The KHL World Games

[vorky]

Tickets for the Vienna games start selling on September 3. Tickets for the Zurich games start selling after September 15.

The league said they have an approval of hockey federations from Austria & Switzerland to play these games there. CEO of EBEL was presented at the KHL press-conference in Vienna, which means the local leagues approve the event as well.

It was said the goal of the event is to promote the KHL in Europe, especially on markets where the KHL would like to see their expansion teams. To be concrete, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France & Sweden. Generally, we can claim the hosting cities are likely candidates for an expansion, the league has been testing them.

All is done to increase league´s revenues.

Click to read more...

 

[alko]

With all respect to Slovan and Riga, this is a bad move from KHL. If they want to make a real promo, they should make it with best teams. SKA - CSKA in Wien, and something like Magnitogorsk - Kazan in Zurich.

 

[SoundAndFury]

With all respect to Slovan and Riga, this is a bad move from KHL. If they want to make a real promo, they should make it with best teams. SKA - CSKA in Wien, and something like Magnitogorsk - Kazan in Zurich.

Those teams don't want to give up on their home matches, they probably feel they travel enough as it is. The small teams can be talked into this way easier (in other words paid less for doing this).

Other than that, I kinda both agree and disagree. On one hand, it would be better if the competition was tighter than the best team in the league vs. the worst team in the league. On the other, Riga has one the best records against SKA league-wide over the years so a point can be made there isn't much difference what do you throw to the lions they will trash it anyway. I mean Ak Bars just lost to SKA 6-1. Also this lets the neutral crowd get at least somewhat involved rather than just seeing 2 random Russian teams play.

 

[vorky]

I would add another important factor. Due to sanctions, it is not easy to work on the EU market for the KHL. They need to use the EU based teams who rent an arena.

And, it is not bad if you show to Euros that the league consists of non-Russian teams as well.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I would add another important factor. Due to sanctions, it is not easy to work on the EU market for the KHL. They need to use the EU based teams who rent an arena.

I don't think that factors in at all. It's extremely easy to find a EU based company which rents an arena, it doesn't have to be one of the teams. Do you really think this is a KHL event but Dinamo Riga is the one administering all the work for renting the arena? I somehow doubt it very much. And, at the end of the day, this is a match of Russian open ice hockey championship so restrictions either apply to it anyway or don't apply anyway.

 

[vorky]

I don't think that factors in at all. It's extremely easy to find a EU based company which rents an arena, it doesn't have to be one of the teams. Do you really think this is a KHL event but Dinamo Riga is the one administering all the work for renting the arena? I somehow doubt it very much. And, at the end of the day, this is a match of Russian open ice hockey championship so restrictions either apply to it anyway or don't apply anyway.

It is difficult to discuss about it, because neither of us has an access to legal documents (agreements).

All I can say is what are publicly available informations. As I remember, the KHL said they had to use the EU based clubs for such games. Of course, the KHL is invovled as well.

Dinamo Riga and Slovan are home teams, so it is normal if they rent an arena. It would be much complicated if SKA/CSKA had to rent it. Only for one practical reason - bank payments for services.

 

[Jussi]

It is difficult to discuss about it, because neither of us has an access to legal documents (agreements).

All I can say is what are publicly available informations. As I remember, the KHL said they had to use the EU based clubs for such games. Of course, the KHL is invovled as well.

Dinamo Riga and Slovan are home teams, so it is normal if they rent an arena. It would be much complicated if SKA/CSKA had to rent it. Only for one practical reason - bank payments for services.

Yes, this is where sanctions play a part. If the team ownership has people or companies on sanctions list, it will cause issues with payments. Just ask Jokerit.

 

[aonb]

just bought tickets for ska game. what do you think guys, any chance to meet players before/after game? would be awesome to catch dats or yak and take a photo with them

 

[vorky]

We discussed who is an organiser of the games in Zurich. Here you can read it - Veranstalter: AS Dinamo Riga

 

[vorky]

Fasel in Vienna. As expected.

 

[Ducks76]

Tickets for the Vienna games start selling on September 3. Tickets for the Zurich games start selling after September 15.

The league said they have an approval of hockey federations from Austria & Switzerland to play these games there. CEO of EBEL was presented at the KHL press-conference in Vienna, which means the local leagues approve the event as well.

It was said the goal of the event is to promote the KHL in Europe, especially on markets where the KHL would like to see their expansion teams. To be concrete, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France & Sweden. Generally, we can claim the hosting cities are likely candidates for an expansion, the league has been testing them.

