2017-18 Champions Hockey League

[albator71]

This tournament has 6 years to develop.They have a 6 year deal with Infront sports. If in 6 years arenas are not full and the league is not showing a profit the CHL will fold. However, i am hopeful the league can be successful. I am an American and a NHL fan. My interest in European hockey was developed by watching Euro soccer.

My questions for Euro hockey fans:

What do you believe would make the CHL successful?

Starting the league later in the hockey season?
Include the KHL? or winner plays KHL champion? (Ska vs Frolunda would be great)
Less teams in the competition?
Remove the Challenge Nations like France and Denmark? ( I like the chance for upsets)
The winner gets to play an NHL team?

Why is the Eurohockey fan not embracing this tournament?

I live in Canada but I will give you my opinion

The first thing is the time of the CHL starts playing, August, its still training camp for all the countries who are participating in the tournament so of course all the fans view this as an exhibition tournament.

Secondly the prize money is still low but this year I think it's 1,54 million euros so it is getting better and increasing.

Third its still a new concept in hockey, so it will take time for rivalries to form, Rome wasn't build in a day, over time I still believe that the CHL will get better and bigger.

For me the one thing they could change is starting the CHL in October instead of August, then the fans can't say its a "friendly" tournament anymore and I assume that all fans would take it more seriously.

 

[Urbanskog]

Secondly the prize money is still low but this year I think it's 3,7 million euros so it is getting better and increasing.

It's 1.54 million this season and it'll grow to 3.46 million for 2022-23.

2017-18: 1.54 million of which the winner takes 300k
2018-19: 1.74 million of which the winner takes 365k
2019-20: 1.94 million of which the winner takes 430k
2020-21: 2.96 million of which the winner takes 575k
2021-22: 3.20 million of which the winner takes 645k
2022-23: 3.46 million of which the winner takes 720k

 

[albator71]

It's 1.54 million this season and it'll grow to 3.46 million for 2022-23.

2017-18: 1.54 million of which the winner takes 300k
2018-19: 1.74 million of which the winner takes 365k
2019-20: 1.94 million of which the winner takes 430k
2020-21: 2.96 million of which the winner takes 575k
2021-22: 3.20 million of which the winner takes 645k
2022-23: 3.46 million of which the winner takes 720k

Oh its only 1.54 M for this year? Thank you for the correction Urbanskog

They need to find ways to increase that so the winning team gets at least 1 million.

 

[Urbanskog]

Oh its only 1.54 M for this year? Thank you for the correction Urbanskog

They need to find ways to increase that so the winning team gets at least 1 million.

I agree, I think that the champions should get more of the total prize money.

 

[stars33]

For the North American Hockey fan, a good CHL or KHL would provide interesting and entertaining hockey games during the morning and afternoon hours. I am kind of jealous of soccer fans being able to find a entertaining game any time during the day.
But what i am really asking is, What is it going to take for Europeans hockey fans to Embrace the Champions Hockey league?
I would love to see the CHL be successful. And i am curious to find out why Euro hockey fans are not embracing this tournament as much as they should. Even though the arena atomsphere has been improving.
Also i like that the Tournament starts before the NHL season. I usually get my itch to watch hockey around this time.

 

[stars33]

I agree, I think that the champions should get more of the total prize money.

In 2022-23, the winner will receive 720,000 plus their earnings from previous victories in the earlier CHL rounds. So the winner will collect close or maybe over 1 million EURO.

 

[Jablkon]

I can understand teams from Poland, UK and France not being a draw for Swiss, Swedish, Finnish, etc... but don't get the complaints about arena size.

Nottingham (Capacity 7,500) for example have similar or larger arenas than Vaxjo, Davos, Mountfield HK, Kometa Brno, Klagenfurt, Tappara Tempere, Bili Tygri Liberec, JYP Jyväskylä, EV Zug, Stavanger Oilers, HC Oceláři Třinec, Vienna Capitals, Red Bull Munchen, KalPa Kuopio, Grizzlys Wolfsburg, HV71, Red Bull Salzburg. It's also more modern than most of those arenas. The previous British entry, the Sheffield Steelers have an even bigger arena.

