Europe should put a division in NHL

[Pizza the Hutt]

Unless Russia is involve the NHL's interest in Europe is very limited.

 

[Orvald]

I really don't think it will ever happen, what is more likely is the KHL trying to expand more into Eastern and Western Europe.
Within the next 5 years I can see them trying to get a few teams in Western Europe.
And if the more traditional hockey markets like Sweden, Switzerland and Germany say no to the KHL , I can see them starting a few teams in countries like England, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Italy,Norway. Might not work out, but if it does would be great for the KHL as a league.

 

[gwh]

Unless Russia is involve the NHL's interest in Europe is very limited.

More like Europe's interest in ice hockey is very limited.

Also there is no ticket revenue in Russia either. CSKA Moscow had average 3900 spectators per game last year.

 

[Prntscrn]

So classic " never want to be part of a club that would have me"?

Looks like you are safe

Uhm I don't really follow here?

Yeah I know I'm safe. Just saying I could stand behind a team and go watch a few of the games each season if they decided to create a new team just for NHL, if an European division were to become true.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Please keep the americanization of our beautiful sport away from European shores.

Hockey in Canada is already ruined because of the vision of this professional league pretty much run for citizens of the country south of us, don't ruin other countries love affair with the game since all Americans value in life is money.

 

[Spirit of 67]

It's not unfeasible idea in the future at all.

A future that includes teleportation perhaps.

 

[Jon Riley]

It is a generalization, but attendance at sport events, in Europe, is traditionally a working class thing. Noone would ever pay the "NHL kind of money" for a ticket. For a big event, sure.
Regularly? Not a chance.
No european team will ever be rich enough to afford the costs of such league, would be a financial apocalypse.
Plus, it would probaly have to be a brand new team since no established one would ever leave their current league, with the rivalries and the fan and the traditions, to jump on a project with such a sketchy future

 

[Spirit of 67]

As an experiment.

In no way does this answer the question.

 

[BatVader]

The Seattle team is buying in at 650M for a new team, that price will only go up over time. A division has 8 teams, that's 5 billion dollars + that you are looking for from European owners. These markets may turn out for a couple games every few years, but how in the world can you guarantee they would show up 41+ times a year? I'm not sure which cities you are thinking of, but most of the areas we think of as hockey hotbeds dont have huge populations. Helsinki has smaller population than Winnipeg. How many times zones will this division span? Is it largely in Scandinavia? Going into eastern Russia? The majority of the leagues games, and a large portion of your teams games, are played at a time when 0 casual fans would be awake and watching. This isn't even getting to travel. Some locals might want to play at home, but how much can you count on that for filling out teams? Theres only like 30 Russians in the league, and some will want to stay with their current teams (or be locked into contracts). If you thought lindros was upset about going to Quebec just wait for some kid like Matthews from Arizona to get drafted to Siberia. This is just one stream of consciousness rant, there are way to many flaws to blame with this idea.

 

[sandysan]

Uhm I don't really follow here?

Yeah I know I'm safe. Just saying I could stand behind a team and go watch a few of the games each season if they decided to create a new team just for NHL, if an European division were to become true.

You are safe becuase the antecedent will never happen.

Like I will date a supermodel if I ever cure cancer. The nhl has, appropriately, zero interest to expand outside of North america.

 

[Butch 19]

Please keep the americanization of our beautiful sport away from European shores.

Hockey in Canada is already ruined because of the vision of this professional league pretty much run for citizens of the country south of us, don't ruin other countries love affair with the game since all Americans value in life is money.

You must be fun at parties.

 

[adsfan]

When supersonic travel becomes available, then we can have teams all over the world, but until then it’s just not reasonable.

The Concorde cost three times a "normal" trans Atlantic ticket. You would have to play a minimum of 3 games in Europe or NA each time that a team traveled across the ocean to make it work financially. London to Los Angeles is 5437 miles. So the London team could fly to LAX, except that you can't fly supersonic over the US, making an 8-10 hour flight (3.25 hours from Heathrow to JFK, 5 hours minimum from JKF to LAX, one stop is 7 hours of time). The London team plays the Kings, Ducks and Sharks in some order and flies back. They could stop at NYC and play the Rangers, Islanders and Devils in week two of the trip. Then it is 3.25 hours back to London or 8.25 hours on a regular jet.

The next trip could be Philly, DC and Carolina traveling to Dulles, the other airport that the Concorde flew into.

Trip three would be Chicago, Detroit and Columbus or Nashville; or you tack it onto trip two.

If you made 6 trips, 1 a month, and played 6 games on each, you could get 36 games in NA. If you cut that in half, you get 18 games, plus 18 return games in London, making 36 of 82. Then you play 46 games in Europe against Berlin, Moscow, Madrid, St Petersburg, Kiev or Paris?

