Olympics 2018

[gwh]

That's your opinion, mine's different

It is NOT an opinion. Dafaq are you on about? More spectators, more TV viewers, higher net activity, higher tv ratings.

World cup was flaming bust and 50/50 whether NHL bothers to make another one, since the schedules get so convoluted for little money.

 

[JackSlater]

And so they shut down operations because they needed the Olympics, which seems to have offered the only practical avenue for vastly increasing the exposure that you say that they wanted. Which seems to be in no way different than saying that the NHL needed the Olympics much more than the Olympics needed the NHL.

Bettman himself outlines what they wanted, as seen in his quote. Wanting something is of course not the same thing as needing something. Needing implies that the NHL required the Olympics for its survival, which is clearly not the case. If it in fact was the case, the NHL owners wouldn't be seriously considering leaving the Olympics, given that they haven't gained a whole lot of tangible benefit from Olympic participation thus far.

By the same token, the Olympics don't need the NHL. Hockey is only one event, and most viewers are casual and don't know how irrelevant the tournament will be without NHL participation. Neither needs the other more because neither needs the other at all.

 

[Nino33]

It is NOT an opinion. Dafaq are you on about? More spectators, more TV viewers, higher net activity, higher tv ratings.

World cup was flaming bust and 50/50 whether NHL bothers to make another one, since the schedules get so convoluted for little money.

The idea that "the Canada Cup/World Cup" is dead is an opinion
The Canada Cup = the World Cup (it was just a name change)

This year's World Cup was the first one held in 12 years, and in the interim the NHL/best players in the world have been going to the Olympics...if this changed, and the only chance to see the world's best players play internationally was the World Cup it'll IMO crush the ratings and money made by the WJC

My post made things abundantly clear, not sure how you could have misunderstood, but I think your "Dafaq are you on about?" shows you're not really trying to understand another's view/can't accept a differing view

 

[Nino33]

By the same token, the Olympics don't need the NHL. Hockey is only one event, and most viewers are casual and don't know how irrelevant the tournament will be without NHL participation. Neither needs the other more because neither needs the other at all.

Do you really think an absence of NHL players would garner the IOC the same TV money from NA as they get now?



Just to be clear, I'm not implying that the amount is massive in terms of worldwide (I have no idea, I'm one of those casual watchers of the Olympics, and if it wasn't on it I wouldn't care/wouldn't miss it); I'm just thinking that NA wouldn't pay as much to televise it/put it on the internet (before NHL involvement most games weren't even available to watch in NA...the gold medal game and some but not all of the Canada/US preliminary games - I'd suspect this is what would happen again without NHL players; I certainly think it would receive less coverage/garner lower ratings than it has since 1998)

 

[gwh]

The idea that "the Canada Cup/World Cup" is dead is an opinion
The Canada Cup = the World Cup (it was just a name change)

Fine. Soon to die is an opinion. 2016 flaming bust that made no money is a fact.

NHL tried to make a replacement olympics, but ended up with replacement Karjala Cup. Kind of hilarious.

 

[Nino33]

NHL tried to make a replacement olympics, but ended up with replacement Karjala Cup. Kind of hilarious.

I really don't think the NHL tried to replace the Olympics (not with U23 NA and Team Europe teams)


I'm not defending the tournament format (I've already said I didn't like it and didn't watch much/didn't watch any of the final & as far as I know it seems unlikely the next World Cup will have such teams)...but the talent was the best players in the world, and it made tens of millions of dollars


I have no idea what the Karjala Cup is...I know it doesn't have the best players in the world playing in it - does it make tens of millions of dollars?

 

[JackSlater]

Do you really think an absence of NHL players would garner the IOC the same TV money from NA as they get now?

Just to be clear, I'm not implying that the amount is massive in terms of worldwide (I have no idea, I'm one of those casual watchers of the Olympics, and if it wasn't on it I wouldn't care/wouldn't miss it); I'm just thinking that NA wouldn't pay as much to televise it/put it on the internet (before NHL involvement most games weren't even available to watch in NA...the gold medal game and some but not all of the Canada/US preliminary games - I'd suspect this is what would happen again without NHL players; I certainly think it would receive less coverage/garner lower ratings than it has since 1998)

I don't think that NHL participation makes a big difference to the overall audience in North America, and thus won't significantly affect the amount that is paid to televise the Olympics. Even if viewership goes down significantly in Canada (I don't think that this would happen significantly in the United States) there are too many other events outside of hockey for it to matter too much.