The issue is that fans of teams from lowly hockey nations like UK don't want to see their team get thrashed and top teams, don't want to watch a very one-sided affair. Whilst yesterday and previously Hamburg were fantastic nights as a Nottingham fan, I remember going to watch them play eventual champions Lulea and lose 10-1 IIRC.

Nottingham will have turned some heads amongst our fanbase, and it looks like tomorrows game against Bern should get a bigger crowd at least.

This.

Apart from that there 4960 spectators in Brno which,of course ,means less than 5000, but for 40 people. There were more than 3000 spectators in Hradec Kralove watching match against Panthers. Thats not bad imo.

I dont think there are too many weak teams and its only up to clubs to attract spectators and improve. I understand people dont want to see their club being trashed. But this tourney is big chance for these teams and hockey in that regions. So I would assume there should be visible progress in lets say three years.

 

[Albatros]

And i am curious to find out why Euro hockey fans are not embracing this tournament as much as they should.

One reason is that they do not want to see foreign teams play at all, and for this to change it will take many years. Eventually things will change when people get used to the new normal, exposed to the fact that there is a hockey universe consisting of more than just the domestic league and the NHL, but I'm not sure whether 6 years will be enough for it or not.

 

[Jablkon]

This tournament has 6 years to develop.They have a 6 year deal with Infront sports. If in 6 years arenas are not full and the league is not showing a profit the CHL will fold. However, i am hopeful the league can be successful. I am an American and a NHL fan. My interest in European hockey was developed by watching Euro soccer.

My questions for Euro hockey fans:

What do you believe would make the CHL successful?
money,KHL inclusion, serious performances by all team, people getting used to rivalry and to hardworking hockey, not a tick tack toe slow motion which they like (in czech)
Starting the league later in the hockey season?
Its ok imo. Preseason has never been so interesting as it is now.
Include the KHL? or winner plays KHL champion? (Ska vs Frolunda would be great)
For sure. Rather to include some teams directly to the competition. However lot of teams have tiny rosters to compete in domestic league and in CHL (even including KHL teams).But it would help a lot because right now there just two automatic favourites - finns and swedes.
Less teams in the competition?
Remove the Challenge Nations like France and Denmark? ( I like the chance for upsets)
I would doublecheck it in three years.
The winner gets to play an NHL team?
Sure, I would even suggest to NHL that CHL champion could travel to NA. They would definetely find spot for one match in NHL preseason schedule. Might be refreshing for NA fans and 4-5 days NA trip shouldnt have big impact on Euro team.
Why is the Eurohockey fan not embracing this tournament?

Many reasons. Euro leagues have never been covered by foreign journalists (except now KHL). National teams tourneys seem to be sufficient for euro fan. There is no historical tension among euro clubs, thus no rivalry. CHL hockey is different, more serious compare to for example czech league matches. Does not make much sense, but some people really prefer their team beating everybody in slow hockey than batlle like crazy against swedish team.

Me personally I sometimes attend CHL games mostly just because of hockey quality, not because of he name of the opponent. As a Sparta Prague fan I would give anything to face Slovan Bratislava in this competition. Right now I would definetely go to any match against Frolunda and hope for revenge. For some reason I like games against Oulun. Slovan thing is historically done but other two smaller rivalries were built in CHL ( for me)

 

[Slimmy]

A game between two Swedish teams in the CHL will draw less than in the SHL unless it is the final. Rivalry or no rivalry the CHLs brand is a lot weaker than the SHL. It takes time, money and a lot of careful effort to build a brand. But they are slowly getting there. The new website is pretty darn crisp and the new English casters for the streams are very professional. Prize Money is increasing and the competition overall is better and so is the parity. They are on the right path and if you are doing all the right things the media will come around and so will the fans.

