KHL Coverage in North America and Europe

vorky

@vorkywh24
Jan 23, 2010
11,404
1,269
I am not arguing the flaws in the system, the pandemic exposed the whole world as a flawed system. But KHL is a black hole, as far as money goes. NHL is a gradually build up business, capitalizing on tei gains, such as being able to get the best players for close to nothing, but that's one way of looking at it. The other way of looking at it, all the best players want to play in the NHL, and will lose money, risk their growth, and put on the table everything they can.
That is not a business, it is the colonial system of the 18-19th Century. Do the NHL fans like it? Of course, yes, but I do not. And yeah, the European hockey officials are to be blamed as well. Unsurprisingly, they are the loudest opponents of the KHL.

If the NHL was such a great business, they would have no problem to pay annually 100-200-300 or more millions of dollars to get all the players they want, but do not need. That is a business.

Regarding the KHL. Fine. Look at the status quo of the Russian club hockey in the 1990s & compare it with 2020. See the difference? Because I do see.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TommySalo

cska78

Registered User
Nov 27, 2006
12,755
326
USA
www.fc-rostov.ru
That is not a business, it is the colonial system of the 18-19th Century. Do the NHL fans like it? Of course, yes, but I do not. And yeah, the European hockey officials are to be blamed as well. Unsurprisingly, they are the loudest opponents of the KHL.

If the NHL was such a great business, they would have no problem to pay annually 100-200-300 or more millions of dollars to get all the players they want, but do not need. That is a business.

Regarding the KHL. Fine. Look at the status quo of the Russian club hockey in the 1990s & compare it with 2020. See the difference? Because I do see.
Russian economy has grown, from utter distraction of the SU break up, to dependence on natural resources, which Russia has in abundance. For the vastness of those resources, the country and the league should be a lot better of, than they are. Ridiculous teams in the league, that keep falling in and falling out, ridiculous scandals within KHL itself (Player's union being a big one), unfair refereeing, and constant rule/rink, budget changes are not playing for KHL here. When the league has started, I was excited, thinking if done right, having teams from near-abroad, and some developing hockey nations would sustain itself and be a great place to grow players and marketability. This was terribly butchered by the organization, to my regret.
I do agree for your NHL assessment, and it's not that they can't pay the fair value, they can, it's the fact, that they can get away without doing so, because every player will do anything possible to play in the NHL, including waiting their contract out and leaving without any compensation at all. European hockey dug its own grave here.
Not too mention VHL became a dumpster league, MHL and JHL ideas were aslo butchered, and VHL-B was essentially killed off, due to so many teams going belly up. Hockey centers such as Togliatti, Novokuznetsk, Voskresensk, Saratov, Samara, Perm and so on, were pretty much put on their death bed.
 
Last edited:

vorky

@vorkywh24
Jan 23, 2010
11,404
1,269
Russian economy has grown, from utter distraction of the SU break up, to dependence on natural resources, which Russia has in abundance. For the vastness of those resources, the country and the league should be a lot better of, than they are. Ridiculous teams in the league, that keep falling in and falling out, ridiculous scandals within KHL itself (Player's union being a big one), unfair refereeing, and constant rule/rink, budget changes are not playing for KHL here. When the league has started, I was excited, thinking if done right, having teams from near-abroad, and some developing hockey nations would sustain itself and be a great place to grow players and marketability. This was terribly butchered by the organization, to my regret.

If my Russian is correct, the Russian federal budget is not as dependant on the natural gas/oil as it was five years ago or a decade ago. As of now, if I know, 70% of the federal budget comes from other sources than gas/oil. The various Russian economy sectors have been developing, they are more & more independent (so, not dependant on Western technologies etc).

And the KHL has been doing the same. Teams going in & out. That is a normal process. The NHL did it as well, of course, not in the 2010s but in 1970s or so. But they went through the same process. Perhaps, they had better PR campaigns, but the process was the same.

Refereeing. It is all about skills. You can buy the players (foreigners), but you can not buy the referees (or you can hire one or two foreigners, but it is not enough for all league). And if you look at the KHL refs, they have made huge progress & all department has improved.

What with rule/rink? Do you mean the rink size? You say "constant "? I need to disagree. What I see is that the league chose a route, they wanted to go with narrow rinks. So, now they are doing it, basically, all teams have already switched. You may disagree with that, it is what you prefer. But the league has reasons for it, they voiced it multiple times the years before the switch.

Budget changes? Do you mean the salary cap? If so, it is a result of the process. Btw, the argument of 900 million is not correct because the system works in another way. To quote the league, "where once the best paid earned seven times more, now it is a fourfold increase. On average, clubs are spending 24% less on player salaries." So, the results are here. Plus, the salary floor will increase in upcoming seasons. Btw, all hockey leagues have decreased the players salaries this year. But just the KHL predicted the development, other leagues reacted to COVID.

I do agree for your NHL assessment, and it's not that they can't pay the fair value, they can, it's the fact, that they can get away without doing so, because every player will do anything possible to play in the NHL, including waiting their contract out and leaving without any compensation at all. European hockey dug its own grave here.
Here I agree with the principle, but still, it is not a business in a way I see it. The prosperous business entity should take a huge investment into the system (so clubs developing the players).

