Better concept for the World Cup

[xIsle]

What about this :

The top 5 teams are qualified (Canada, Russia, Finland, USA, Sweden)

So we have a short qualifying round with nine teams who battle for three spots. Each teams play two games in their groups. The one who finished first advance to the final round of the World cup. Here's an exemple :

Group A
Czech Republic
Norway
Latvia

Group B
Switzerland
Germany
Denmark

Group C
Slovakia
Belarus
Slovenia

That for me would be a real World cup. No gimmick teams. You have 14 nations who participate (with 8 in the final round) which means more interest around the world. That's the way to do it if we want to see that sport to grow in other countries.

 

[CutOnDime97]

I'd like to see the top 7 nations get in and keep team Europe. Team NA is weird for me because I kinda find myself liking them more than the US, which I do not like.

 

[The CyNick]

What about this :

The top 5 teams are qualified (Canada, Russia, Finland, USA, Sweden)

So we have a short qualifying round with nine teams who battle for three spots. Each teams play two games in their groups. The one who finished first advance to the final round of the World cup. Here's an exemple :

Group A
Czech Republic
Norway
Latvia

Group B
Switzerland
Germany
Denmark

Group C
Slovakia
Belarus
Slovenia

That for me would be a real World cup. No gimmick teams. You have 14 nations who participate (with 8 in the final round) which means more interest around the world. That's the way to do it if we want to see that sport to grow in other countries.

How do those 9 countries qualify to qualify?

Also is there a demotion process? If Canada stumbles one year do they end up in the bottom 9 grouping? Here's a hint, nobody would ever agree to that.

 

[The CyNick]

Those guys will likely be three of the best players on the planet in four years' time. I'd wager you're in the very small minority of people who'd prefer to see them on a gimmicky all-star team with an arbitrary age restriction instead of on their respective national teams.

Ticket sales indicate people are A okay with the concept.

 

[The CyNick]

I don't know about this greater good theory. The gimmick teams do have their merits and seem to have a fair bit of support but I'd bet more people would still like to see national teams only and do away with the gimmick teams. I could be wrong but I think if you were to throw up a poll, that's what we'd see. Would be interesting to speculate on what the margin of victory might be in such a poll but I'm confident National teams only would win out. Would also be interesting to do such a poll now, and again when the tournament is over, the numbers will likely change depending on how things shake out.

Anyhow, the people who would prefer no tournament at all are nuts. Canada-Russia tonight baby. Only an exhibition game but I'm still excited!

The true test will be the financial success or failure of the NA23 games. If people are not interested, they won't buy tickets or watch games. Most people in my country club couldn't stop talking about how great the NA23 team looked.

 

[The CyNick]

European fans don't care about team Europe. The only people who consistently seem like North America and the format are NHL fans in North America. Keeping these ideas basically just guarantees this tournament is going to be capped in terms of growth potential to Canadian fans and hardcore American NHL fans.

So you mean the NHLs key markets? What a disaster to cater to them....

 

[Xokkeu]

So you mean the NHLs key markets? What a disaster to cater to them....

We know that you have no interest in expanding hockey outside of Canada, but thank you for the reminder.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The true test will be the financial success or failure of the NA23 games. If people are not interested, they won't buy tickets or watch games. Most people in my country club couldn't stop talking about how great the NA23 team looked.

This has nothing to do with my post. The question is whether or not the World Cup would be more successful if it there were National teams only.

Also, there are many measures of success, financial is only one of them. But by any measure, I'm confident that this tournament doesn't need gimmick teams to be successful, in fact it would be much better without them.

The NA 23 team is fun to watch. I think we're all agreed on that.

 

[Ben White]

Ticket sales indicate people are A okay with the concept.

That's not an argument since tickets would be sold no matter what concept they came up with. This is the only best on best tourney people get. Imagine if McDonalds was the only company selling burgers for a couple of years, they could basically serve whatever **** and people would still buy it.

 

[Ben White]

How do those 9 countries qualify to qualify?

Also is there a demotion process? If Canada stumbles one year do they end up in the bottom 9 grouping? Here's a hint, nobody would ever agree to that.

Well, what you mention there, that's basically how it works everywhere outside of North America, yet nobody suggested that, except you...

 

[xIsle]

How do those 9 countries qualify to qualify?

Also is there a demotion process? If Canada stumbles one year do they end up in the bottom 9 grouping? Here's a hint, nobody would ever agree to that.

The top 5 teams according to IIHF are qualified for the final round. Will Canada be outside the top 5? I doubt that.

For the three remaining places, we take the following nine best club. We separated them into three different groups. The teams who finished first reached the final stage of the World Cup.

I frankly don't know why you are so worried for Canada...

 

[gwh]

What about this :

The top 5 teams are qualified (Canada, Russia, Finland, USA, Sweden)

So we have a short qualifying round with nine teams who battle for three spots. Each teams play two games in their groups.

This could run as a team league with local games in Europe. Like the soccer qualifiers run: games arranged between the countries on individual basis.

NHL could even pimp the european TV rights to the qualifiers to the national (free) broadcasting companies. That s a lot of spectators right there.

 

[gwh]

I frankly don't know why you are so worried for Canada...

Because some years teams like the US will completely dumpster the IIHF champs, ending very low in the rankings.

US falling out of top5 is completely plausible, even highly likely. Can't build a system where US needs to go to europe for qualifiers.

(edit: US has been rank5 or higher only 2015 and 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IIHF_..._Ice_Hockey_Ranking_between_2003_and_2014.png)

 

[xIsle]

Because some years teams like the US will completely dumpster the IIHF champs, ending very low in the rankings.

US falling out of top5 is completely plausible, even highly likely. Can't build a system where US needs to go to europe for qualifiers.

