Olympics: Bettman hints NHL won't play in 2018 and 2022

[habsrule4eva3089]

Not surprising they wouldn't play in the Olympics. I think the nhl stands to make more money and have more control with a World Cup event

Yes, the only thing the NHL cares about. And that's why the league will never be popular Worldwide apart from 2 countries, and the only two countries that will care about that silly tournament.

Close to 200 million people across the World watched the Gold Medal final in Vancouver 2010, and probably just as much or maybe more for Sochi 2014's peak game. Do you think this event will even generate 20 million? Probably 3/4 of Canadians and lost Americans wondering why the hell Hockey is on during September.

The point of an International event is to include everyone, have visitors from across the Hockey World come see your event. What was it, over one million people went to the World Cup for Football in Brazil. There will be let me bold it for you...0.00!!! people from Europe or anywhere in the World that will come to the city of Toronto to watch Hockey in September.

How to hold an event, look at the World Championships in Prague when people from around the World will flock to it.

They can try growing it, but only two events matter for international Hockey that has prestige and international following.

Olympics
World Championships.

 

[hockeygeek]

Yes, the only thing the NHL cares about. And that's why the league will never be popular Worldwide apart from 2 countries, and the only two countries that will care about that silly tournament.

Over 200 million people across the World watched the Gold Medal final in Vancouver 2010, and probably just as much or maybe more for Sochi 2014's peak game. Do you think this event will even generate 20 million? Probably 3/4 of Canadians and Americans wondering why the hell Hockey is on during September.

It's also the only thing the IOC cares about. Everybody is looking to profit. Not just the nhl

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

It's also the only thing the IOC cares about. Everybody is looking to profit. Not just the nhl

It's IOC that's hosting the event, but it's the IIHF that's running the show. And they're goal is first and foremost to grow the game of Hockey. Which the NHL does not do, no one gives a crap about the NHL on a global scale. The Olympics is watched by an entire planet and to take that spotlight away is a disgrace.

And by the way, the cost to attend games in Sochi 2014 was way lower than an NHL game, for the whole preliminary and qf's. That says a lot in who's trying to cash in.

If only both the IIHF and the NHL could work together, what a gem that would be. But obviously the NHL won't unless a ''MASSIVE'' cheque is handed to them.

 

[Urbanskog]

It's also the only thing the IOC cares about. Everybody is looking to profit. Not just the nhl

Oh please, the IOC keeps 10% of the revenue to itself. I think that's pretty fair. However, the NHL's money greediness is on a whole different level.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Oh please, the IOC keeps 10% of the revenue to itself. I think that's pretty fair. However, the NHL's money greediness is on a whole different level.

Professional sport is no longer what it once was. All the major World's professional leagues are full of greed the NHL included, maybe more so then other leagues because of their inability to help grow the game. I mean I'm still in awe for some of the prices they charge to watch the product that's out there. We're not watching the Soviets of the 70's here,so much diluted talent and now with more teams coming the league will contain even more sub par talent, yet they can and will raise prices because of the demand.

The Olympics are unique because it's sport at it's purest, something so magical, professional sports can and will never bring in my opinion.

 

[Urbanskog]

Professional sport is no longer what it once was. All the major World's professional leagues are full of greed the NHL included, maybe more so then other leagues because of their inability to help grow the game. I mean I'm still in awe for some of the prices they charge to watch the product that's out there. We're not watching the Soviets of the 70's here, yet they can and will because of the demand.

The Olympics are unique because it's sport at it's purest, something so magical, professional sports can and will never bring in my opinion.

"Lack of effort" would be more fitting.

 

[Yakushev72]

But you still haven't provided any evidence that Canada won in Sochi thanks to biased refs. You maintain that it's true only refuse to prove it.

The final against Sweden is on youtube in its entirety and you should be able to watch the game and point out where the refs made poor calls against Sweden or neglected to make calls against Canada. This will be easy for you given that you think the refs were so decisive.

I'm sure there have been examples of bias in the past, even from supposedly "neutral" refs (see: Soviet linesman in 1966 FIFA World Cup final between England and West Germany). But Sochi? I didn't see it.

I can prove it with a syllogism.

"Olympic hockey teams win gold medals when the referees are biased in their favor."

"Patriotic Canadian citizens served as referees in all Olympic medal round games in which Canada participated."

"Canada won the Gold Medal."

"Therefore, Canada won the Olympic Gold Medal in Sochi because of the bias of patriotic Canadian citizens who refereed their games."

That satisfies all of the precepts of Philosophy and Interlocular Logic sufficient to prove the syllogism.

