Champions Hockey League opens in August 2014 [without KHL Teams]

[pulverapa]

It annoys me to death how certain people picture their own version of reality about hockey in other countries in Europe. There are teams from non-traditional leagues/countries that can be interesting in the CHL, if they are given a chance to play for something more than their league. All they need is that one opportunity to at least test them out, maybe this could trigger future improvement of their status quo

Skellefteå - Nottingham 22-1 was not a joke... But the other text was a joke. Good for them if they have 5000 in the stands. Don't expect a miracle from Nottingham, they will be "the Tahiti" of this tournament.

 

[quartus]

Skellefteå - Nottingham 22-1 was not a joke... But the other text was a joke. Good for them if they have 5000 in the stands. Don't expect a miracle from Nottingham, they will be "the Tahiti" of this tournament.

Maybe, but HV71 - Nottingham 3-4 wouldn't surprise me...

 

[pulverapa]

Maybe, but HV71 - Nottingham 3-4 wouldn't surprise me...

I like the fact that Nottingham is a part of this tournament, Great Britain deserves a spot. But you have to get real, One of Nottinghams best players last season was a guy that wasn't good enough for the Swedish 2nd league...

 

[SoundAndFury]

Yeah, Donbass lost a must-win to Rouen 4-3 in January and I don't think gap between Rouen and Panthers is all that huge.

 

[pulverapa]

Yeah, Donbass lost a must-win to Rouen 4-3 in January and I don't think gap between Rouen and Panthers is all that huge.

A must-win? Their games against Lev in the KHL playoffs where must-wins. How they performed in "Donald Duck Cup" isn't comparable to anything. Hopefully CHL brings more prestige to Off-season games and more "correct" results.

 

[quartus]

I like the fact that Nottingham is a part of this tournament, Great Britain deserves a spot. But you have to get real, One of Nottinghams best players last season was a guy that wasn't good enough for the Swedish 2nd league...

And Sweden was destined to win against Belarus.

Or as Wikegård would say: "SHL is a shrimp sandwich for the players"

If the players don't see any prestige in the tournament and the Nottingham players want to prove themselves I don't see how it can be that far off.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I like the fact that Nottingham is a part of this tournament, Great Britain deserves a spot. But you have to get real, One of Nottinghams best players last season was a guy that wasn't good enough for the Swedish 2nd league...

Just take a look at this.

http://www.iihf.com/competition/431/statistics/

Donbass had 20 players who are too good for Swedish 2nd league, other teams had 5 players who are good enough for it combined. At the end of the day, Donbass only managed to win one game in regulation.

 

[SoundAndFury]

A must-win? Their games against Lev in the KHL playoffs where must-wins. How they performed in "Donald Duck Cup" isn't comparable to anything. Hopefully CHL brings more prestige to Off-season games and more "correct" results.

You don't think they wanted to win, given the circumstances? And weren't they supposed to blow Rouen like 20-1, using your logics?

Same could be said about GB results in OGQ. Check out their results against Latvia and Kazakhstan, you will find nothing close to 22-1.

 

[pulverapa]

You don't think they wanted to win, given the circumstances? And weren't they supposed to blow Rouen like 20-1, using your logics?

Same could be said about GB results in OGQ. Check out their results against Latvia and Kazakhstan, you will find nothing close to 22-1.

Skellefteå is (or was at this point) a much better team than Donbass. But who can guess what the score will be... Nottingham might keep the score down in a few games but over a period of time they can't compete on the same level as 95 percent of the teams in this tournament.

 

[frank16]

Skellefteå - Nottingham 22-1 ?

Well, I don't mind a road trip to Nottingham in August. Sounds like fun actually. I would like to see the reaction from Nottingham natives when they see a couple of fans to another team and wondering what the hell is going on...

"Excuse me, who are you guys?"
"We're here for ice hockey!"
"Is there ice hockey in Nottingham???"
"Yes."
"Forest 'til I die!"