 

[Slimmy]

Interest for the tourney is increasing in Sweden. Proof 9f this is that Swedish television no longer have soul broadcasting rights any longer. For this year Viasat share the broadcasting rights. I could be imagining things but I'm fairly certain attendance has increased for group stage games here in Sweden. Brynäs are new to the show so not including them.

 

[Tomas W]

A game between two Swedish teams in the CHL will draw less than in the SHL unless it is the final. Rivalry or no rivalry the CHLs brand is a lot weaker than the SHL. It takes time, money and a lot of careful effort to build a brand. But they are slowly getting there. The new website is pretty darn crisp and the new English casters for the streams are very professional. Prize Money is increasing and the competition overall is better and so is the parity. They are on the right path and if you are doing all the right things the media will come around and so will the fans.

The CHL is aired heavily in Swedish television, that should help open the crowds eyes to this. I think at least now people know what it is. Not all hockey fans inform themselves with new stuff, and it takes time to understand what the tournament is about. I think the CHL have good growth potential still.

 

[vorky]

I can understand teams from Poland, UK and France not being a draw for Swiss, Swedish, Finnish, etc... but don't get the complaints about arena size.

Nottingham (Capacity 7,500) for example have similar or larger arenas than Vaxjo, Davos, Mountfield HK, Kometa Brno, Klagenfurt, Tappara Tempere, Bili Tygri Liberec, JYP Jyväskylä, EV Zug, Stavanger Oilers, HC Oceláři Třinec, Vienna Capitals, Red Bull Munchen, KalPa Kuopio, Grizzlys Wolfsburg, HV71, Red Bull Salzburg. It's also more modern than most of those arenas. The previous British entry, the Sheffield Steelers have an even bigger arena.

The issue is that fans of teams from lowly hockey nations like UK don't want to see their team get thrashed and top teams, don't want to watch a very one-sided affair. Whilst yesterday and previously Hamburg were fantastic nights as a Nottingham fan, I remember going to watch them play eventual champions Lulea and lose 10-1 IIRC.

Nottingham will have turned some heads amongst our fanbase, and it looks like tomorrows game against Bern should get a bigger crowd at least.

I checked arenas of following teams (per wiki): Cardiff (capacity 3,088), Esbjerg (4,200 -that is OK), Gap (2,800), B.Bystrica (under 3,000), Grodno (2,487), Stavanger (4,377 - that is OK). In my opinion, arenas with capacity of 5 000 seats should be a minimum standard for a league like the CHL. People here compared the CHL to Basketball Euroleague... but Basketball Euroleague has a condition for arena to have at least for 10 000 seats. I do not say that the CHL should have minimal capacity at 10 000, because it is not real.

But I agree with you that arena size is a problem of bigger clubs/leagues as well. And that is sad. For example, Slovak teams Banská Bystrica & Nitra have one of the worst arenas in the country, but the CHL has been played here. How does the CHL want to fix this problem? One solution is to force the teams with bad arenas to play on another venue (like it is in UEFA Champions League), but that would limit the CHL to one or two arenas per country. Another solution is to force teams to invest into arenas, but the teams do not have money. And I am not talking about capacity, but also things like lightning, boards, ice, tv equipment etc.

The issue is that fans of teams from lowly hockey nations like UK don't want to see their team get thrashed

Another reason I missed, thanks for pointing out.

 

[albator71]

Wow Stavanger is surprising Kometa 2-0 that's a shocker so far but still a lot of hockey to be played in this one.

I know that Kometa is resting a couple of their key players but they still have plenty of talent playing today to be able to beat Stavanger imo

Yes now its 2-1 after the 1st kometa with a late goal

 

[Urbanskog]

I checked arenas of following teams (per wiki): Cardiff (capacity 3,088), Esbjerg (4,200 -that is OK), Gap (2,800), B.Bystrica (under 3,000), Grodno (2,487), Stavanger (4,377 - that is OK). In my opinion, arenas with capacity of 5 000 seats should be a minimum standard for a league like the CHL. People here compared the CHL to Basketball Euroleague... but Basketball Euroleague has a condition for arena to have at least for 10 000 seats. I do not say that the CHL should have minimal capacity at 10 000, because it is not real.