All is done to increase league´s revenues.

Much easier for KHL is when they are represented by console games like NHL 19. This were the best promotion for this league.

 

[Jussi]

Liiga got free promotion in Tallinn:

Jokerien Tallinnan kotiottelussa markkinoitiin Liigaa ilman, että Jokereilla oli tietoa asiasta

 

[aonb]

Just came back to hotel. Took a photo with Gusev and Tikhonov after the game. Happy for Oleg Li and his first as a member of SKA. Hersley is monster from blue line, really. It was a pleasure to watch him live.
Slovan gave up early in third and SKA as a good team took advantage of it, to the last seconds of game.
On positive note from Slovan, their mascott is pretty hilarious

 

[alko]

What a promo for KHL. Sadly, Slovan was only a sheep eaten alive.

 

[cska78]

just bought tickets for ska game. what do you think guys, any chance to meet players before/after game? would be awesome to catch dats or yak and take a photo with them

where were you traveling from?

 

[hansomreiste]

This is basically how you don't present the league. I think Slovan was picked due to the proximity and cultural ties to Austria and CSKA & SKA for being strong and well-known teams from Russia but come on, this was destined to be a bloodbath nine times out of ten. On a positive side, it looks like nobody asked CSKA or SKA to slam on the brakes when they made it 5-0, which shows there is no match fixing in KHL and everything we see on the ice is genuine.

 

[aonb]

where were you traveling from?

Poland. It's 4 hours by train from my place.

 

[cska78]

Poland. It's 4 hours by train from my place.

ah nice, what happened to Stepanov his contract got terminated today, it's very hard to understand polish for me...I discerned, that it's by mutual agreement, his stats are ok for a d-man as well...

 

[aonb]

ah nice, what happened to Stepanov his contract got terminated today, it's very hard to understand polish for me...I discerned, that it's by mutual agreement, his stats are ok for a d-man as well...

they just expected more from him. had a small injury as well and said that will be better if he leaves now. speaking about numbers - our league is as weak as you can imagine. worst team in khl would completely destroy the best one in poland (assuming that both teams play their 100%) so 4 points in 13gp - not bad, but just meh.

 

[cska78]

they just expected more from him. had a small injury as well and said that will be better if he leaves now. speaking about numbers - our league is as weak as you can imagine. worst team in khl would completely destroy the best one in poland (assuming that both teams play their 100%) so 4 points in 13gp - not bad, but just meh.

I understand, he is d-man, who was retired for 4 years, what were the expectations? He was a little offensively gifted in the juniors, but not an offensive d-man. Had a spot in CSKA because he is related to Fetisov. Oh well, he will probably go back to being retired or may be Romania?)

 

[vorky]

they just expected more from him. had a small injury as well and said that will be better if he leaves now. speaking about numbers - our league is as weak as you can imagine. worst team in khl would completely destroy the best one in poland (assuming that both teams play their 100%) so 4 points in 13gp - not bad, but just meh.

Just curious... any talks about a Polish team joining the Slovak league? The league has now two Hungarian teams, there were rumors about Polish one a few years ago. Still alive?

 

[SoundAndFury]

they just expected more from him. had a small injury as well and said that will be better if he leaves now. speaking about numbers - our league is as weak as you can imagine. worst team in khl would completely destroy the best one in poland (assuming that both teams play their 100%) so 4 points in 13gp - not bad, but just meh.

Well Orlik is having a terrible season as well, I guess they don't see how keeping him would change things.

Regarding Polish league, it is improving. Best teams like Katowice and Tychy would probably be reasonably competitive in the Belorussian league which is a step forward. It's also kinda sad to see people looking at it from this perspective. You have actual professional hockey in your country, I would be thrilled if Lithuania had anything close to that. Having a domestic pro league isn't about having the best league in the world, it's about giving your hockey pyramid crucial structure. Just because any NBA team would probably kick Žalgiris' ass doesn't mean a little team in Lithuanian basketball league in a town with 15k people is irrelevant.

 

[aonb]

Well Orlik is having a terrible season as well, I guess they don't see how keeping him would change things.

Regarding Polish league, it is improving. Best teams like Katowice and Tychy would probably be reasonably competitive in the Belorussian league which is a step forward. It's also kinda sad to see people looking at it from this perspective. You have actual professional hockey in your country, I would be thrilled if Lithuania had anything close to that. Having a domestic pro league isn't about having the best league in the world, it's about giving your hockey pyramid crucial structure. Just because any NBA team would probably kick Žalgiris' ass doesn't mean a little team in Lithuanian basketball league in a town with 15k people is irrelevant.