What an arrogant and clueless post. Nottingham averaged 5,249 fans last season, are a club formed in 1946 and steeped in as much history as a lot of the other major European Hockey Clubs. Nottingham is known as 'hockey town' in the UK, every person in the city knows who the Nottingham Panthers are. Having teams in the competition from non-traditional hockey markets such as France, UK and Italy is far better for the CHL then having teams from some small town in the North of Finalnd or likewise. The only way the sport is going to grow globally is by looking at these sort of countries and trying to grow the game there

 

[pulverapa]

What an arrogant and clueless post. Nottingham averaged 5,249 fans last season, are a club formed in 1946 and steeped in as much history as a lot of the other major European Hockey Clubs. Nottingham is known as 'hockey town' in the UK, every person in the city knows who the Nottingham Panthers are. Having teams in the competition from non-traditional hockey markets such as France, UK and Italy is far better for the CHL then having teams from some small town in the North of Finalnd or likewise. The only way the sport is going to grow globally is by looking at these sort of countries and trying to grow the game there

Yes, well, it was kind of a joke, but you're right... I wasn't very updated on the Nottingham Panthers and their history. Nottingham Forest, a classic English football club, has an attendance of around 25 000 each game. They are the pride of Nottingham, not the Panthers. I do respect the Panthers team and their history, but can we all please stop talking about this team like they are one of the top teams in Europe? Please.

 

[quartus]

Yes, well, it was kind of a joke, but you're right... I wasn't very updated on the Nottingham Panthers and their history. Nottingham Forest, a classic English football club, has an attendance of around 25 000 each game. They are the pride of Nottingham, not the Panthers. I do respect the Panthers team and their history, but can we all please stop talking about this team as they are one of the top teams in Europe? Please.

I don't think anyone ever did.

Also, the Danish club has a new arena taking in 5000, so the only one with a small arena seems to be the French club, which has also been my general impression, that the English league has a greater following, although not producing as much talent as the French.

 

[AlanHUK]

Skellefteå - Nottingham 22-1 ?

Well, I don't mind a road trip to Nottingham in August. Sounds like fun actually. I would like to see the reaction from Nottingham natives when they see a couple of fans to another team and wondering what the hell is going on...

"Excuse me, who are you guys?"
"We're here for ice hockey!"
"Is there ice hockey in Nottingham???"
"Yes."
"Forest 'til I die!"

Average attendance 2012-13

48 Skellefteå AIK SWE 5,197
54 Nottingham Panthers GBR 5,057

and just for fun
Notts County FC 5,521

Yup we clearly don't have a clue about hockey and have no idea the city has a team

Yes, well, it was kind of a joke, but you're right... I wasn't very updated on the Nottingham Panthers and their history. Nottingham Forest, a classic English football club, has an attendance of around 25 000 each game. They are the pride of Nottingham, not the Panthers. I do respect the Panthers team and their history, but can we all please stop talking about this team like they are one of the top teams in Europe? Please.

We are nowhere near a top team in europe. no one will claim that, well except maybe a few kids but for kids their team is always the best.

And the panthers are pretty much the only bright spot in Nottingham sport over the past decade

 

[pulverapa]

Average attendance 2012-13

48 Skellefteå AIK SWE 5,197
54 Nottingham Panthers GBR 5,057

Yup we clearly don't have a clue about hockey and have no idea the city has a team



We are nowhere near a top team in europe. no one will claim that, well except maybe a few kids but for kids their team is always the best.

And the panthers are pretty much the only bright spot in Nottingham sport over the past decade

It was a joke where I wanted to give Nottingham Forest some credit, get over it. Good luck in the CHL!

 

[AlanHUK]

It was a joke where I wanted to give Nottingham Forest some credit, get over it. Good luck in the CHL!

As a Forest fan we don't deserve credit, give it to the cricket team

 

[Exarz]

AlanHUK, do you think Nottingham Panthers have a higher potential attendance?

Should they be interesting in the KHL point of view?

 

[Jussi]

AlanHUK, do you think Nottingham Panthers have a higher potential attendance?

