World Cup Boycott

[JTD]

Regardless of what happens with the Olympics, this World Cup was always gonna be one to showcase young talent and European talent. The league wanted to market those players and chose to do it this way. Team Europe and Team NA U23 were only gonna happen in 2016. The NHL rushed this tournament cause they wanted to get some money out of it and I don't blame them for wanting to make money but they just rushed it too much. Because they rushed it, they never gave themselves a chance to stage a real qualifying tournament and they don't see a significant difference between Slovakia, Switzerland and teams just below them in IIHF rankings. That's why they decided to go with Young Guns and Team Europe. Without a qualifier, they didn't want to just hand Switzerland and Slovakia spots. I don't agree with that but that's just the way it was.

For the next WC, there will be a qualifying tournament for European teams and my guess is it will be a pretty big one too. My guess is they'll put a qualifying tournament in Switzerland or Germany. They want to get national teams in the UK involved in the qualifying process and other non-traditional hockey nations. They won't have the same eligibility requirements as the IIHF. So, players like Wojtek Wolski will get the opportunity to play for Poland. That will be so they can "grow the game". I'm for that concept. There will be at least 8 teams, maybe 12. I'm hopeful for the latter.

It makes sense why people don't love this World Cup. I'll watch it and enjoy it but I don't like the Team Europe or NAU23 ideas, but it will be a one time thing. NHL's poor planning partly caused it but this idea won't last beyond 2016. 2020 WC will be quite a bit better but it is understandable if people won't watch this World Cup.

 

[JackSlater]

Regardless of what happens with the Olympics, this World Cup was always gonna be one to showcase young talent and European talent. The league wanted to market those players and chose to do it this way. Team Europe and Team NA U23 were only gonna happen in 2016. The NHL rushed this tournament cause they wanted to get some money out of it and I don't blame them for wanting to make money but they just rushed it too much. Because they rushed it, they never gave themselves a chance to stage a real qualifying tournament and they don't see a significant difference between Slovakia, Switzerland and teams just below them in IIHF rankings. That's why they decided to go with Young Guns and Team Europe. Without a qualifier, they didn't want to just hand Switzerland and Slovakia spots. I don't agree with that but that's just the way it was.

For the next WC, there will be a qualifying tournament for European teams and my guess is it will be a pretty big one too. My guess is they'll put a qualifying tournament in Switzerland or Germany. They want to get national teams in the UK involved in the qualifying process and other non-traditional hockey nations. They won't have the same eligibility requirements as the IIHF. So, players like Wojtek Wolski will get the opportunity to play for Poland. That will be so they can "grow the game". I'm for that concept. There will be at least 8 teams, maybe 12. I'm hopeful for the latter.

It boggles my mind that people keep regurgitating the NHL's weak excuse for the gimmick teams. This tournament has been run many times in the past, and there was never a qualifying tournament. There doesn't need to be a qualifying tournament. It's an idiotic excuse. The NHL just decided not to bring along two gimmick teams, which was within its rights to do, but it had nothing to do with whether there was time for a qualifying tournament. Also, if anyone thinks that the NHL is going to pay money in the future to have a qualifying tournament for teams with rosters comprised mostly of non-NHL players... nope.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Because some things should just not be open for business.

How do you think host cities for Olympics are determined?

 

[mouser]

Regardless of what happens with the Olympics, this World Cup was always gonna be one to showcase young talent and European talent. The league wanted to market those players and chose to do it this way. Team Europe and Team NA U23 were only gonna happen in 2016. The NHL rushed this tournament cause they wanted to get some money out of it and I don't blame them for wanting to make money but they just rushed it too much. Because they rushed it, they never gave themselves a chance to stage a real qualifying tournament and they don't see a significant difference between Slovakia, Switzerland and teams just below them in IIHF rankings. That's why they decided to go with Young Guns and Team Europe. Without a qualifier, they didn't want to just hand Switzerland and Slovakia spots. I don't agree with that but that's just the way it was.

