WC: Which tournament is more important and more interesting?

[Xokkeu]

Maybe I am a freak but I will rather watch Finland vs Sweden with their best players at a high tempo on NHL ice that they are used to, than Finland vs Sweden with their C rosters at the worlds. I must be completely out of my mind. Who on earth would watch a better quality hockey with better players and with high and intense tempo. Only a freak like me.

Finland Sweden ain't the problem.

 

[gwh]

Very well said! I would have a real World Cup easily above WHC but I absolutely will not consider this 'fantasy showcase' as a better tournament... even with the best players available. It's simply not a real international tournament, just NHL show with main goal to earn even more money for themselves.

I d have no problem with the NHL money grab, if team European leftovers and team kids are gone.

Solid 6 country tournament, quiet time of the year. Why not?

Only couple months the for the world champs. The tournament where all countries are actual countries.

 

[gretskidoo]

1. Olympics

Whatever, the ones between here are not very important, so I won't bother listing them.

956. "World" Cup

Maybe I am a freak but I will rather watch Finland vs Sweden with their best players at a high tempo on NHL ice that they are used to, than Finland vs Sweden with their C rosters at the worlds. I must be completely out of my mind. Who on earth would watch a better quality hockey with better players and with high and intense tempo. Only a freak like me.

You need to just change your name to NHL Fan unless your current one is a joke.

 

[Booster*]

Easily world Cup

Even with the gimmick teams it is still best-on-best and with these teams its the first tournament EVER! to actually include all the best players, first time for slovenian, danish, austrian, german fans etc. to have players competing for the gold on an international level. And in NA if your team fail, u have the young guns. As for the rest of the teams its the same as the olympics.

Its gonna be awesome, hope for fair refereeing and everyone will enjoy it, secretly even the grumpiest super-fans at HF.

 

[JackSlater]

Easily world Cup

Even with the gimmick teams it is still best-on-best and with these teams its the first tournament EVER! to actually include all the best players, first time for slovenian, danish, austrian, german fans etc. to have players competing for the gold on an international level. And in NA if your team fail, u have the young guns. As for the rest of the teams its the same as the olympics.

Its gonna be awesome, hope for fair refereeing and everyone will enjoy it, secretly even the grumpiest super-fans at HF.

Unless there is another Canadian B team there still won't be all of the best players at this tournament. Luckily for us though, the NHL already exists to show the best players in one place.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Maybe I am a freak but I will rather watch Finland vs Sweden with their best players at a high tempo on NHL ice that they are used to, than Finland vs Sweden with their C rosters at the worlds. I must be completely out of my mind. Who on earth would watch a better quality hockey with better players and with high and intense tempo. Only a freak like me.

It will be another 6 years until Finland can match Sweden's roster on a best-on-best tournament. But anything can happen in one game.

 

[Booster*]

Unless there is another Canadian B team there still won't be all of the best players at this tournament. Luckily for us though, the NHL already exists to show the best players in one place.

Canada already has 1,5 teams here.

If anything they could make french-canadians as one team. There should be some prestige there, right?

Anyway i woud bet big money that all haters here on the forum will still be sitting there watching and reluctantly cheering when their team scores a goal

 

[JackSlater]

Canada already has 1,5 teams here.

If anything they could make french-canadians as one team. There should be some prestige there, right?

I'm not advocating that strategy, just noting that even with the gimmicks some elite players will not be in the tournament.

Anyway i woud bet big money that all haters here on the forum will still be sitting there watching and reluctantly cheering when their team scores a goal

How much?

 

[jcbio11]

The World Championships. The Canada/World cup was always kinda weird and this latest version is just stupid.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Which tournament is more important and more interesting? World Championship in Russia and the World Cup in Toronto?
What is the main tournament for you this year?

in europe the world cup is getting no play--the world championships is

the world cup is just an ego move by the nhl that one outside of North america will care about

 

[xxxx]

I wouldn't be so quick to say that no one outside NA cares. I know my czech close friends care and according to them majority of their hockey community cares. They say it's true that ordinary people won't probably notice, unless they are into sport in general. The media will definitely cover the tournament a lot though, as any other big hockey event. They also say it seems that people actually like the two teams, even though many are sceptical about Team Europe (chemistry, motivation), but about Team NA, not so much.

 

[Slapstick]

I want to be excited for the world cup, but i just cant motivate myself enough to care. It is just a commercial **** fest for the NHL executives, team NA and EU was the final nail in the coffin.

