[News] NHL players will not participate in 2018 Olympics?

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

He's talked to the owners. They are not happy about this.

They never are

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Point being, is its that kind of exposure the NHL was looking for. The whole US sporting world watches the Olympics, not just the already converted hard core hockey fan, and it was that unique opportunity to sell and showcase the game to potential brand new fans in Salt Lake is the reason why the NHL went to the Olympics in the first place, not something the World Cup of hockey can create.

Canadians overestimate how big the Winter Olympics are in the U.S. and most of the rest of the world. They get a fraction of the viewership of the Summer Olympics. In the U.S., a small proportion of the female TV audience will tune in to watch the figure skating, and a fraction of the male audience will tune in to watch hockey. And as you note yourself, they tuned in back in 1980 when there weren't NHLers playing. They'll tune in again when it's not NHL players. In fact, most TV viewers in the U.S. won't know the difference - they'll just cheer for some guys wearing the a U.S. uniform, the same way they cheer for a volleyball team wearing a U.S. uniform.

So I don't think the audience of casual fans who will turn away from Olympic hockey with no NHLers is all that large. And the hardcore fans will tune in to a World Cup.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Canadians overestimate how big the Winter Olympics are in the U.S. and most of the rest of the world. They get a fraction of the viewership of the Summer Olympics. In the U.S., a small proportion of the female TV audience will tune in to watch the figure skating, and a fraction of the male audience will tune in to watch hockey. And as you note yourself, they tuned in back in 1980 when there weren't NHLers playing. They'll tune in again when it's not NHL players. In fact, most TV viewers in the U.S. won't know the difference - they'll just cheer for some guys wearing the a U.S. uniform, the same way they cheer for a volleyball team wearing a U.S. uniform.

So I don't think the audience of casual fans who will turn away from Olympic hockey with no NHLers is all that large. And the hardcore fans will tune in to a World Cup.

I agree with you on all accounts. But the point is, that even with the smaller US viewership than the summer games, it's significantly bigger than anything hockey could generate on its own.

And getting the Americans to tune in and watch the "guys in the jersey" is what the NHL wanted,to then try and make those guys in the jerseys house hold names that people would care about and start to follow (and therefore care about) and watch them in the NHL.

Never really thought about it before, but how much did Canada winning the Salt Lake and Vancouver games over the US cost the NHL? Imagin if Kane, Roenik or Hull had netted a golden goal for the US. Not trying to say it would have launched the NHL into a brand new realm, but if an US hockey star could have been associated with a moment, it would have been huge.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

The Stanley Cup is the pinnacle for the NHL.

The Olympic gold is the pinnacle for hockey.

If there are no NHL players in the Winter Olympics, I'd end up treating the event like I do the Summer Olympics, by completely ignoring it.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

I agree with you on all accounts. But the point is, that even with the smaller US viewership than the summer games, it's significantly bigger than anything hockey could generate on its own.

And getting the Americans to tune in and watch the "guys in the jersey" is what the NHL wanted,to then try and make those guys in the jerseys house hold names that people would care about and start to follow (and therefore care about) and watch them in the NHL.

Never really thought about it before, but how much did Canada winning the Salt Lake and Vancouver games over the US cost the NHL? Imagin if Kane, Roenik or Hull had netted a golden goal for the US. Not trying to say it would have launched the NHL into a brand new realm, but if an US hockey star could have been associated with a moment, it would have been huge.

I dont think Americans watch the Olympics as sport. They watch it like a drama like a tv show. This is seen by showing the Olympics as a taped delayed tv show with 100 commercials. Just like any tv show the heros are in US Jerseys and the villians are the rest. The US wins and they cheer for a second cause the hero won. To then go watch the sport of hockey after that? That would actually require work.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I dont think Americans watch the Olympics as sport. They watch it like a drama like a tv show. This is seen by showing the Olympics as a taped delayed tv show with 100 commercials. Just like any tv show the heros are in US Jerseys and the villians are the rest. The US wins and they cheer for a second cause the hero won. To then go watch the sport of hockey after that? That would actually require work.