(edit: US has been rank5 or higher only 2015 and 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IIHF_..._Ice_Hockey_Ranking_between_2003_and_2014.png)

If USA are out of the top 5, their qualifying games can be held in the U.S.(as the favorite of their group). Not easy to find a perfect solution... Maybe a top 6 will be more likely with only two spots open?...

 

[gwh]

Ticket sales indicate people are A okay with the concept.

So it is fine that the best hockey market with a dismal NHL team sells seats?

Bloody Australia paid 20 million for winter olympics broadcast rights. NBC paid 4 billion for 4 winter + 4 summer olympics in US.

Literally every internet board available considers this to be a joke tournament. Very hard to sell this crap as the replacement for olympics.

Little fixing and NHL can net 500mil per tournament, easily.

 

[gwh]

If USA are out of the top 5, their qualifying games can be held in the U.S.(as the favorite of their group). Not easy to find a perfect solution... Maybe a top 6 will be more likely with only two spots open?...

Top6 + 2 from qualifiers. 2x3 team divisions for qualifiers.

Should have plenty of coverage, but there is a change that a complete pushover gets selected due goal differential. 1W 1L for all teams with low score means theoretical change for a team like France or Kazakstan making the games.

 

[JackSlater]

Ticket sales indicate people are A okay with the concept.

Ticket sales for games in 2016 indicate that people are "A okay" with McDavid, Eichel and Matthews not playing for their national teams in 2020? Impressive deduction.

 

[Jablkon]

This has nothing to do with my post. The question is whether or not the World Cup would be more successful if it there were National teams only.

Also, there are many measures of success, financial is only one of them. But by any measure, I'm confident that this tournament doesn't need gimmick teams to be successful, in fact it would be much better without them.

The NA 23 team is fun to watch. I think we're all agreed on that.

They are, and they somehow mean success so far in some point of view. But a lot of people just talk about them more as prospects, not as a team. There are discussion everywhere how this one will be good in Leafs, Jets, this season next season. No one care that much about that team itself. Team Slovakia or Switzerland would attract same interest in NA as Czech team - i.e. none. I know drafts, prospects discussions are big in NA. I am just not sure this is the venue for it. This should be up to AHL, CHL or NHL to show the talent. Testing prospects is not the purpose of int. tourney , no matter how much attractive it is for part of the fans imo.

 

[Gary Nylund]

They are, and they somehow mean success so far in some point of view. But a lot of people just talk about them more as prospects, not as a team. There are discussion everywhere how this one will be good in Leafs, Jets, this season next season. No one care that much about that team itself. Team Slovakia or Switzerland would attract same interest in NA as Czech team - i.e. none. I know drafts, prospects discussions are big in NA. I am just not sure this is the venue for it. This should be up to AHL, CHL or NHL to show the talent. Testing prospects is not the purpose of int. tourney , no matter how much attractive it is for part of the fans imo.

Yes I agree. The simple solution so Team Slovakia or Switzerland not generating any interest in NA is to have 6 National teams only. I can see the argument for the NA team, sure they're exciting to watch but at the same time, I can't help but feel that these gimmick teams devalue the tournament as a whole.

 

[86Habs]

Ticket sales for games in 2016 indicate that people are "A okay" with McDavid, Eichel and Matthews not playing for their national teams in 2020? Impressive deduction.

The NHL should hire Donald Trump to market its next World Cup. "People are talking, people are saying....OK, now believe me this tournament is going to be tremendous, it's going be the most successful and it's gonna be the biggest hockey tournament ever. It's going to be huge. I mean, huuuge. The ratings are gonna be great, they're gonna be through the roof. I've set some polls up and we're way ahead. Way ahead. Better than the NFL, believe me. Way better. Everybody I've talked to is really excited for it, there's a huge amount of anticipation out there. It's gonna be great, believe me. People are already talking about it."

 

[JackSlater]

The NHL should hire Donald Trump to market its next World Cup. "People are talking, people are saying....OK, now believe me this tournament is going to be tremendous, it's going be the most successful and it's gonna be the biggest hockey tournament ever. It's going to be huge. I mean, huuuge. The ratings are gonna be great, they're gonna be through the roof. I've set some polls up and we're way ahead. Way ahead. Better than the NFL, believe me. Way better. Everybody I've talked to is really excited for it, there's a huge amount of anticipation out there. It's gonna be great, believe me. People are already talking about it."

It's yuuuuuge. Those countries not involved, they're bums. They're losers. Only thing that could make it better would be having Putin directly involved.

 

[Xokkeu]

All Slovakia would have to do is say really nice things about him and they'd be in the tournament.

 

[86Habs]

All Slovakia would have to do is say really nice things about him and they'd be in the tournament.

A crackdown on their leftist media and allegations of election rigging also wouldn't hurt I guess.

 

[The CyNick]

We know that you have no interest in expanding hockey outside of Canada, but thank you for the reminder.

Expanding the reach of NHL hockey would be great. But there's still lots of work to be done in North America before worrying about the rest of the world.

 

[The CyNick]

This has nothing to do with my post. The question is whether or not the World Cup would be more successful if it there were National teams only.

Also, there are many measures of success, financial is only one of them. But by any measure, I'm confident that this tournament doesn't need gimmick teams to be successful, in fact it would be much better without them.

The NA 23 team is fun to watch. I think we're all agreed on that.

If people pay to see team NA23 its an indication that the concept worked. I can all but guarantee that if you subbed out NA23 for any non top 6 nation, the ticket sales and viewership would decline. That equates to less revenue. The only way to argue the point is if so many people are offended by those made up teams would suddenly watch. But looking at tv ratings and attendance so far, it's hard to imagine that would happen.