For the next WC, there will be a qualifying tournament for European teams and my guess is it will be a pretty big one too. My guess is they'll put a qualifying tournament in Switzerland or Germany. They want to get national teams in the UK involved in the qualifying process and other non-traditional hockey nations. They won't have the same eligibility requirements as the IIHF. So, players like Wojtek Wolski will get the opportunity to play for Poland. That will be so they can "grow the game". I'm for that concept. There will be at least 8 teams, maybe 12. I'm hopeful for the latter.

It makes sense why people don't love this World Cup. I'll watch it and enjoy it but I don't like the Team Europe or NAU23 ideas, but it will be a one time thing. NHL's poor planning partly caused it but this idea won't last beyond 2016. 2020 WC will be quite a bit better but it is understandable if people won't watch this World Cup.

Personally I think the NAU23 team is one of the most exciting reasons to watch this tournament.

Yes it's contrived, but it's also completely unique and you might not see something like this happen again.

 

[JTD]

It boggles my mind that people keep regurgitating the NHL's weak excuse for the gimmick teams. This tournament has been run many times in the past, and there was never a qualifying tournament. There doesn't need to be a qualifying tournament. It's an idiotic excuse. The NHL just decided not to bring along two gimmick teams, which was within its rights to do, but it had nothing to do with whether there was time for a qualifying tournament. Also, if anyone thinks that the NHL is going to pay money in the future to have a qualifying tournament for teams with rosters comprised mostly of non-NHL players... nope.

I never once said I agreed with their reasoning. I said I disagreed with it. I would have preferred they added Switzerland and Slovakia as teams 7 and 8. They didn't do that. It sucks but it is what it is.

 

[llwyd]

I will not have a personal boycott, but neither am I very interested in this tournament. Once it starts, I'm sure I will cheering for Finland, but at the moment I'm rather meh...

 

[Xokkeu]

Personally I think the NAU23 team is one of the most exciting reasons to watch this tournament.

Yes it's contrived, but it's also completely unique and you might not see something like this happen again.

We can only hope

 

[1Gold Standard]

It boggles my mind that people keep regurgitating the NHL's weak excuse for the gimmick teams. This tournament has been run many times in the past, and there was never a qualifying tournament. There doesn't need to be a qualifying tournament. It's an idiotic excuse. The NHL just decided not to bring along two gimmick teams, which was within its rights to do, but it had nothing to do with whether there was time for a qualifying tournament. Also, if anyone thinks that the NHL is going to pay money in the future to have a qualifying tournament for teams with rosters comprised mostly of non-NHL players... nope.

exactamundo. If the NHL is willing to cut two National Federations (Slovakia/Switzerland) out of the loop because the they don't want to pay for their participation or for associated costs, then no chance in hell the NHL is going to organize and pay for a qualifying tournament for 6-8 bottom ranked European teams. The IIHF isn't paying for it. The National Federations are not going to pay for it. So, the only alternative is using IIHF rankings. The top 8 ranked teams upon the conclusion of the 2019 WHC will be participants of the 2020 World Cup.

But I doubt things will unfold like that. There will be more gimmicky teams or no tournament at all.

Or maybe Hockey Canada can do us all a solid...play some terrible hockey at consecutive WHC tournaments and fall out of the Top 8 ranking. That would throw a monkey wrench into Bettman's gimmicky tournament. But they'll just do a midnight brainstorming session around the boardroom marketing table and come up with more gimmicks. Team East Coasters with Sid sporting the C.

 

[Eisen]

How do you think host cities for Olympics are determined?

And I'm not a fan of it. Doesn't make it better to make it worse, though.

 

[JackSlater]

[/B]

exactamundo. If the NHL is willing to cut two National Federations (Slovakia/Switzerland) out of the loop because the they don't want to pay for their participation or for associated costs, then no chance in hell the NHL is going to organize and pay for a qualifying tournament for 6-8 bottom ranked European teams. The IIHF isn't paying for it. The National Federations are not going to pay for it. So, the only alternative is using IIHF rankings. The top 8 ranked teams upon the conclusion of the 2019 WHC will be participants of the 2020 World Cup.

But I doubt things will unfold like that. There will be more gimmicky teams or no tournament at all.