That has nothing to do with what I said though, which was that neither side needs the other. The IOC and the Olympics would survive just fine even if North American payments stagnated or decreased by a reasonable percentage.

 

[Nino33]

I don't think that NHL participation makes a big difference to the overall audience in North America, and thus won't significantly affect the amount that is paid to televise the Olympics. Even if viewership goes down significantly in Canada (I don't think that this would happen significantly in the United States) there are too many other events outside of hockey for it to matter too much.

That has nothing to do with what I said though, which was that neither side needs the other. The IOC and the Olympics would survive just fine even if North American payments stagnated or decreased by a reasonable percentage.

Thanks for answering



Just to clarify, I wasn't talking about Olympic viewership, but rather Olympic hockey viewership...I think there's a reasonable chance that without NHLers both Canadian and US coverage may choose to show something else when their countries are playing hockey, and likely wouldn't show all the games their country was involved in (unless there was literally nothing else going on or the game was for a medal); but I agree that in terms of overall viewership it wouldn't likely make a significant difference, if any at all (I watch at least some of some sporting events every 4 years in the Olympics that I otherwise never watch, and IMO the majority of NA viewers are in the same boat)

 

[JackSlater]

Thanks for answering

Just to clarify, I wasn't talking about Olympic viewership, but rather Olympic hockey viewership...I think there's a reasonable chance that without NHLers both Canadian and US coverage may choose to show something else when their countries are playing hockey, and likely wouldn't show all the games their country was involved in (unless there was literally nothing else going on or the game was for a medal); but I agree that in terms of overall viewership it wouldn't likely make a significant difference, if any at all (I watch at least some of some sporting events every 4 years in the Olympics that I otherwise never watch, and IMO the majority of NA viewers are in the same boat)

I agree that hockey viewership will likely go down in Canada and USA. The hockey will still be hyped in Canada, but most will be aware of the situation which will hurt interest. I suspect that the audiences would still be decent. I think that this will be less likely to happen in the United States, where a larger percentage of the hockey viewing audience is likely casual. I doubt that the IOC will care all that much really.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Olympics

Olympic hockey without NHL players will be garbage!
Basically a glorified Canadian Spengler cup team. To North Americans, it's the best players or it's not going to generate much attention. Since Nagano, this has become a best on best tournament and should remain just that. They need the NHL's participation, make it happen guys!

 

[Nino33]

I agree that hockey viewership will likely go down in Canada and USA. The hockey will still be hyped in Canada, but most will be aware of the situation which will hurt interest. I suspect that the audiences would still be decent. I think that this will be less likely to happen in the United States, where a larger percentage of the hockey viewing audience is likely casual. I doubt that the IOC will care all that much really.

I can't see the CBC trying to hype it much (because I think they'd know it wouldn't work, and would likely have a hard time trying to do so with a straight face HaHa), and I think the US would show other events; I remember the Olympics prior to NHL involvement, and few Canada/US hockey games were even televised...I think they'd go back to that unless either team was in a medal winning situation - but that's just my opinion)

I have no idea how the IOC works...I guess they get a lot of European/Russian money for Winter Olympic TV coverage?

 

[Rob]

If NHL players don't go women's hockey will get high ratings than the men's.

 

[1Gold Standard]

If NHL players don't go women's hockey will get high ratings than the men's.

Ah, no. ratings for the Olympic hockey tournament minus NHL involvement will take something of a hit in Canada, perhaps a small dip everywhere else, but it will still get excellent ratings and the IOC will make off like bandits with the loot of $$$$.

As for the woman? With the direction Hockey Canada and the Canadian girls are going, they don't even appear to be a medal contender for next year's tournament. I don't think Canadians are going to tune in in large numbers to see that if they don't manage to turn things around.

