"Prognosis is not really good" on NHL players going to 2018 Olympics

[CroFlames]

Nothing beats Playoff Hockey.

Since they are bringing back the World Cup, who needs to Olympics anymore? Send the U23s from each nation.

[Kavvy]

Sorry if this is posted in this thread already, and I am being lazy.

How are similar costs for other Olympians paid? Are the NHL Stars being treated special?

[Locke]

Its really simple and Friedman really nailed it last night, the IOC gets all the revenue, everything, tickets, TV the whole smorg and in previous Olympics the cost of acquiring that revenue was footing the bill for the insurance and getting the athletes to the games and taking care of them when they got there.

The NHL gets zip, takes all the risks regarding injury and loses revenue by putting the season on hold for a few weeks.

Now the IOC wants the NHL to take their quadrennial kick to the nuts and also pay for the privilege at which point I'd be telling the IOC to pound sand.

Lets see what your TV deals look like when theres no NHL players and the NHL season is still going on. Lets see what your ticket revenues look like when you cant charge astronomical prices because it isnt a best-on-best tournament anymore its a glorified World Juniors.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

How are similar costs for other Olympians paid? Are the NHL Stars being treated special?

Insurance would be nowhere close to the same. Insurance for someone making 10 mil a year vs someone making 40k a year is going to carry a substantially higher premium.

[Itse]

It's kind of hard for the IOC to start giving special treatment to the group of athletes that are already making the most money. Even though hockey is popular, it's still just one sport for them. I doubt they pay insurances for the soccer players or the basketball players either. If they started paying hockey players...

Hockey is in a rather unique situation. Pretty much all other athletes in the winter olympics have a lot to gain financially from the olympics, as visibility in the olympics is in a category of it's own. The privilege to participate can be worth notable money just by itself.

Also, a big reason why FIFA didn't want soccer in the olympics was to promote their own tournament. If the NHL wants to promote the World Cup as The Biggest Hockey Tournament, having a competing Best-of-the-Best tournament has no real upsides for them.

I guess making the olympic hockey some kind of a youth tournament would be a solution. Especially if the NHL would promise to release all eligible players for a U23 tournament (for example), it might actually make olympic hockey the most entertaing hockey tournament of them all. Like U20's on steroids.

[albertGQ]

Don't see why the NHL would even agree to let their 23 and under participate if they're not taking a hiatus.

You think last year the Flames would be thrilled to lend Monahan and Gaudreau? Oilers lending McDavid? Sabres lending Eichel and Reinhart?

It would make teams that are in the playoff chase (2014-2015 Flames for example) at a disadvantage

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Itse

It's kind of hard for the IOC to start giving special treatment to the group of athletes that are already making the most money. Even though hockey is popular, it's still just one sport for them. I doubt they pay insurances for the soccer players or the basketball players either. If they started paying hockey players...

Hockey is in a rather unique situation. Pretty much all other athletes in the winter olympics have a lot to gain financially from the olympics, as visibility in the olympics is in a category of it's own. The privilege to participate can be worth notable money just by itself.

Also, a big reason why FIFA didn't want soccer in the olympics was to promote their own tournament. If the NHL wants to promote the World Cup as The Biggest Hockey Tournament, having a competing Best-of-the-Best tournament has no real upsides for them.

I guess making the olympic hockey some kind of a youth tournament would be a solution. Especially if the NHL would promise to release all eligible players for a U23 tournament (for example), it might actually make olympic hockey the most entertaing hockey tournament of them all. Like U20's on steroids.

Presumably the whole point of the World Cup of Hockey was to distance the NHL from the Olympics, the IOC is just making it easier by making insane demands while thinking they have some sort of leverage.

"Well, its not fair that they get this and other athletes dont!"

Because the Olympics has always been the last bastion for fairness.

And honestly, I dont see the NHL releasing any players for any tournament. Why should they if they get nothing out of it.

The IOC is going to have to find their hockey players elsewhere who arent under contract to NHL clubs.

So basically: The Spengler Cup.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Don't see why the NHL would even agree to let their 23 and under participate if they're not taking a hiatus.

You think last year the Flames would be thrilled to lend Monahan and Gaudreau? Oilers lending McDavid? Sabres lending Eichel and Reinhart?