"professional hockey" and polish hockey - these two things are mutually exclusive. the fact that we have a league, several teams and players who collect salary from their play doesn't mean it can be named "professional hockey". the list of paradoxes of this "league" is so long that i don't even want to start talking about them in any way. even players know its a pure trash and they are joking around (i know many of them personally). plenty of these guys, besides hockey, work in other places as well. we have like 2 or 3 good prospects across the country. wronka, lyszczarczyk, jeziorski, thats it. the rest is non-existent. you don't have to be a good player to play in phl. you just have to be stubborn enough (or stupid) to stick with the team from the youngest years and at some point you will get the chance to play even if you suck. i played in phl. and i only can wrist the puck decently. it speaks for itself. outside the group of hockey fanatics or fans who cheer for the team from their city regardless of sports discipline, nobody give a single **** about hockey. neither people, neithers sponsors (they quickly withdraw from business), neither media. we don't have ice rinks, coaches, money and a future in hockey.

 

[SoundAndFury]

"professional hockey" and polish hockey - these two things are mutually exclusive. the fact that we have a league, several teams and players who collect salary from their play doesn't mean it can be named "professional hockey". the list of paradoxes of this "league" is so long that i don't even want to start talking about them in any way. even players know its a pure trash and they are joking around (i know many of them personally). plenty of these guys, besides hockey, work in other places as well. we have like 2 or 3 good prospects across the country. wronka, lyszczarczyk, jeziorski, thats it. the rest is non-existent. you don't have to be a good player to play in phl. you just have to be stubborn enough (or stupid) to stick with the team from the youngest years and at some point you will get the chance to play even if you suck. i played in phl. and i only can wrist the puck decently. it speaks for itself. outside the group of hockey fanatics or fans who cheer for the team from their city regardless of sports discipline, nobody give a single **** about hockey. neither people, neithers sponsors (they quickly withdraw from business), neither media. we don't have ice rinks, coaches, money and a future in hockey.

Well, what you described applies to all the leagues around the world outside of top-10 or so. Anyone can be this Debby Downer and talk about those problems because every country - be it UK, Norway, Latvia, Denmark, whatever - they all have same problems you listed. The fact that you have a league which allows people to support themselves by playing hockey is huge. That's how you get Aron Chmielewskies of this world scoring goals in Czech league finals rather than quitting hockey when they are too old to play junior.

Naturally, the players understand it as well and aren't delusional but at the same time someone like Wronka, who almost made the EBEL, is playing on what is nominally Katowice's 3rd line so playing against them they probably recognize this is a damn good team which whoops their asses. So there is some forward momentum. Same applies to the state of junior hockey. Anyone can talk how this is bad and that is bad but that's not how you make things any better. And the foundation you have, by comparison, is one that plenty of countries can be jealous of. Like seriously, your league is in better shape than Latvian one and Latvia is what, 10th best hockey country in the world?

And you can put a negative spin on literally every hockey league in the world if you want to. it's just the question of attitude. You can say KHL is bush league, you can say Ottawa and Toronto is bush league so it doesn't take ingenious insight to make a case how a certain semi-professional hockey league is bad. It shouldn't be about that though.

 

[cska78]

Well, what you described applies to all the leagues around the world outside of top-10 or so. Anyone can be this Debby Downer and talk about those problems because every country - be it UK, Norway, Latvia, Denmark, whatever - they all have same problems you listed. The fact that you have a league which allows people to support themselves by playing hockey is huge. That's how you get Aron Chmielewskies of this world scoring goals in Czech league finals rather than quitting hockey when they are too old to play junior.

Naturally, the players understand it as well and aren't delusional but at the same time someone like Wronka, who almost made the EBEL, is playing on what is nominally Katowice's 3rd line so playing against them they probably recognize this is a damn good team which whoops their asses. So there is some forward momentum. Same applies to the state of junior hockey. Anyone can talk how this is bad and that is bad but that's not how you make things any better. And the foundation you have, by comparison, is one that plenty of countries can be jealous of. Like seriously, your league is in better shape than Latvian one and Latvia is what, 10th best hockey country in the world?

And you can put a negative spin on literally every hockey league in the world if you want to. it's just the question of attitude. You can say KHL is bush league, you can say Ottawa and Toronto is bush league so it doesn't take ingenious insight to make a case how a certain semi-professional hockey league is bad. It shouldn't be about that though.

Ha-ha, you put negative spin on KHL on regular bases <Deservedly so at times>