 

[xxxx]

I officiate football and baseball. Have gone to clinics given by NFL officials and MLB umpires. Have exchanged emails with an NFL official who lives near me and is still very active with his old HS association. Most people do not realize the level of pride these guys have in what they do. The NHL officials would not have risen through the ranks without that pride. I do not believe for a second that an NHL official would ever favor Canada or the US over any team from Europe nor would they favor Canada over the US (or vice versa). If someone has evidence of an NHL official ever calling a game in a biased manner, I would love to see it. BTW, a missed call doesn't qualify. Remember, they do not have the benefit of replay, slow motion, or multiple angles. What looks like a penalty from one angle might not from the other. Happens all the time in my games in football. When they miss a call or get a call wrong, it does bother them.

This and this. Just because you don't like a call it doesn't mean the official is biased. If you want to see "bias", look at this year's WHC final between Russia and Finland. Oh, wait, that was in favour of Russia. I swear that if this happend at a World Cup final between Canada and Russia in favour of Canada, 'Yakushev72' and posters like him would go so crazy we can't even imagine. Yet, I haven't seen a word about it from most of the Russians, if not from all. When it happens in favour of Russia, it's simply not a bias. But, that's not just a "russian" problem. I would swear that many, many fans around the whole world - whether it's soccer, football, hockey, or whatever - think the referee is biased everytime he makes a call they don't like. But, if the same happens in favour of their team, it's 'just a mistake, or nothing at all'. This is a common picture and it rather says that people/the fans are somehow biased. Not all of them, and I believe not even majority, but you would find quite a lot of them. I don't say the gold-medal game with Finland was biased, but the officiating was really screwd in my eyes. I remember that one Russian who should've got 5+GM, and that's just a top.

 

[hockeygeek]

It's IOC that's hosting the event, but it's the IIHF that's running the show. And they're goal is first and foremost to grow the game of Hockey. Which the NHL does not do, no one gives a crap about the NHL on a global scale. The Olympics is watched by an entire planet and to take that spotlight away is a disgrace.

And by the way, the cost to attend games in Sochi 2014 was way lower than an NHL game, for the whole preliminary and qf's. That says a lot in who's trying to cash in.

If only both the IIHF and the NHL could work together, what a gem that would be. But obviously the NHL won't unless a ''MASSIVE'' cheque is handed to them.

Oh please, the IOC keeps 10% of the revenue to itself. I think that's pretty fair. However, the NHL's money greediness is on a whole different level.

You guys are picking sides. Nobody is in it for the sport. Olympics is a multi billion dollar business. It's not a charity. They all want your money.

 

[Jonimaus]

You guys are picking sides. Nobody is in it for the sport. Olympics is a multi billion dollar business. It's not a charity. They all want your money.

Pretty clear which is the lesser of 2 evil, if that's how you want to put it.

 

[TheTwelfth]

It's also the only thing the IOC cares about. Everybody is looking to profit. Not just the nhl

Most of the money (90%) goes back to the federations that have trained the players, i.e. Hockey Canada and Hockey USA for the N. Americans. You think the minor-league coaches and ice rinks just pop up by themselves? The NHL just want to put a few extra millions in some billionaires' pockets, most of the Olympics revenue at least goes towards future players and generating interest in kids.

 

[patnyrnyg]

In answer to your questions: (1) Yes, the Russians probably would have won the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cups without biased homeboy officials

You are so wrong it is not even funny, and I am not Canadian.

 

[xxxx]

It's IOC that's hosting the event, but it's the IIHF that's running the show. And they're goal is first and foremost to grow the game of Hockey.
Which the NHL does not do, no one gives a crap about the NHL on a global scale.

Unless it's olympic time where the NHL players are the main reason of the interest.

The NHL is a league, not an international association, like the IIHF.

Also, I'm tired of the constant blaming of NHL for everything. They have sent its players to olympics 5 times in a row, so it's not like they don't care.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

My friends of the International Tournament sector.

I present to you the World Cup 2016.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...015730909.html

There are enough NHL stars to populate six national teams: Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. But it’s an eight-team tournament; do you bring in Switzerland? Germany? Slovakia? Latvia? None of them have the numbers to be total NHL rosters, without any Euro league or KHL players, and that’s the goal for this tournament: Have it controlled by the NHL and the NHLPA, and populated with its players. (Good luck with Russia, by the way.)

The solution? To have the other two teams in the tournament be all-star teams.

As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported on Monday, the NHL is considering a Ryder Cup-style European All-Star team that would be comprised of players from nations that aren’t represented in the Big Six. Anze Kopitar, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara, Jaroslav Halak, Jonas Hiller, Nino Niederreitter and others would star on this squad.

I know most of us on this side of the forum are people who enjoy true Hockey, and all of might argue once in a while, but reading this, we just all spilt our drinks laughing the hardest laugh of the day.

 

[cutchemist42]

Ken Campbell ‏@THNKenCampbell 13m13 minutes ago
If Olympics get ditched for a World Cup with 2 all-star teams, I can only hope fans vote with their feet and refuse to attend this farce.

