NHL announces 2020 Global Series (Bruins, Predators, Avalanche, Blue Jackets) - POSTPONED

[LadyStanley]

Bruins, Predators, Avalanche, Blue Jackets to play in 2020 Global Series

Boston, Nashville will open season in Prague; Colorado, Columbus will play in Helsinki

With preseason games in Switzerland and Germany.

Click to read more...

 

[TheTotalPackage]

But why?

These games have jumped the shark just like all the outdoor games have.

 

[Iceman]

Love that Bettman's sell for Columbus in Finland was that Jarmo is their GM.

 

[S E P H]

But why?

These games have jumped the shark just like all the outdoor games have.

If they keep selling out and produce good TV ratings in those specific countries, then they most definitely are not jumping the shark.

However, I really think the NHL should be open to more locations. They had random games in London, never returned. Had some random games in Japan, never returned. Never been to Mexico City, never been to Australia, never been to Latvia, never been to Belarus, never been to Korea, never showcased Russian NHL stars (though KHL might have a say in that), never been to Norway, never been to Denmark (they might've and just forgot), etc. A ton of opportunities out there for new locations that NHL is scared to go to. FTR they might've been to some of these locations, but has been way too long making them irrelevant.

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

Depending on where they'll play in Germany, a trip to Prague could be more enticing to me.

 

[awfulwaffle]

But why?

These games have jumped the shark just like all the outdoor games have.

What? This is a great way to grow the sport.

 

[Albatros]

What? This is a great way to grow the sport.

Two games in Prague and Helsinki do next to nothing to grow the sport. They're established hockey markets and the NHL just wants a slice of that.

 

[awfulwaffle]

Two games in Prague and Helsinki do next to nothing to grow the sport. They're established hockey markets and the NHL just wants a slice of that.

That's two more than those places wouldn't normally have. Established markets, fine I'll take it. Why wouldn't the league want a slice of it then? For such a gate driven league, you better expect them to take as many avenues as possible to make revenue.

 

[Albatros]

Sure they can do it if they want, but shouldn't pretend it's something more than a cash grab.

If I had my local team playing home games around the world I might start to lose the connection to that team though.

 

[Trizent]

Did NFL games in Toronto and Winnipeg grow the sport in Canada? Nope. It is a cash grab, which is fine. It is a business.

 

[tony d]

I enjoy these games as well. It's a few games a year and can grow the game at the same time, I have no issue at all with them.

 

[Coinneach]

Did NFL games in Toronto and Winnipeg grow the sport in Canada? Nope. It is a cash grab, which is fine. It is a business.

It is a big event for Czech fans. It definitely helps NHL grow the sport here.

 

[Albatros]

It is a big event for Czech fans. It definitely helps NHL grow the sport here.

Big event for the NHL fans sure, but hardly for hockey fans not interested in the NHL more than casually or people not interested in hockey to start with. It doesn't have the pull factor that for example national team success has, but rather just serves the people that already like the product.

 

[USAUSA1]

People complain about everything on here. Cash grab and growing the game is essentially the same thing.

 

[Rob]

Euro fans should boycott the NHL. They’ve killed international hockey

 

[IamherefortheFinn]

Euro fans should boycott the NHL. They’ve killed international hockey

Not in Finland at least. If anything we are doing better internationally without the NHL players. Obviously hockey fans think that it would be nice to win a best-on-best tournament, but the avarage Finn does not care so much about the rosters. The winner of the world championchips is the best hockey nation to them : -)

Any idea how much the tickets to the czech games might cost? Probably less than it was in Helsinki last year wich were 200 - 235 euros/ticket in the lower bowl? I might be interested to flying to a holiday in Prague as it is a lot cheaper than to fly to NA to see the NHL games.

 

[GuelphStormer]

If they keep selling out and produce good TV ratings in those specific countries, then they most definitely are not jumping the shark.

do these games sell out? do they actually produce good TV ratings?

 

[IamherefortheFinn]

do these games sell out? do they actually produce good TV ratings?

Last year in Finland they sold all 27 000 tickets (for two games) in half an hour.

 

[Rob Brown]

Not sure why they don't pick bigger, more popular teams for these games. Teams like the Leafs, Rangers, Red Wings, Canadiens etc. have tons of fans in Europe, so why the Blue Jackets, Predators etc.? I get that like Rantanen is Finnish and all, but...

 

[Noldo]

Not sure why they don't pick bigger, more popular teams for these games. Teams like the Leafs, Rangers, Red Wings, Canadiens etc. have tons of fans in Europe, so why the Blue Jackets, Predators etc.? I get that like Rantanen is Finnish and all, but...

Because the games are marquee events in Europe even without the most storied franchises. Why pay Montreal or Rangers for a sellout home game (at their average price) for the privilege that they are shipped across the globe when you can do it cheaper by paying Columbus/Colorado/... worth of their home game.

 

[IamherefortheFinn]

The Jets, Hurricanes and Panthers attract a lot more interest in here than the Leafs, Red Wings or the Canadians.

The Rangers are a bit more interesting now that they have Kakko.

 

[OKOptimistic]

Euro fans should boycott the NHL. They’ve killed international hockey

I was wondering with hockey growing in popularity and talent day by day in Europe maybe in 30 years once they catch up to Canada they can form a 30 team league from Dublin and Lisbon to as far east as Warsaw, as north as Helsinki, and south as Athens that can rival the NHL in talent and money.

 

[Rob]

I was wondering with hockey growing in popularity and talent day by day in Europe maybe in 30 years once they catch up to Canada they can form a 30 team league from Dublin and Lisbon to as far east as Warsaw, as north as Helsinki, and south as Athens that can rival the NHL in talent and money.

Not sure if it can go as south as Athens but a continental European league that could compete with the NHL would be beneficial to the sport.

 

[seancolorado]

Not sure why they don't pick bigger, more popular teams for these games. Teams like the Leafs, Rangers, Red Wings, Canadiens etc. have tons of fans in Europe, so why the Blue Jackets, Predators etc.? I get that like Rantanen is Finnish and all, but...

The Avs actually have a very large and loyal overseas following, built up as a result of the team's 90s-to-early-2000s golden age, but sustained thanks to the Eurolanche community, which comprises hardcore fans from all across Europe who go on annual Eurolanche "invasions" by flying to Colorado to watch games.

Organizationally, the Avs have a strong pulse in European scouting, with Finland being one of their hot spots, and the team has many Europeans on it as well.

Always giving priority to the more storied teams, whether the Canadian ones or Original Six ones, needs to stop. It only allows for further perpetuations of established thinking and/or forms of so-called East Coast bias.

I welcome the opportunity to play the Blue Jackets across the Atlantic and am glad our fellow fans in Columbus will get to continue to see their team earn more spotlight following their exciting playoff run past the first round. That is what hockey is about.

 

[IamherefortheFinn]

I was wondering with hockey growing in popularity and talent day by day in Europe maybe in 30 years once they catch up to Canada they can form a 30 team league from Dublin and Lisbon to as far east as Warsaw, as north as Helsinki, and south as Athens that can rival the NHL in talent and money.

Europe is a big and multicultural place. The Greeks and The Portuguese don't really care about ice hockey. I don't think that it is realistic to expect teams from Athens or Lissabon to take part in a NHL style ice hockey league.

Probably not realistic that we get NHL level league in Europe even in places where hockey is popular, but one can allways hope. People are just not willing to pay 3000+ usd for season tickets, and rightfully so.