Not too mention VHL became a dumpster league, MHL and JHL ideas were aslo butchered, and VHL-B was essentially killed off, due to so many teams going belly up. Hockey centers such as Togliatti, Novokuznetsk, Voskresensk, Saratov, Samara, Perm and so on, were pretty much put on their death bed.
The KHL operates just the MHL. The other leagues are under the jurisdiction of the FHR. All complaints need to be addressed to them.

EDIT:

1.Smart pucks. The KHL implemented it for all venues & all season even before the NHL. Did anybody say "good job guys?"

2.Infrastructure & venues. For the last decade, if I know, the KHL clubs added 5 new arenas over 10,000 seats & building other 5 venues with that capacity. And I did not count Jokerit (over 10,000 seat venue) & proposed venues for CSKA & KRS. Within a few years, we will have just 3 or 4 venues with 5,000 seats in the KHL and it is still questionable if those teams stay in the league at the time. Now, if looking at other European hockey leagues, they not even close. The KHL standards for venues are world-class, even tougher than IIHF.
 
Last edited:

cska78

Registered User
Nov 27, 2006
12,755
326
USA
www.fc-rostov.ru
Looks like we can agree to disagree. What else does federal budget come from? Oil/Gas/Grain lumber industry that destroyed vast lands due to deforestation and 0 interest in sustainability...all is offtopic, but you can't separate sports from politics. You happened to omit player union scandals, teams folding, MHL teams folding, Chinese teams playing in Mytishi, Slovakian in Prague, plethora of not-to be expansions, failed expansions, and I can go on and on, and on... This all has been started from how KHL advertised their video services, which were horrid to begin with, but I bought them to watch CSKA Games, and then went to sell the rights to a company that will never show any games. Is this good marketing in your opinion?
 

Jussi

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
91,022
10,992
Mojo Dojo Casa House
Several Jokerit fans have been asking about tv coverage from Viasat's customer service and it's been confirmed that they will NOT be airing KHL anymore.
 

Exarz

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
2,415
339
Helsinki
Several Jokerit fans have been asking about tv coverage from Viasat's customer service and it's been confirmed that they will NOT be airing KHL anymore.
Quite expected with how quiet things have been this summer. Wouldn't surprise me if Viaplay picks up the broadcasting rights quite late for a smaller fee (can the KHL really afford to lose the broadcasting rights in Finland?), otherwise I have no idea who would even stream the games. Ruutu could be an option but I don't see them airing it considering Sanoma's overall stance towards Russia/KHL/Jokerit.
 

vorky

@vorkywh24
Jan 23, 2010
11,404
1,269
Because this news did not be posted here, I will do.

“KHL is currently negotiating the broadcasting of the KHL matches in Scandinavian TV market, more precisely in Finland. Finnish fans will continue to be able to watch KHL matches, ” KHL PR department told to ElmoTV.

I am dissapointed a bit, that this report was not posted here by the poster following Finnish TV market & KHL & Jokerit.
 

Exarz

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
2,415
339
Helsinki
I don't think anyone is expecting the KHL not to be streamed in Finland for the upcoming season. The last part in the Iltalehti article is pretty crucial, that the price can decrease by a lot if there is no buyer when the season is about to start.
 

vorky

@vorkywh24
Jan 23, 2010
11,404
1,269
50 regular season games on ESPN+ & all playoff games. OTT-platform Portable.TV will also show KHL games next season.
 

vorky

@vorkywh24
Jan 23, 2010
11,404
1,269
Thank you. Looking forward to seeing Peter Cehlarik. Avangard. Any insight who he's played? Avangard a good team this season?
Right now Cehlárik is not playing for Avangard because he is with Slovak national team (Olympics qualification). He played in line with Knight & Yakupov, when both did not play, he was in line with Zernov & Tolchinski.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blowfish

Exarz

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
2,415
339
Helsinki


So a deal has been made and Ak Bars-Jokerit will be broadcasted. Now the question is which broadcaster made the deal...
 

Jussi

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
91,022
10,992
Mojo Dojo Casa House


So a deal has been made and Ak Bars-Jokerit will be broadcasted. Now the question is which broadcaster made the deal...


Seems it might be Discovery, which doesn't please many fans. Their WJC studios were terrible and the DPlay app isn't even available on LG's tv sets.
 

Exarz

Registered User
Jan 1, 2014
2,415
339
Helsinki
Seems it might be Discovery, which doesn't please many fans. Their WJC studios were terrible and the DPlay app isn't even available on LG's tv sets.
Still better than Alfa TV that I saw some people propose :laugh: But I agree that Discovery is pretty garbage. Not only the studios but there are way too many technical difficulties with their apps and the app overall is just horrible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jussi

Nocashstyle

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
May 27, 2009
7,560
7,411
NJ


That’s disappointing. Seems like a (very small) missed opportunity for ESPN. Most NA hockey fans thirsting for live hockey games right now aren’t going to be actively seeking out KHL games by next month when the NHL starts.
 

TheWhiskeyThief

Registered User
Dec 24, 2017
1,625
496
That’s disappointing. Seems like a (very small) missed opportunity for ESPN. Most NA hockey fans thirsting for live hockey games right now aren’t going to be actively seeking out KHL games by next month when the NHL starts.
Nothing better than live hockey while having breakfast. Because nobody in N. America gets up early to watch F1, or EPL/Bundesliga…
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->