2016 World Cup of Hockey

[corporatejay]

When I said that I wouldn't care about this tournament I wasn't kidding. I've watched a period here or there but not an entire game.

And to be honest, I completely forgot there was a game on last night. And it's not like I couldn't have watched it or even turned to it, was flipping between the Jays and the Flames pre-season, that's how much this is on my radar.

[CliffFletcher]

Duhatschek thinks it was a mistake to rebrand this thing as the World Cup back in the 90s. Suggests it would have had more prestige if they kept it as the Canada Cup.

[The Yen Man]

Honestly, I've only ever fully watched Team NA's games. For Team Canada, I may have watched about a period in total. It's really hard to get passionate about this thing when there's no vested interest. If Team Canada had Gio or Brodie, I'd definitely watch more.

This isn't the Olympics where national pride is on the line. It's just a made up NHL tournament.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Duhatschek thinks it was a mistake to rebrand this thing as the World Cup back in the 90s. Suggests it would have had more prestige if they kept it as the Canada Cup.

I think he's on to something here as it means a lot more to Canadians at the very least.

[troutman]

I'd rather see periodic 8 game summit series vs. Russia, Sweden or the USA.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'd rather see periodic 8 game summit series vs. Russia, Sweden or the USA.

Canada v. the world would be better or Canada v. USA/Canada v. Europe.

[neo45]

How much longer until everyone will finally just admit that this was a massive embarrassing failure?

[CliffFletcher]

Did the league regard the pre-Olymics World Cups as embarrassing failures? Serious question. What are the criteria for success?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by neo45

How much longer until everyone will finally just admit that this was a massive embarrassing failure?

They made millions and millions of dollars. How is this a failure?

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Weitz

They made millions and millions of dollars. How is this a failure?

Because no one cares and no one will remember this tournament.

They could make the season 100 games long and make more money. Doesn't mean it's a good idea or that it would be embraced by the fans.

[TheoFleury]

Maybe they should add a 5th round to the playoffs? They could make more money, so that means it would be a success, right?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Honestly, I've only ever fully watched Team NA's games. For Team Canada, I may have watched about a period in total. It's really hard to get passionate about this thing when there's no vested interest. If Team Canada had Gio or Brodie, I'd definitely watch more.

This isn't the Olympics where national pride is on the line. It's just a made up NHL tournament.

The Olympics is the exact same thing. A made up tournament by the IIHF instead of the NHL. What's the diff?

Who says national pride is on the line during the Olympics?

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

Because no one cares and no one will remember this tournament.

They could make the season 100 games long and make more money. Doesn't mean it's a good idea or that it would be embraced by the fans.

The nhl is a business, they aren't counting memories and sentiment at the end of the day, they are counting cash.

They just convinced a bunch of pro hockey players to play nearly 10 percent of a full season for free. They didn't have to split their costs with the IOC and the regular season hasn't been disrupted.

This is such a massive, unqualified win for the league that I will be shocked if it isn't included in the bargaining language of the next cba.

Jose conseco upper decker.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The nhl is a business, they aren't counting memories and sentiment at the end of the day, they are counting cash.

They just convinced a bunch of pro hockey players to play nearly 10 percent of a full season for free. They didn't have to split their costs with the IOC and the regular season hasn't been disrupted.

This is such a massive, unqualified win for the league that I will be shocked if it isn't included in the bargaining language of the next cba.

Jose conseco upper decker.

So why not expand the playoffs to all teams? Why not get ads on jerseys? Why not go to 92 game seasons? Think of all the delicious moola.

Edit: I don't think the players did it for free. Correct me if I'm wrong but that doesn't sound right.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Canada v. the world would be better or Canada v. USA/Canada v. Europe.

I think it needs to be nations vs. nation, or no one on the other side cares.

[vilzeh]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The Olympics is the exact same thing. A made up tournament by the IIHF instead of the NHL. What's the diff?

Who says national pride is on the line during the Olympics?

Well, everyone.

Also theres a Team North America and Team Europe in this tournament.

Can't believe you're even saying World Cup is the same as the Olympics. Shaking my head.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by vilzeh

[/B]

Well, everyone.

Also theres a Team North America and Team Europe in this tournament.

Can't believe you're even saying World Cup is the same as the Olympics. Shaking my head.

I could've gotten behind this thing if it were a more traditional format.

Canada vs Team Europe is a joke.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

So why not expand the playoffs to all teams? Why not get ads on jerseys? Why not go to 92 game seasons? Think of all the delicious moola.

The funny thing all these examples have been done. The league tried going to 84 games, there are plans for Jersey ads right now and they arguably exist already. More than half the league already qualifies for the playoffs...

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The funny thing all these examples have been done.

No they haven't. Not to extent I was saying anyway.

If they did all the things I suggested, the league would make millions more than they do right now. If success=money, why haven't my ideas been permanently implemented years ago? Seems like a no-brainer if you're just trying to make money.

You should read Bettman's comments about ads on jerseys. Makes me think nothing is imminent there unless companies are willing to pay very uncomfortable amounts of money. You'd think if success=money, they would accept even $1m per team, per year to do it. Right there, that's $30m per year out of thin air!

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

No they haven't. Not to extent I was saying anyway.

If they did all the things I suggested, the league would make millions more than they do right now. If success=money, why haven't my ideas been permanently implemented years ago? Seems like a no-brainer if you're just trying to make money.

You should read Bettman's comments about ads on jerseys. Makes me think nothing is imminent there unless companies are willing to pay very uncomfortable amounts of money. You'd think if success=money, they would accept even $1m per team, per year to do it. Right there, that's $30m per year out of thin air!

Bro, there are ads on the world cup jerseys.

A benefit of hosting a half-gimmick, half-serious event such as the World Cup is that new revenue-generating initiatives can be rolled out without protest.

For this tournament, the NHL/NHLPA has embarked upon jersey advertisements (small patches rented out by SAP software company) and digitally enhanced dasher boards (aesthetically pleasing ads).

Both money makers have been billed as experiments that may or may not transition into regular NHL territory (i.e. non-World Cup games). Time to test the waters, indeed.

“So far there hasn’t been any negative reaction to (the ads). It wouldn’t surprise me if some people had some reactions to it, because it’s fundamentally non-traditional,” Fehr said. "That being said, the players, and everybody else, are in the modern world and none of the sports look the way they did 25 (or) 50 years ago. You have to adapt on an ongoing basis.”

Fehr is spot-on in his outlook. The NHLPA’s membership is hundreds deep, so the presumed baby step toward commercializing NHL sweaters — although Bettman on Friday insisted it “isn’t the first step” — obviously won’t be praised universally.

Team USA forward Blake Wheeler, an initial critic of the ads, may have softened his view.

“I think there’s ways to do it without tarnishing kind of the look of the jerseys,” Wheeler said Friday after practice. “Hopefully there can be a good balance.”