I will watch it because i am sure some great hockey will be played, but I wont care at all who wins, there is no prestige in the world cup. The world championships will have worse players, but at least its a real tournament with some kind of recognition and history.

Both of them will rank pretty low on the list of this years most exciting sports events.

 

[xxxx]

I will watch it because i am sure some great hockey will be played, but I wont care at all who wins, there is no prestige in the world cup. The world championships will have worse players, but at least its a real tournament with some kind of recognition and history.

World Cup holds prestinge among players. That's what should matter.

 

[Ukki]

1. Olympics

-GAP-

2. WJC
3. World Cup

-GAP-

4. World Championships

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Anything less than the Olympics isn't worth my time. [/American]

 

[Slapstick]

World Cup holds prestinge among players. That's what should matter.

I doubt that. Of course they will tell you that they want to win, thats what any professional athlete would say. It holds some prestige, but so does a 5v5 game in a practise session.

World Cup is a glorified All-star game and the players know this. We see these kind of tournaments all the time in football during the off-season. The best EU teams travel Asia or America to compete for a trophy. Its a good cash grab and marketing for the clubs.

World Cup is NHL's way of doing the same, they have been pissed at the olympics for stealing the spotlight for so long. The players are not stupid, they know.

 

[xxxx]

I doubt that. Of course they will tell you that they want to win, thats what any professional athlete would say. It holds some prestige, but so does a 5v5 game in a practise session.

World Cup is a glorified All-star game and the players know this. We see these kind of tournaments all the time in football during the off-season. The best EU teams travel Asia or America to compete for a trophy. Its a good cash grab and marketing for the clubs.

World Cup is NHL's way of doing the same, they have been pissed at the olympics for stealing the spotlight for so long. The players are not stupid, they know.

that's a silly assumption really.

 

[JETZZZ]

1. Winter Olympics: Best on best hockey, biggest stage, if NHL stops participation, it will absolutely suck for the fans
2. World Cup (EXCEPT 2016): Best on best hockey, (would be better if open to top 12 or even top 16 at this point, Would probably have gained a better world-wide following if it was held every 4 years instead of at completely random times.
3. World Championships: Not best on best, takes place during NHL playoffs, however is still an international tournament worth watching.
4. 2016 World Cup: Non-national teams competing, USA and Canada not able to send best under 24, KHL participation not guaranteed so Russia/Finland/possibly Czech. team weakened as well. NOT really best on best, NOT really a real international tournament, closer to a more elaborate ALL STAR GAME. Probably will watch in the end, but definitely wont take seriously

 

[Jonimaus]

Probably won't be watching the world cup unless I'm super bored at the time, so I value world championship more I guess.

 

[Hanji]

I wouldn't be so quick to say that no one outside NA cares. I know my czech close friends care and according to them majority of their hockey community cares. They say it's true that ordinary people won't probably notice, unless they are into sport in general. The media will definitely cover the tournament a lot though, as any other big hockey event. They also say it seems that people actually like the two teams, even though many are sceptical about Team Europe (chemistry, motivation), but about Team NA, not so much.

I doubt it. Even in America, your ordinary hockey fan is unlikely to care about this World Cup. Especially in September.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=114896651&postcount=16

 

[xxxx]

I doubt it. Even in America, your ordinary hockey fan is unlikely to care about this World Cup. Especially in September.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=114896651&postcount=16

That talk with McKenzie is worthy of listening for sure. Thanks for that

Yeah, I don't know. It's true that there's the Summer Olympics, and I know the World Cup is early. Still I think it could gather big interest if the hockey is good. I think the pre-tournament games are a good move too. There's like 8 of them that will be played in North America, Russia-Canada in Pittsburgh, that will be interesting for example, and I doubt it won't get attention.

 

[kabidjan18]

That talk with McKenzie is worthy of listening for sure. Thanks for that

Yeah, I don't know. It's true that there's the Summer Olympics, and I know the World Cup is early. Still I think it could gather big interest if the hockey is good. I think the pre-tournament games are a good move too. There's like 8 of them that will be played in North America, Russia-Canada in Pittsburgh, that will be interesting for example, and I doubt it won't get attention.

Among people who love hockey for hockey I think this tournament should do fine. Yeah, merchandising may not be great, or concessions or whatever but people who love hockey for hockey will still watch. I know I will watch so I will make the conscious choice to stream it as to no contribute to TV ratings but I'll still watch. We're just a small portion of the market though. The person who's not hockey passionate however will dismiss it as gimmicky at face value, "great hockey" means nothing to them, neither does any name but Sidney Crosby. If casual American fans see America losing on ESPN, they're likely to change the channel the next time hockey comes on.