Should they be interesting in the KHL point of view?

Please don't even go there...

 

[Urbanskog]

Please don't even go there...

You're right, Sheffield Steelers have a much more appropriately sized arena for the KHL.

 

[AlanHUK]

AlanHUK, do you think Nottingham Panthers have a higher potential attendance?

Should they be interesting in the KHL point of view?

Potential is there for sure, the attendance has been increasing year on year for a while, without much in the way of TV coverage, hopefully with more games being shown the overall interest will increase and help other teams as well which would be good for the overall product.

I'm not sure where it will top out attendance wise though, or how high they could push the ticket prices to make the KHL viable, while sustaining a similar attendance.

edit1: While I'd consider Nottingham a hockey city (care about the sport not just the Panthers) I'm not sure the majority of the fanbase would be too keen to leave Belfast and Sheffield behind for the KHL, I think if one of the big 3(for lack of a better term) then all of them would have to.
I also think that it would benefit British hockey overall if that happened.


edit2 found this seasons averages:

Average attendance 2012-13
48 Skellefteå AIK SWE 5,197
54 Nottingham Panthers GBR 5,057

Average attendance 2013-14
45. Nottingham Panthers GBR 5,259
49. Skellefteå AIK SWE 5,225

guess i'll be taking a trip to Skellefteå and asking the locals about hockey only to get confused looks

 

[Jussi]

You're right, Sheffield Steelers have a much more appropriately sized arena for the KHL.

No, the whole UK region is not a target for KHL, Medvedev's admitted it even.

 

[Urbanskog]

No, the whole UK region is not a target for KHL, Medvedev's admitted it even.

When did he?

 

[QnebO]

What an arrogant and clueless post. Nottingham averaged 5,249 fans last season, are a club formed in 1946 and steeped in as much history as a lot of the other major European Hockey Clubs. Nottingham is known as 'hockey town' in the UK, every person in the city knows who the Nottingham Panthers are. Having teams in the competition from non-traditional hockey markets such as France, UK and Italy is far better for the CHL than having teams from some small town in the North of Finalnd or likewise. The only way the sport is going to grow globally is by looking at these sort of countries and trying to grow the game there

What an arrogant, clueless post.

You don't even know how great town Kuopio is. It has fish cocks, culture just as much as any european town, and dialect just as romantic as the Language of Paris.

I think you're right, getting British hockey involved with other countries is really good thing at this point. Taking in these countries in tournament like this is best choise what we can internationally do to develop the sport in those areas at this moment. If interest in hockey grows in those Areas, having a KHL team can be possible trough evolution like this. Or that CHL would grow to domestic European League

 

[SoundAndFury]

edit2 found this seasons averages:

Average attendance 2012-13
48 Skellefteå AIK SWE 5,197
54 Nottingham Panthers GBR 5,057

Average attendance 2013-14
45. Nottingham Panthers GBR 5,259
49. Skellefteå AIK SWE 5,225

guess i'll be taking a trip to Skellefteå and asking the locals about hockey only to get confused looks

I hope you realize Skelleftea is 10 times smaller than Nottingham.. So I really don't recommend you to take that trip since there's really nothing to do there except for watching hockey which most people do. 30k city with 5k average attendance, do the math yourself. You would have a bigger chance to bump into a season ticket holder than to get a confused look.

 

[AlanHUK]

I hope you realize Skelleftea is 10 times smaller than Nottingham.. So I really don't recommend you to take that trip since there's really nothing to do there except for watching hockey which most people do. 30k city with 5k average attendance, do the math yourself. You would have a bigger chance to bump into a season ticket holder than to get a confused look.

I wasn't being serious in the slightest, hence the sarcasm smilie, just poking fun based on the earlier comments.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I wasn't being serious in the slightest, hence the sarcasm smilie, just poking fun based on the earlier comments.

I understood, it's just that showcasing the fact that Nottingham has basically the same average attendance as the 10 times smaller town works against you as much as it works for you.