 

[JETZZZ]

What if the NHL let the selected players go to the Olympics, and then they just play their February games with minor league call-ups filling the roster holes? The Olympians get to play, the owners dont have to pause the season, the fans get best on best Olympic hockey, everyone wins.

 

[JackSlater]

What if the NHL let the selected players go to the Olympics, and then they just play their February games with minor league call-ups filling the roster holes? The Olympians get to play, the owners dont have to pause the season, the fans get best on best Olympic hockey, everyone wins.

Depends on if you believe that the issue really is stopping the season for a few weeks. Considering that the NHL doesn't really lose any games due to this and has already prepared a schedule for next season that factors in those missed games, I doubt that.

 

[Bear12Good]

I think NHL probably will play in OG.

 

[alko]

What if the NHL let the selected players go to the Olympics, and then they just play their February games with minor league call-ups filling the roster holes? The Olympians get to play, the owners dont have to pause the season, the fans get best on best Olympic hockey, everyone wins.

How do you thing, will the NHL fanbases react to this? And also from history point of view, individual records etc it is not so good idea.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Depends on if you believe that the issue really is stopping the season for a few weeks. Considering that the NHL doesn't really lose any games due to this and has already prepared a schedule for next season that factors in those missed games, I doubt that.

in addition, there are severe salary cap implications for such a move. Do the players who are off NHL rosters for 3 weeks still get paid? I assume they would want to still get paid. And NHL teams would have to replace those players and pay them as well. It would be Salary Cap hell for the vast majority of teams. They could do a reduced schedule, 2 games per week, and call up AHL players only on game days and reassign them directly after the game. But I'm thinking 175 AHL players might not appreciate that much either.

Do STHers get a discount on ticket packages for those block of games where the top players are off chasing down Olympic ideals? I wouldn't appreciate shelling out big dollars for that show. I go to a few games a year, Leafs/SJ/Panthers, I always manage to swing tickets comp'd, but the other costs associated with an NHL game is still rather hefty, and I wouldn't be attending any of those games minus Olympic players even with free tickets.

 

[xxxx]

I have read that the NHL could be coming with an announcement about the olympics before the NHL playoffs.
http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2017/04/02/nhl-olympic-announcement-could-come-before-start-of-playoffs/

On Saturday night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned on Hockey Night in Canada’s headlines segment that the league could announce its decision before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs next week because, in his words, “the National Hockey League does not want this overshadowing the playoffs.”

Rene Fasel, the president of the IIHF, said last week that he needs the NHL’s decision before the end of April.

 

[Yakushev72]

Bettman himself outlines what they wanted, as seen in his quote. Wanting something is of course not the same thing as needing something. Needing implies that the NHL required the Olympics for its survival, which is clearly not the case. If it in fact was the case, the NHL owners wouldn't be seriously considering leaving the Olympics, given that they haven't gained a whole lot of tangible benefit from Olympic participation thus far.

By the same token, the Olympics don't need the NHL. Hockey is only one event, and most viewers are casual and don't know how irrelevant the tournament will be without NHL participation. Neither needs the other more because neither needs the other at all.

My point was they needed it in 1998, when the NHL was relatively impoverished, and labor strife was threatening. As I think that I stated clearly enough, the question now to be resolved is do they still need the Olympics as much as they did in 1998? None of the World's other major pro sports organizations (FIFA, NFL, NBA, etc.) stop league operations in mid-season to join the Olympics, and the question is does the NHL continue to need to it to maintain some form of relevance. If the NHL leaves, Olympic hockey will still be fully relevant because they will be wearing their national colors on the ice!

 

[HasbeenHallzy]

Well, this sucks.

 

[Jakk123]

Well, NHL isn't going. Disappointed.

 

[Canuckistani]

Bettman and the NHL are human garbage.

 

[xxxx]

So the NHL officially isn't going

 

[Nino33]

Bettman and the NHL are human garbage.

I really would like to see all those NHL players that think the Olympics are so important retire from the NHL, play in Europe/Russia (KHL?) and take part in the Olympics (now guys like Ovechkin, Voráček, and others have the perfect opportunity to put their "money where their mouth is" in terms of the importance of playing internationally - honestly, I do like the fact that "their bluff has been called")


I guess we'll see how many European/Russian stars are "human garbage"