Like the podcast said, Asia is really important, and the 2022 Olympics being in Beijing changes everything. China will sink billions into those Olympics, they will feel no bit slighted if they sink in exorbitant amounts of money into the Olympics and the NHL decides not to go. The Chinese Sports Ministry has many places to sink money into, they have the power to significantly stifle hockey interest in China if they feel like it. On one hand I hate that the NHL doesn't get paid for the Olympics, but the other side of the bargaining table suddenly has a lot of leverage. The World Cup of Hockey ultimately should've been planned better, which is why it isn't garnering interest, however, if they get it right a few times and this seems an eternity away but maybe 2024 or 2028 Beijing hosts the Hockey world cup with 12 or 16 true national teams, then the IOC will face TV deals shrinking to a fraction of what they were, which I would love.

 

[JackSlater]

Like the podcast said, Asia is really important, and the 2022 Olympics being in Beijing changes everything. China will sink billions into those Olympics, they will feel no bit slighted if they sink in exorbitant amounts of money into the Olympics and the NHL decides not to go. The Chinese Sports Ministry has many places to sink money into, they have the power to significantly stifle hockey interest in China if they feel like it. On one hand I hate that the NHL doesn't get paid for the Olympics, but the other side of the bargaining table suddenly has a lot of leverage. The World Cup of Hockey ultimately should've been planned better, which is why it isn't garnering interest, however, if they get it right a few times and this seems an eternity away but maybe 2024 or 2028 Beijing hosts the Hockey world cup with 12 or 16 true national teams, then the IOC will face TV deals shrinking to a fraction of what they were, which I would love.

There is no way that hockey could grow anywhere near that fast in China. You're essentially speculating that hockey, a sport Chinese people by and large have no interest in, will grow at a faster rate than basketball, a sport that is extremely popular in the country, has.

As far as American ratings, it's pretty obvious that there won't be significant ratings for the tournament, gimmicks or otherwise. They'll make money from the gate and the viewers in Canada, and that's about it.

 

[kabidjan18]

There is no way that hockey could grow anywhere near that fast in China. You're essentially speculating that hockey, a sport Chinese people by and large have no interest in, will grow at a faster rate than basketball, a sport that is extremely popular in the country, has.

As far as American ratings, it's pretty obvious that there won't be significant ratings for the tournament, gimmicks or otherwise. They'll make money from the gate and the viewers in Canada, and that's about it.

I didn't speculate anything, bids happen to have a lot with money if you didn't know, and since the NHL wants to grow the sport in China they'd give it to them in the blink of an eye. China can naturalize a good enough team in no time, forget 2024 or 2028 they could be ready by 2019 with the new KHL team. Also, since you didn't bother to fact check, China is hosting the World Cup of Basketball in 2019 while being ranked 14th (and that ranking was lower even than that at a time).

The second part I don't have time to address, a baby is crying across the room and it's sound is more logical than the comment at hand.

 

[JackSlater]

I didn't speculate anything, bids happen to have a lot with money if you didn't know, and since the NHL wants to grow the sport in China they'd give it to them in the blink of an eye. China can naturalize a good enough team in no time, forget 2024 or 2028 they could be ready by 2019 with the new KHL team. Also, since you didn't bother to fact check, China is hosting the World Cup of Basketball in 2019 while being ranked 14th (and that ranking was lower even than that at a time).

Your "fact checking" is laughable. The NBA has been developing the Chinese market for decades and there is only now going to be a somewhat significant tournament there. You are speculating on a hockey best on best tournament (which the World Cup of basketball is not) taking place in China in just over ten years, despite the huge difference that hockey is not remotely popular in China. There is no reason to believe that hockey is going to take off in China in the way that basketball (a far more accessible sport) has, better yet much to a larger degree as you speculate.

The NHL would have to be even more stupid than I ever imagined to give its World Cup to a country where the gates will be minimal and the time zone will ensure that viewership around the world is tiny. A naturalized, weak KHL team, which is obviously an overly simplified fantasy, would struggle to qualify for the tournament (the NHL claims that it wants qualifiers) unless the field was expanded massively. This would also go against the NHL's goal of including as many NHLers as possible, and would drive up costs tremendously for a tournament that would already be certain to lose money.