Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
There's nothing useful to be gained from comparisons between international hockey and soccer. All you need to play soccer is a ball. Hockey is probably the most expensive and inaccessible team sport in the world. There really are only a handful of countries that produce hockey players at the highest level, and that's not going to change any time soon. Having a few tournaments isn't going to encourage tens of thousands of Danes or South Koreans to devote the enormous resources in time and money it takes to produce elite level players.
The NHL's best bet for growing the player base and the market is still the U.S., by a wide margin. And that means tournaments in prime-time TV hours.
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Totally agree with this. Like it or not, hockey will probably always be a regional and middle class sport simply because of accessibility. You're not going to get the average Chinese or Korean kid playing hockey due to equipment being so expensive, and the need for a rink. Basketball and soccer, you just need a ball and a net.