And boom goes the dynamite...

 

[xxxx]

My friends of the International Tournament sector.

I present to you the World Cup 2016.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...015730909.html

There are enough NHL stars to populate six national teams: Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. But it’s an eight-team tournament; do you bring in Switzerland? Germany? Slovakia? Latvia? None of them have the numbers to be total NHL rosters, without any Euro league or KHL players, and that’s the goal for this tournament: Have it controlled by the NHL and the NHLPA, and populated with its players. (Good luck with Russia, by the way.)

The solution? To have the other two teams in the tournament be all-star teams.

As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported on Monday, the NHL is considering a Ryder Cup-style European All-Star team that would be comprised of players from nations that aren’t represented in the Big Six. Anze Kopitar, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara, Jaroslav Halak, Jonas Hiller, Nino Niederreitter and others would star on this squad.

I know most of us on this side of the forum are people who enjoy true Hockey, and all of might argue once in a while, but reading this, we just all spilt our drinks laughing the hardest laugh of the day.

I wouldn't like it, but I am 100% sure that this will not happen. Lol at everybody who takes seriously that the NHL would actually really consider this. Not a chance.

Just reading that "the goal for this tournament" is to have none european-league players, tells me a lot about the credibility of this speculation.

 

[Canuckistani]

My friends of the International Tournament sector.

I present to you the World Cup 2016.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...015730909.html

There are enough NHL stars to populate six national teams: Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. But it’s an eight-team tournament; do you bring in Switzerland? Germany? Slovakia? Latvia? None of them have the numbers to be total NHL rosters, without any Euro league or KHL players, and that’s the goal for this tournament: Have it controlled by the NHL and the NHLPA, and populated with its players. (Good luck with Russia, by the way.)

The solution? To have the other two teams in the tournament be all-star teams.

As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported on Monday, the NHL is considering a Ryder Cup-style European All-Star team that would be comprised of players from nations that aren’t represented in the Big Six. Anze Kopitar, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara, Jaroslav Halak, Jonas Hiller, Nino Niederreitter and others would star on this squad.

I know most of us on this side of the forum are people who enjoy true Hockey, and all of might argue once in a while, but reading this, we just all spilt our drinks laughing the hardest laugh of the day.

Absolutely insane, on so many levels. I can only hope the reporter is having a laugh.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

I wouldn't like it, but I am 100% sure that this will not happen. Lol at everybody who takes seriously that the NHL would actually really consider this. Not a chance.

Just reading that "the goal for this tournament" is to have none european-league player, tells me a lot about the credibility of this speculation.

http://hockey.sport-express.ru/reviews/50938/

 

[ForumNamePending]

At this point the numerous 'WCup vs Olympics' and 'what tournaments do and don't matter' threads have become pretty tedious (and at times ugly) so in more recent times I have been trying to, at least until more info about the future of 'best vs best' tournaments is available, stay away from them but if there is any truth to that article...

I have been skeptical of a NHL run WCup but I never thought some of the ideas I presented (in jest) over the past year or so might actually come to fruition.

Who says I am being sarcastic... OK, ok, I am, but only sort of. If the tournament is about what works best for the NHL and their bottom line...

- Why would you hold it anywhere except Toronto? That's the market where you are going to be able to charge the most for tickets. It is also the centre for media in (english) Canada and home to the most corporate HQs.

<snip>

- If you limit it to the four nations outlined above you don't have to worry about covering insurance for players that don't even play in the NHL or trying to sell tickets to games featuring players few have heard of. If you are worried about not having players Ovechkin or Malkin involved just have them play for one of the 4 teams already involved. You could actually have a draft of 'miscellaneous' players and this would also allow stars like Kopitar and Vanek to play without actually needing to have Austria or Slovenia participacte.

<snip>

I don't think anyone knows exactly what the NHL's plans are at this point, including perhaps the NHL. I think over time a tournament outside of the Olympics could be built into something pretty big and important. It will never get the exposure the Olympics does but I see other benefits to it. I just don't think it will happen with a unilaterally NHL run WCup and that might be fine as far as the NHL is concerned.

The NHL probably isn't thinking of trying to get back into international hockey for the purposes of growing the game or creating an event with any level of legitimacy or prestige. The NHL may just look at the WCup the same way it looks at outdoor games... A chance to increase revenue.

If the WCup ends up being a short tournament held over labour day weekend in Toronto featuring Canada, US, Sweden, Czech Rep & 'team miscellaneous' the NHL might be totally cool with that as long as it makes money.

Don't get me wrong... I think all things considered 'replacing' the Olympic tournament with a NHL owned and operated WCup would suck but from the NHL's perspective it would some sense.

I covered this in an earlier post. If a country doesn't have enough NHLers you get creative. Combine Finland and Russia. Fold Slovakia in with the Czech Rep. Guys from places like Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, etc can be on "team miscellaneous".

