Games in Europe - What is in it for the Teams/Players?

[tmorton]

I'm curious if anyone knows any of the innerworkings of the NHL when it comes to playing games abroad. Teams put a huge hurdle in their schedule to play, have to deal with jetlag concerns and lose at least 1 home games. So what is in it for the teams? Does the NHL pay them on top of what I assume is half the ticket value of the games played? What about the players? Are they compensated in addition to their regular salaries?

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[HockeyVirus]

Memorable experience not all players get to do, like an outdoor game on steroids. Get to feel like even more of a rockstar than usual going to a place where NHL hockey is non existent.

NHL has done a good job of choosing teams with players / history in the area which adds some specialness and let's players show their team mates their home country and culture.

 

[tmorton]

That explains the drive for the players to a degree, but what about the teams?

 

[DJJones]

That explains the drive for the players to a degree, but what about the teams?

They get told to do it as part of marketing. They wouldn't be in Europe if the owners didn't want to be there

 

[johan f]

Most teams have lost a bunch of games when coming home.

The extra bonding is one of the upsides.

 

[Kahvi]

They get told to do it as part of marketing. They wouldn't be in Europe if the owners didn't want to be there

Yeah, marketing the game is the only reason they play in Europe. Teams and cities are chosen to gain local news coverage as much as possible, like Florida vs. Dallas in Finland.

 

[MadLuke]

The nhl pay the travel cost (and lost of ticket revenues according to gpt) and if how much Quebec paid for some nhl pre-season game their rate can be quite high, so they do not need much upside to do it considering the absence of cost.

Why the teams that do not go accept to pay the expense, growth of the game would mean more league revenues I imagine.

 

[njdevils1982]

end this nonsense already