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2014 Olympics and the NHL (UPD: NHL, NHLPA, IIHF, IOC meeting this week)
And for anyone interested in going, I do believe Russia will not require ticket-holders to have a visa during the Olympics. Instead your ticket will count as a visa. The same is happening in 2014 for the World Championships in Minsk, Belarus, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
They showed on Hockey Night in Canada during the Hotstove segment, that the 2010 Olympic men's tournament had almost 65 million in ticket revenue. And the gold medal game had 8.5 million in ticket revenue.
The NHL and NHLPA want some financial compensation, more access and an international schedule to be worked out with the IIHF. Might be more than a yes or no answer to Olympic participation. Is it worth participating and committing to several olympics?
$$ is only part of the equation of what the NHL would like (and not as important as some other factors). Including input on format of tournament, scheduling, access to athletes during Olympics, access/allowed usage of game clips.
Fassel wants an answer before May's World Championships on whether NHL will participate in 2014.
If the NHL isn't able to get anything out of letting their players play in the Olympics, then they shouldn't allow them to play. It's completely unfair to the NHL to allow their players to take two weeks off when not only is the NHL not given money for it, they aren't even allowed to show highlights.
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"Trust me I'm an expert, I watched 13 rangers games on NHL center Ice this year through streaming." -Starburst
"I don't even understand what the point of all this arguing is. Are you guys hoping that the other side is going to have an epiphany and go 'Oh, OH! You're right, we ARE going to lose this series!'" -Crease
The IOC is in a tough place. If they give in on NHL's demands then all the other sports, leagues, big name athletes etc. are going to want similar terms. On the other hand the men's hockey tournament is a huuuuge event in the Winter Olympics and they need the biggest names to be there.
My impression of the IOC is that if lizard people walked the earth, hidden in human form, that would be them * . In which case, I'm fully supportive of the NHL somehow getting a cut.
* With the exception of Saku Koivu, who is a class act.
The IOC also has to realize they make millions off of the event while leaving the host city in a huge hole of debt. They don't want to lose sponsors because their meal ticket jumps ship. The real interesting fight will be what happens in 2018 when we're back in Asia. It's one thing for the NHL to shut down for the Olympics, it's another when they shut down and go play in the middle of the night overseas. It has to be as accessible as possible to North America.
These next two Winter Olympics are going to suck for NHL fans ... 3 AM start times or earlier ... **** that **** ... bring back the World Cup of Hockey every other year if the Olympics continue ... that is your fight NHLPA
Honestly, I don't care one way or another. I'll watch the Olympics no matter what, but hockey is only a minor part of what I'll watch anyway. It's nice not missing any NHL games while the Olympics are on, I guess.
The IOC also has to realize they make millions off of the event while leaving the host city in a huge hole of debt. They don't want to lose sponsors because their meal ticket jumps ship. The real interesting fight will be what happens in 2018 when we're back in Asia. It's one thing for the NHL to shut down for the Olympics, it's another when they shut down and go play in the middle of the night overseas. It has to be as accessible as possible to North America.
I don't understand this logic
The game needs to grow in Asia, and Europe more than in North America
Not in NA, which provides well over half on the IOC broadcasting revenue.
Well unless the US is playing in the gold medal game (obviously realistic but hardly a sure thing) it probably isn't pulling a 'monster' rating in the US anyway.
I get that the NHL's wealth and prestige makes it a defacto world governing body but if the bottom line is always going to be how such competitions are going to directly and immediately benefit NA and the NHL than they should just back out of the entire thing now.
Why should the NHL about growing the international game if the get 0 immediate financial benefit from it.
Grows the market. Look at the Yao Ming and Jeremy Lin effect in China. Not the same situation, but imo it helps the NHL having their players at the Olympics.
Grows the market. Look at the Yao Ming and Jeremy Lin effect in China. Not the same situation, but imo it helps the NHL having their players at the Olympics.
Not if the NHL can't use the highlights in their marketing.
10 million people in China watched the last gold medal men's hockey game. Which was probably at an awkward viewing time. In Russia, the time of games will be much more accessible for Asia. Which is the next growth market for hockey. And even more so for the olympics after that.
Also of note, every nhl has to make at least one foreign trip during this CBA. So obviously international expansion of hockey has been a mandate for the league.
Because if they don't it leaves the door open for a competing league to do it.
Any league that got truly competitive with the NHL would refuse to shutdown their business under the terms the IOC tries to force the NHL to do so now.
If the NHL isn't able to get anything out of letting their players play in the Olympics, then they shouldn't allow them to play. It's completely unfair to the NHL to allow their players to take two weeks off when not only is the NHL not given money for it, they aren't even allowed to show highlights.
I've said it before already, the highlights are already available on each national broadcasters websites and sooner or later Youtube. Do they not think people can find them there? If not, just provide the links.
I've said it before already, the highlights are already available on each national broadcasters websites and sooner or later Youtube. Do they not think people can find them there? If not, just provide the links.
It's not about just having the highlights on the website. It's about using the highlights in commercials to promote the NHL.