BTW, Moscow to NYC is 10 hours of conventional jet, assuming non-stop flight. You could fly Moscow to London, 3.5 hours, then supersonic to NYC for 3.25 hours, making about 7 hours of air time. Moscow to LA is 12.5 hours at the moment.

It would be hard to work it with supersonic flights and 18 NA games a season. The travel would be brutal!

 

[adsfan]

A future that includes teleportation perhaps.

I have come to the conclusion that you are correct, since I showed that even supersonic flight would be difficult to do in the NHL.

 

[adsfan]

Please keep the americanization of our beautiful sport away from European shores.

Hockey in Canada is already ruined because of the vision of this professional league pretty much run for citizens of the country south of us, don't ruin other countries love affair with the game since all Americans value in life is money.

You are making it sound like Canada would still be playing on ponds rather than in the Montreal Forum or Maple Leaf Gardens.

As I told my kids when they were little, it is the National Hockey League and that nation is Canada!

Canada has 7 of the 31 NHL teams. It could be 8 of 32 after Seattle comes in and perhaps Carolina moves to Quebec. Considering than the US has about nine times the population of Canada, the fact that Canada has about one quarter of the NHL teams is amazing.

The Europeans are very independent in my experience and they really aren't that interested in the US other than vacationing over here or maybe sending their kids to college.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Between this and your thread about gay players in the NHL, I smell a pot-stirrer.

 

[psycat]

What is it with the desire to globalize sports outside of national teams? Should La Liga and the Premier League merge too? If that sounds silly to you it's because it just is. Some leagues in Europe consist of several countries, and that's fine because it's a necessity for them to survive. Please keep the NHL in North America and I'm saying this as a Euro who doesn't want to see teams like Berlin Winter hawks or Gitane Paris in the NHL. There is zero interest to open the door for inferior leagues to devalue the NHL

Well I would say this kind of thinking is not really limited to sports. Entire world is on some globalize it 4/20 hype train that is bound to hit a wall sooner or later, hopefully.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Not even taking into considerations the travel, time zones, corporate interest and so on, European clubs couldn't even get within sniffing distance of the salary floor

It's an insane idea and for good reasons

 

[behemolari]

.. If you thought lindros was upset about going to Quebec just wait for some kid like Matthews from Arizona to get drafted to Siberia. This is just one stream of consciousness rant, there are way to many flaws to blame with this idea.

or kid from siperia to get drafted to arizona, that is happening already. it's everyday reality for russian/european players and they can somehow handle it.. but of course it wont work other way because

 

[Avelanche]

When supersonic travel becomes available, then we can have teams all over the world, but until then it’s just not reasonable.

it actually is available, just too much money and too loud.

 

[Panteras]

a better idea would be an European league. Although that is almost already basically happening with the KHL. With teams from Finland and Slovakia. But also now China..

Perhaps the KHL should devide it's conferences into separate leagues, KHL Europe (include teams from Sweden/Switzerland/Germany/Czechia etc.) /KHL Asia (include franchise from Japan or Korea?)

then the winners of KHL Europe/Asia can meet for an "Eastern Hemisphere Champion" if you will to face the NHL champs. Best of 5 or something.

 

[Prntscrn]

a better idea would be an European league. Although that is almost already basically happening with the KHL. With teams from Finland and Slovakia. But also now China..

Perhaps the KHL should devide it's conferences into separate leagues, KHL Europe (include teams from Sweden/Switzerland/Germany/Czechia etc.) /KHL Asia (include franchise from Japan or Korea?)

then the winners of KHL Europe/Asia can meet for an "Eastern Hemisphere Champion" if you will to face the NHL champs. Best of 5 or something.

They have tried with Swedish teamsbut they have absolutely no interest in this. They have tried but all attempts have pretty much ended up getting laughed at. Another proof at this is the Champions Hockey League

 

[Taluss]

Honestly, I really like the idea and think it’s definitely possible for the future.

 

[Pizza the Hutt]

Actually, if they cut the season by a few games but maintained the season length it would be feasible to have teams play in Europe for a portion of it. Basically, if you took two weeks out of the schedule to allow for jet lag, travel etc it would work.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Join with the KHL, make Putin Commish, the best KHL team plays the NHL champs for a shot at lord Stanley. Much joy will be had comrades.

 

[JianYang]

What is it with the desire to globalize sports outside of national teams? Should La Liga and the Premier League merge too? If that sounds silly to you it's because it just is. Some leagues in Europe consist of several countries, and that's fine because it's a necessity for them to survive. Please keep the NHL in North America and I'm saying this as a Euro who doesn't want to see teams like Berlin Winter hawks or Gitane Paris in the NHL. There is zero interest to open the door for inferior leagues to devalue the NHL

They dont need to merge. I think the championship league quenches the European appetite to play teams outside their borders.