It would make teams that are in the playoff chase (2014-2015 Flames for example) at a disadvantage

Yes, but it would create an entertaining hockey tournament that wouldn't force you to shut down the whole league. Sort of a have-cake-and-eat-it. The players want to play and I think everyone would like to have quality hockey in the olympics. If only it didn't cost anybody anything

[powderjunkie]

Almost every other Olympic athlete has some of their own skin in the game (be it financial, or simply lifestyle sacrifice for the 3.75 years leading up to each Olympics), so I don't think it would be crazy to expect NHL players themselves to pay for their own insurance policies. Going to the Olympics is a tremendous privilege, and this might even make them seem a bit less like 'hired guns' compared to every other athlete in the village.

The big challenge here is that the McDavid's, Eichels and Larkins of the world might have the most expensive insurance policies against their comparatively low earnings to date, so the Crosbys and Ovechkins might have to pay even more to subsidize them (though if this can be set up as a long term thing it will all even out in the end...Crosby and Ovechkin may seem to get a raw deal up front, but they've already enjoyed 2-3 'free' olympics.


Or, I say open up some jersey sponsorship (to every team, every sport). Embrace the commercialism.

[powderjunkie]

Alternatively, forget U23; I want an O40 tournament. One last dance for Gretz and Mario and Sakic. Women's rules...no hitting.

[Fire]

It would suck to see Canada's hockey team turn into a Spengler Cup calibre team, but I wouldn't hold it against the NHL. It will be nice to see the NHL give the middle finger to the IOC.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Alternatively, forget U23; I want an O40 tournament. One last dance for Gretz and Mario and Sakic. Women's rules...no hitting.

You sir, need to watch Allen Cup games.

[calgarygeologist]

Outside of Canada or potentially North America, what are the attendance numbers like for the Olympic hockey games? Were they filling the arenas in Sochi, Turin or Salt Lake City?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fire

It would suck to see Canada's hockey team turn into a Spengler Cup calibre team, but I wouldn't hold it against the NHL. It will be nice to see the NHL give the middle finger to the IOC.

But the fact remains that you cannot have the best if you're unwilling to pay for it.

This is the IOC saying that they want everything for nothing but they have no ulterior leverage beyond: 'well then you dont get to play at the Olympics.'

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Locke

Lets see what your TV deals look like when theres no NHL players and the NHL season is still going on. Lets see what your ticket revenues look like when you cant charge astronomical prices because it isnt a best-on-best tournament anymore its a glorified World Juniors.

How much did Olympic revenues increase when all NHLer's were allowed to compete? It's not as though the Winter Olympics were a bust before NHLers started participating in the hockey event. The American miracle on ice in '80 did more to raise the profile of hockey in that country than anything else since. Which suggests the Olympics have a bigger profile than the NHL in a lot of the U.S. And the women's hockey at the Olympics gets huge ratings in Canada, despite there's no NHL involvement.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

How much did Olympic revenues increase when all NHLer's were allowed to compete? It's not as though the Winter Olympics were a bust before NHLers started participating in the hockey event. The American miracle on ice in '80 did more to raise the profile of hockey in that country than anything else since. Which suggests the Olympics have a bigger profile than the NHL in a lot of the U.S. And the women's hockey at the Olympics gets huge ratings in Canada, despite there's no NHL involvement.

The Hockey Finals are one of the, if not the, premier events at the winter olympics.

The NHL players add to that. There is no doubt the star players add to that as well.

I am on whomever's side isn't the IOC. Greedy buggers.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

The Hockey Finals are one of the, if not the, premier events at the winter olympics.

And they were the premier event before NHLers were involved. I'm not a fan of the IOC by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just questioning the notion that the Winter Olympics desperately need NHL players to generate ratings and revenue.

[btimbit]

This was pretty expected when they introduced the World Cup. Very disappointing though, olympic hockey is so fun

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

And they were the premier event before NHLers were involved. I'm not a fan of the IOC by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just questioning the notion that the Winter Olympics desperately need NHL players to generate ratings and revenue.

Oh sure, the Olympics will survive without NHL players. But they'll make less money.

Think about that, 'making less money.' Its so awesome its got to be one of the IOC's absolute most favourite things, I'm sure. They're huge fans.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

And they were the premier event before NHLers were involved. I'm not a fan of the IOC by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just questioning the notion that the Winter Olympics desperately need NHL players to generate ratings and revenue.

I might be mis-remembering, but IIRC the skating finals were the premier event for years in the Oly's before the arrival of NHL participation.