I think it generates a lot of buzz for the sport south of the border. But I think it only really has significance when the games are in North America. It helps build the Canada US rivalry and I think draws people into the entertainment of the game. Hockey moves faster than any other sport and I do think that just exposing it to new audiences in the form of top-quality Olympic hockey does great to build new fanbases.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

He's talked to the owners. They are not happy about this.

Boy what a scoop he got there, who would have thought!

Best part of the sportsnet deal is the phoney idiot Dreger is with TSN.

[cal_guy]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Canadians overestimate how big the Winter Olympics are in the U.S. and most of the rest of the world. They get a fraction of the viewership of the Summer Olympics.

US NBC Primetime tv viewership

Vancouver Olympics
Opening Ceremonies 32.7 million
First Saturday 26.2 million

London Olympics
Opening Ceremonies 40.7 million
First Saturday 28 million

Sochi Olympics
Opening Ceremonies 31.7 million
First Saturday 25.1 million

Total US tv viewership
Vancouver Olympics 190 million
London Olympics 219 million

[driveway]

Technically, 87/100 is a fraction.


I think Canada winning both Salt Lake and particularly Vancouver did hurt the NHL. The 'sports' media in the US were paying a huge amount of attention to the American hockey team during those games. The "not expected to do anything, but through American gumption win everything" storyline is a giant seller, and the hockey was fantastic.

If the US had come out on top in that game, I think you'd have seen a significant bump in hockey viewership for the rest of the 2009-10 season and it might have carried on into 10-11 and 11-12. I also think you'd have seen, down the road, a few cohorts of really, really strong American prospects of kids who were between 8-12 when the games were held who got into hockey through seeing that victory. I think, as far as growing the game in the States is considered, the best possible outcome would be a US-Russia final, where the US either wins a thrilling come-from-behind game, or smashes the Russians from the word go.

That said, the USA is only one market, albeit a very important one. Look at the revenue the NBA is able to generate overseas and consider that it can, almost entirely, be laid at the feet of the '92 Dream Team. Because of the seasonal nature of hockey, the same opportunity is not available for global growth (unless either Climate Change or the solar minimum brings us that Ice Age), but the global markets for hockey can't be neglected.

Participation in the Olympics is inconvenient for the NHL, but I think its warranted and produces a net-positive effect for the game of hockey and for the league itself as well as the teams. There are untapped markets for hockey in particular, Northern China, Korea and Japan - places where it gets very friggin' cold in the wintertime, where hundreds of millions of people can afford to play hockey and, wonder of wonders, where the next Winter Olympics would be.

I think it would be stunningly short-sighted for the NHL not to participate in the 2018 games, however I have all confidence in the NHL owner's ability to be stunningly short sighted.

I hope we go, I won't be surprised if we don't.

Plus, I predicted Backlund would be a lock for the Swedes in 2018, I really want to be able to pull that post out of the hat in 2017.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by cal_guy

US NBC Primetime tv viewership

Vancouver Olympics
Opening Ceremonies 32.7 million
First Saturday 26.2 million

London Olympics
Opening Ceremonies 40.7 million
First Saturday 28 million

Sochi Olympics
Opening Ceremonies 31.7 million
First Saturday 25.1 million

Total US tv viewership
Vancouver Olympics 190 million
London Olympics 219 million

Yes... was going to say 25 million watched on Saturday... this year's winter classic had 4.4 million (which is the 2nd highest regular season NHL game since 1975)

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I dont think Americans watch the Olympics as sport. They watch it like a drama like a tv show. This is seen by showing the Olympics as a taped delayed tv show with 100 commercials. Just like any tv show the heros are in US Jerseys and the villians are the rest. The US wins and they cheer for a second cause the hero won. To then go watch the sport of hockey after that? That would actually require work.

Do you have any proof/statistics to back this up? I'm in Houston for work currently and would have to disagree. It's on TV and the people here do talk about it. The TV coverage is directed only at US athletes obviously but they still have success at winter sports.

The US is the most patriotic country in the world so of course they are going to support their Athletes and hope that they defeat all other countries in any sport. The summer Olympics are more popular but there's still a huge following for the winter games. I was actually surprised at how many of my co-workers enjoy watching Curling and want to try it out.

It's absurd to think that having NHLers in the Olympics doesn't affect the growth of the sport. At the very least it would cause European hockey fans to see the talent level they are missing out on and how much more exciting NHL hockey is.

