Georgian hockey team Dinamo Tbilisi joins UAE's Emirates Hockey League

[SemireliableSource]

In a kinda baffling move, the Georgian Ice Hockey Federation has announced that a new club called Dinamo Tbilisi will join the Emirates Hockey League ... where the closest established teams are 3500 km away.



I said established because in a tweet later in that thread, they claim the EHL will be like the KHL with teams in different countries.

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[Albatros]

It's a Russian sport in Georgia and the UAE league run by Russians, with personal links between individuals.

 

[KTl]

Apparently EHL wants to expand to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well. Source: How one Russian expat aims to make the UAE an ice hockey force

 

[HungryFrank]

Looking at it strictly from sports aspect, playing in local Russian league in Krasnodar Region would probably help them more.

 

[Albatros]

It's difficult, there have been some Georgian teams in Russian leagues in other sports in recent years, VITA Tbilisi had a year in the VTB United League not long ago for example, but I doubt in hockey there could be enough traction for it.

 

[EvilDead]

Outside of financial reasons, I don't get why a team so far away from the Persian gulf would play in a league based there. Even from the money perspective it kind of defeats the purpose because of the travel unless there is teams near them, which seems to be what the league is trying to aim for. Still, it's a big head scratcher.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

The EHL plays once a week. Not sure how the logistics work out but Tblisi is a 4 hour flight from Dubai which is a 1 hour and a bit from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain (if they still have a team).

I assume they come over and play each team once for a week then head back.

Fair due to Vlad from growing the sport.

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

Maybe Emirates Airline was looking to fly into Tbilisi and the team could piggyback on the cargo flights.