[News] NHL looking to expand on ‘European business plan’

[Sakari]

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl...5228--nhl.html

[nik-]

My NHL European business plan.

72 game season.

NHL/KHL/Elitserien/DEL/SM-Liiga Champions league.

Edit: And it looks like they're considering the champions league format. That would be so awesome.

[Tyler]

Until we get rid of those pesky timezones, European and international expansion is a dumb idea

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Until we get rid of those pesky timezones, European and international expansion is a dumb idea

It works if the games are in the afternoon here, evening in Europe, and on Saturday and Sunday only.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I would love that as a fan. You always wonder how the teams stack up. At any rate, this would be the best way to grow the game internationally.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

My NHL business plan:

Expand to 36 teams.
Return to 6 divisions, but now with 6 teams each.

Pick 6 of the following cities, and sell them NHL franchises.

London
Zurich
Berlin
Stockholm
Helsinki
Prague
Copenhagen
Riga
Vienna

Make a European division.

Each continental team does one European road trip each year, and gets one home game against each Euro team. One North American division skips the home stand, and one division skips the road trip each season, on a rotating basis. That's 24 North American games for each European team each season. So maybe break that into 3 or 4 road trips.

Oh, and have the mother of all lockouts, break the NHLPA completely, and get the cap back down to $30m-ish. In fact, do that anyways, even aside from the whole Europe thing.

[3 Justin 3]

I'm sorry, but if there was a Champions league for hockey, any team in the NHL would absolutely crush any of the European teams.

Even the Avalanche, Flames and Panthers would destroy them.

It's a cool idea, but it would be a bloodbath.

[Street Pharmacist]

It would also probably dilute the NHL brand in my opinion. Best scenario to control their status and prevent talent from switching leagues is to play one championship game/series at the end. Any more is bringing too much honest competition to the NHL and increase the likelihood of talent redistribution. Would jäger stay in Czech Republic to help a hometown team win a championship? Would ovechkin/Malkin do the same? Selanne in his prime? Suddenly the Stanley Cup is not the best trophy

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

I'm sorry, but if there was a Champions league for hockey, any team in the NHL would absolutely crush any of the European teams.

Even the Avalanche, Flames and Panthers would destroy them.

It's a cool idea, but it would be a bloodbath.

You know that Zurich beat the Blackhawks the year they won the cup, right? And not an exhibition farm-team in Chicago uniforms, but the actual starting day roster of the Stanley Cup Champions lost to ZHC Lions in the Victoria Cup.

That was the year after the Rangers won the Victoria Cup 4-3 against Metallurg Magnetogorsk.

So, no, actually, you are incorrect.

We know this because there WAS a de facto champions league, and the NHL teams were unable to absolutely crush their opponents.

[Jake]

I don't want to see a league expansion. The talent is already too diluted.

[afc wimbledon]

No one in the UK gives a crap about hockey nor will they, an NHL team in London would draw a few thousand at best, hell I stop caring about hockey about 20 minutes off the plane when I go home, the NFL tried and it was a joke.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

No one in the UK gives a crap about hockey nor will they, an NHL team in London would draw a few thousand at best, hell I stop caring about hockey about 20 minutes off the plane when I go home, the NFL tried and it was a joke.

Ducks and Kings drew 17,000+ in London a few years ago for a meaningless pre-season game between two American clubs.

If there was an established UK team playing league matches, no reason why they couldn't do that on a more regular basis (no guarantees that they woud either, but they probably have a better chance of sustaining that than St Petersberg, Florida does).

[gargamel]

Playoff travel schedules are where any plans of a Europe-based team or division fall apart, but I'd love it if the premier games were expanded. I was at the Kings/Sabres game in Berlin last year, and it was a great experience (them selling beer by the litre didn't hurt). If the Flames opened a season in Switzerland or the Czech Republic, there's no way that I'd miss it.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

Ducks and Kings drew 17,000+ in London a few years ago for a meaningless pre-season game between two American clubs.

If there was an established UK team playing league matches, no reason why they couldn't do that on a more regular basis (no guarantees that they woud either, but they probably have a better chance of sustaining that than St Petersberg, Florida does).

There is a huge difference between people being geed up to buy a one time cheap ticket for a game in London, no doubt every hockey fan in the country (and the UK does have a league of sorts) drove in to watch, that does not translate to a club being able to compete in a sports market that, in London has six premiership teams.
Trust me on this I have some very US sports savy friends over their who would be your target demographic, they will watch NFL or even hockey on TV but they are all season ticket holders to premiership clubs and wouldn't miss a night game at Arsenal to attend a hockey game.

Hell the league can't sell hockey to most of the US at this point.

[The Swedish Flame]

I'm extremely positive to some form of Champions League where the hockey world crowns the best club team in the world. While my Swedish team won the European Trophy this season, it's still little more than a preaseason tournament. Some format where European, Russian and NHL teams get to duke it out would be great.

I'd also be extremely careful with trying to fabricate hockey markets in countries where they don't slready exist. The NFL has tried, and by most standards failed, in doing so.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by BACKCHECK!!!

You know that Zurich beat the Blackhawks the year they won the cup, right? And not an exhibition farm-team in Chicago uniforms, but the actual starting day roster of the Stanley Cup Champions lost to ZHC Lions in the Victoria Cup.

That was the year after the Rangers won the Victoria Cup 4-3 against Metallurg Magnetogorsk.

So, no, actually, you are incorrect.

We know this because there WAS a de facto champions league, and the NHL teams were unable to absolutely crush their opponents.

That's a preseason exhibition game for the Blackhawks while the European teams are already into their regular season schedule. In midseason form the NHL teams should win comfortably even on the big ice.

[GirlySports]

It won't work unless there's a team in Espoo.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

There is a huge difference between people being geed up to buy a one time cheap ticket for a game in London, no doubt every hockey fan in the country (and the UK does have a league of sorts) drove in to watch, that does not translate to a club being able to compete in a sports market that, in London has six premiership teams.
Trust me on this I have some very US sports savy friends over their who would be your target demographic, they will watch NFL or even hockey on TV but they are all season ticket holders to premiership clubs and wouldn't miss a night game at Arsenal to attend a hockey game.

Hell the league can't sell hockey to most of the US at this point.

Agreed, even for NFL 1 game in London is great but 8 games? The NFL still isn't quite sure yet.

41 NHL games in London? Average attendance would be worse than Abbotsford.

[kn]

It's a cool idea but logistics prevents it from ever working. I think a World Cup and Olympics are as good as it's going to get in terms of international competition.

The NHL needs to fix Phoenix and add a couple more teams in Canada before expanding overseas.

[Northendzone]

It might be interesting to see the flames, or some other team play a European championship team/all star team, sort of like the red army team vs the Hans.

As for expansion to Europe,too,iChat of a mess logistically. I have no idea how you would run a playoff series to give the players enough rest to recover from playing two playoff games in London, then fly back to LA......