - 10 groups of 4 with 16 advancing to the knockout stage doesn't work all that well. Scheduling/available dates probably wouldn't allow for it but I think it would have been better to have a field of 32 with some teams having to play their way in through prelims. This would have also allowed some of the clubs/leagues that applied but were denied participation due to the field of 40 already being filled up a chance to be involved. The fact that there was more interest than spots available is a good sign for the CHL but they should have taken advantage of the interest and hopefully next year they will.