But I agree with you that arena size is a problem of bigger clubs/leagues as well. And that is sad. For example, Slovak teams Banská Bystrica & Nitra have one of the worst arenas in the country, but the CHL has been played here. How does the CHL want to fix this problem? One solution is to force the teams with bad arenas to play on another venue (like it is in UEFA Champions League), but that would limit the CHL to one or two arenas per country. Another solution is to force teams to invest into arenas, but the teams do not have money. And I am not talking about capacity, but also things like lightning, boards, ice, tv equipment etc.

I guess that setting a league-wide minimum capacity could be something to consider in the future but not in the present as games are sold out only rarely.

 

[lakers11]

Chl is dead in växjö

Its free entry and the arena is only half full.

Regardless, love this young team.


I'll take this over some overpayed known players. So fun to watch

Also, thank Finland for giving us GOAT Kiiskinen

 

[Jablkon]

I watched just LAst 15 minutes of Kometa - Stavanger but what a hockey. Kometa and its fans have to adapt to it. But you dont watch hockey like this in September.

 

[albator71]

Liberec with two late goals in the 2nd period to close the gap 3-2 versus Vaxjo, I like how Liberec is playing today, they have a very good team again this season Bakos is such a beautiful shooter

 

[vorky]

In 2022-23, the winner will receive 720,000 plus their earnings from previous victories in the earlier CHL rounds. So the winner will collect close or maybe over 1 million EURO.

720,000 is total money which winner can earn. There is "no plus"

From wikipedia about Champions Hockey League 2008

Every participating team was guaranteed an appearance fee of 300,000 euro and the winner received 1,000,000 euro. Prize money was also be awarded for winning group stage matches (50,000 euro), for the semi-final appearance (200,000 euro) and for the other finalist (500,000 euro). In total, 10 million euros were distributed

That is 2008, current CHL plans to have prize money 3,5 million euros in 2022. So, 14 years & decrease from 10 miilion to 3,5 million in prize money.

 

[lakers11]

Liberec with two late goals in the 2nd period to close the gap 3-2 versus Vaxjo, I like how Liberec is playing today, they have a very good team again this season Bakos is such a beautiful shooter

Your team is playing really ugly

Hope Kiiskinen is OK


Dont like these type of matches where chances are high to get your players injured

 

[lakers11]

We can congratulate Liberec for making Lakers lose focus. One of our best players seems to be injured

Now I hope Davos takes the 2nd place

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Vegas pick Jonas Röndbjerg such a smart player. 2 goals for him

 

[Jablkon]

720,000 is total money which winner can earn. There is "no plus"

From wikipedia about Champions Hockey League 2008

That is 2008, current CHL plans to have prize money 3,5 million euros in 2022. So, 14 years & decrease from 10 miilion to 3,5 million in prize money.

Seriously, you should start to learn how to work with facts. 2008 was donated by Gazprom. That company which basically donates everything in Russian sport and changes this money distribution every year dependening on politics etc. This russian way is not how the normal business should be and how its done in Europe. If you dont udertstand to it, ok, but dont use these twisted donations as a proof of how things were done or comparison how it should be done. CHL is mostly in EU territory. This unclear financing is not how business is made in EU.

Your conclusions are on the edge of demagogy. Tourney from 2008 has no relation to newly built CHL. CHL is not rich but at least it looks financialy wealthy. I can not uderstand how can you use as an afrgument tourney which worked only one year.

 

[albator71]

We can congratulate Liberec for making Lakers lose focus. One of our best players seems to be injured

Now I hope Davos takes the 2nd place

It's all part of the game, what happened exactly? I know it was at the end of the 2nd period?

I still think Liberec will take 2nd spot lakers

 

[albator71]

Vegas pick Jonas Röndbjerg such a smart player. 2 goals for him

Elias Pettersson and Jonas Røndbjerg were very good today, and yes Vancouver and Vegas are very happy with their picks.