The NHL/NHLPA doesn't have to deal with anyone. They can hold it where they want when they want. They will get to keep all the revenue. For some it's a dream tournament!

As the apparent (and accidental) conceptual father of the 'new' WCup I think I should get a slice of the profits.

 

[cutchemist42]

I just dont see the reason anymore to market this as a World Cup, it literally shares nothing anymore with what people expect when they hear World Cup of (insert sport)

 

[Yakushev72]

This and this. Just because you don't like a call it doesn't mean the official is biased. If you want to see "bias", look at this year's WHC final between Russia and Finland. Oh, wait, that was in favour of Russia. I swear that if this happend at a World Cup final between Canada and Russia in favour of Canada, 'Yakushev72' and posters like him would go so crazy we can't even imagine. Yet, I haven't seen a word about it from most of the Russians, if not from all. When it happens in favour of Russia, it's simply not a bias. But, that's not just a "russian" problem. I would swear that many, many fans around the whole world - whether it's soccer, football, hockey, or whatever - think the referee is biased everytime he makes a call they don't like. But, if the same happens in favour of their team, it's 'just a mistake, or nothing at all'. This is a common picture and it rather says that people/the fans are somehow biased. Not all of them, and I believe not even majority, but you would find quite a lot of them. I don't say the gold-medal game with Finland was biased, but the officiating was really screwd in my eyes. I remember that one Russian who should've got 5+GM, and that's just a top.

I know the referee in that game wasn't Russian, and I don't think he was Finnish either. So I'm not sure what your point is here?

 

[Mehar]

My friends of the International Tournament sector.

I present to you the World Cup 2016.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...015730909.html

There are enough NHL stars to populate six national teams: Canada, the U.S., Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. But it’s an eight-team tournament; do you bring in Switzerland? Germany? Slovakia? Latvia? None of them have the numbers to be total NHL rosters, without any Euro league or KHL players, and that’s the goal for this tournament: Have it controlled by the NHL and the NHLPA, and populated with its players. (Good luck with Russia, by the way.)

The solution? To have the other two teams in the tournament be all-star teams.

As Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported on Monday, the NHL is considering a Ryder Cup-style European All-Star team that would be comprised of players from nations that aren’t represented in the Big Six. Anze Kopitar, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara, Jaroslav Halak, Jonas Hiller, Nino Niederreitter and others would star on this squad.

I know most of us on this side of the forum are people who enjoy true Hockey, and all of might argue once in a while, but reading this, we just all spilt our drinks laughing the hardest laugh of the day.

This is ridiculous. This is not a World Cup of Hockey. Imagine if they did this in Soccer (LOL)? The outcry would be a lot. Slovakia and Switzerland should be the 7th and 8th teams. Slovakia and Switzerland over the past decade have played teams tough whether in the Olympics or WHC. Switzerland beat Canada in 2006 Olympics and the Slovaks were a goal post away of tying team Canada in the 2010 Semis. Hope this is not a reality, but only talk. Would make the World Cup look like a joke.

 

[xxxx]

I just dont see the reason anymore to market this as a World Cup, it literally shares nothing anymore with what people expect when they hear World Cup of (insert sport)

I don't know why we and anyone should judge someone for something that is maybe not going to happen.

 

[xxxx]

I know the referee in that game wasn't Russian, and I don't think he was Finnish either. So I'm not sure what your point is here?

So if it was reversed and that referee made bad calls against your team, you wouldn't think he's biased, rather you would think he's biased if he officiated perfectly, but was from Finland. Nice logic.

 

[Canuckistani]

This is ridiculous. This is not a World Cup of Hockey. Imagine if they did this in Soccer (LOL)? The outcry would be a lot. Slovakia and Switzerland should be the 7th and 8th teams. Slovakia and Switzerland over the past decade have played teams tough whether in the Olympics or WHC. Switzerland beat Canada in 2006 Olympics and the Slovaks were a goal post away of tying team Canada in the 2010 Semis. Hope this is not a reality, but only talk. Would make the World Cup look like a joke.

I was really looking forward to another World Cup tournament, based on the logical assumption that it would be at least similar to the prior World Cups (and every other international tournament every played) in that it would feature national teams.

It never even occured to me, or anyone else, that the NHL organizers would actually have the lunacy to replace Slovakia/Switzerland with "all-star teams."

No Slovak or German with an ounce of pride would relegate themselves to some mixed-up "Euro" team, and no hockey fan with an ounce of self-respect would agree to watch such a joke.

The IIHF has always been capable of stupid ideas (no gold medal game until 1992, shootouts, a two-game semi/final in 1998-99 followed by an OT "mini-game"), but nothing they have done comes close to meaningless "all-star" teams taking part in a best-on-best event.

The NHL is insane for even considering this.