[CliffFletcher]

I honestly don't think the average non-fan can tell the difference between NHL quality play and European professional or even college play. There will always be hockey at the Winter Olympics. The question is what added attraction do NHL players bring for viewers who aren't already hockey fans. Hockey was already the most popular event at the Winter Olympics before NHL players were involved.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

Do you have any proof/statistics to back this up? I'm in Houston for work currently and would have to disagree. It's on TV and the people here do talk about it. The TV coverage is directed only at US athletes obviously but they still have success at winter sports.

The US is the most patriotic country in the world so of course they are going to support their Athletes and hope that they defeat all other countries in any sport. The summer Olympics are more popular but there's still a huge following for the winter games. I was actually surprised at how many of my co-workers enjoy watching Curling and want to try it out.

It's absurd to think that having NHLers in the Olympics doesn't affect the growth of the sport. At the very least it would cause European hockey fans to see the talent level they are missing out on and how much more exciting NHL hockey is.

I don't know if the US is the most patriotic country, but they are the most obnoxious for sure.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I don't know if the US is the most patriotic country, but they are the most obnoxious for sure.

That's a bit unfair.

US patriotism is not that different from Russian patriotism.

Maybe that wasn't the best defense.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I honestly don't think the average non-fan can tell the difference between NHL quality play and European professional or even college play. There will always be hockey at the Winter Olympics. The question is what added attraction do NHL players bring for viewers who aren't already hockey fans. Hockey was already the most popular event at the Winter Olympics before NHL players were involved.

Average sport fans know of Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin. If the US isn't playing in the gold medal game... they are more likely to watch a game featuring those guys rather than Byron Ritchie and Roman Cervenka (to pick a few ex-Flames as examples)

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Itse

That's a bit unfair.

US patriotism is not that different from Russian patriotism.

Maybe that wasn't the best defense.

Well with you having Russia on your border and we having the US on ours, we may not be the best to judge but an interesting take none the less.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

The Stanley Cup is the pinnacle for the NHL.

The Olympic gold is the pinnacle for hockey.

If there are no NHL players in the Winter Olympics, I'd end up treating the event like I do the Summer Olympics, by completely ignoring it.

Perhaps ironically, Olympic gold is the pinnacle for hockey only because NHL players participate. Prior to 1998, I would argue the Canada Cup was the pinnacle for hockey. And if all goes according to the NHL's plan, the World Cup will be so in the future.

Ultimately, the NHL has to focus on its own business, and not the overall state of the sport. It will be incumbent on the IIHF to convince the NHL that remaining in the Olympics is good business for the NHL.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I dont think Americans watch the Olympics as sport. They watch it like a drama like a tv show. This is seen by showing the Olympics as a taped delayed tv show with 100 commercials. Just like any tv show the heros are in US Jerseys and the villians are the rest. The US wins and they cheer for a second cause the hero won. To then go watch the sport of hockey after that? That would actually require work.

I agree with this. I've noticed Americans love storylines, and NBC produces their broadcasts around it. At times, it really does feel like a produced drama rather than a sporting event. Just look at how they cover events like figure skating and gymnastics. It's always focused on the athlete and their backstory moreso than the actual sporting event.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Perhaps ironically, Olympic gold is the pinnacle for hockey only because NHL players participate. Prior to 1998, I would argue the Canada Cup was the pinnacle for hockey. And if all goes according to the NHL's plan, the World Cup will be so in the future.

Ultimately, the NHL has to focus on its own business, and not the overall state of the sport. It will be incumbent on the IIHF to convince the NHL that remaining in the Olympics is good business for the NHL.

Yeah, good business for the NHL and the NHLPA. If I remember correctly the Canada Cup was supposed to help fill the coffers of their pension plan.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Yeah, good business for the NHL and the NHLPA. If I remember correctly the Canada Cup was supposed to help fill the coffers of their pension plan.

Yup. The NHLPA is caught in the middle on this one too. They would obviously like to have things both ways. The players no doubt want to go to the Olympics, but an NHL/NHLPA controlled World Cup means more income for the players. If they are forced to choose between one or the other, I suspect they will go World Cup.