Or maybe Hockey Canada can do us all a solid...play some terrible hockey at consecutive WHC tournaments and fall out of the Top 8 ranking. That would throw a monkey wrench into Bettman's gimmicky tournament. But they'll just do a midnight brainstorming session around the boardroom marketing table and come up with more gimmicks. Team East Coasters with Sid sporting the C.

The best thing that could happen would be for the Canadian O23 and the American O23 teams to flame out very early in this tournament. Broadcast numbers will be horrible (which they will be anyway I suppose) and people will complain in large numbers (in Canada) about the idiotic gimmick team impacting the results.

 

[sdf]

Nhl probably think that eoroteam is fantastic idea! I hope players who wil play for this team agre

But NA team is really good idea

 

[JackSlater]

I never once said I agreed with their reasoning. I said I disagreed with it. I would have preferred they added Switzerland and Slovakia as teams 7 and 8. They didn't do that. It sucks but it is what it is.

It's not about agreeing or disagreeing. They said that they had to use the gimmick teams because they didn't have time for qualifiers, but that is a lie because it is built on the premise that they actually needed qualifiers.

 

[sdf]

What if yong team usa and canada instead of NA and euro teams?

 

[PapaQ]

Then we might get something like this

Canada
USA
Team Scandinavia
USA 23
Canada 23
Team Rest of the world
Team NHL 18
Team USA + Canada Veterans (35+)

 

[MXD]

One thing about the gimmick teams...
At the moment they were announced, the NHL couldn't be sure who would have been able to play.

I think they had one choice in regards to this, one that was probably unacceptable to them, but that might've resulted in something more logical : hold the tourney later. As in, one or two years later.

(I fully realize that "one year later" means "same season as Pyongcheng")

 

[patnyrnyg]

[/B]

exactamundo. If the NHL is willing to cut two National Federations (Slovakia/Switzerland) out of the loop because the they don't want to pay for their participation or for associated costs, then no chance in hell the NHL is going to organize and pay for a qualifying tournament for 6-8 bottom ranked European teams. The IIHF isn't paying for it. The National Federations are not going to pay for it. So, the only alternative is using IIHF rankings. The top 8 ranked teams upon the conclusion of the 2019 WHC will be participants of the 2020 World Cup.

But I doubt things will unfold like that. There will be more gimmicky teams or no tournament at all.

Or maybe Hockey Canada can do us all a solid...play some terrible hockey at consecutive WHC tournaments and fall out of the Top 8 ranking. That would throw a monkey wrench into Bettman's gimmicky tournament. But they'll just do a midnight brainstorming session around the boardroom marketing table and come up with more gimmicks. Team East Coasters with Sid sporting the C.

I think you might see some small qualifiers or even similar to what the NCAA does with the "Super Regionals" to determine the teams for the College Baseball World Series.

For those who aren't familiar, teams qualify for a regional tournament. Believe it is 4 teams, double elimination. Winner plays the winner of another regional in the "Super Regional". I believe they play a best-of-3, with the winner going to the College World Series. 16 teams make the World Series. So, 32 in the Super Regionals and 128 in the regionals. (I could be off, it might be 8 to the WS, 16 to the super regionals, and 64 to the regionals). Numbers really do not matter, you get the point.

Anyways, relate it to this. The big 6 of Canada, US, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic are in. The next 8 countries, for arguments sake we will say Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Norway, France, Italy, and Belarus (just throwing out names, not trying to insinuate these are the next best 8 teams) get paired up. 7 vs 14, 8 vs 13, 9 vs 12, 10 vs 11. They play a best-of-3 with the 4 winners getting a spot in the tournament. Make the tournament 10 teams, 2 pools of 5. Or, stretch it and go the next 12 teams play for 6 spots and run a 12-team tournament like the Olympics. Hold these qualifying series the summer before and it could work and not TOO expensive. Costs/revenues come out of the tournament pot. For the best of 3, let each team host a game and then a game 3 if necessary gets played in a neutral country. Let the top-6 be subject to change. So, if for arguments sake Switzerland starts producing a lot of NHL-calibre talent and the Czech Republic starts to slide, then Switzerland can replace them in the Big-6 and the Czechs to the qualifying round. Could also base it on results of this tournament. Where, the teams in the semi finals automatically qualify the following tourney. The 4 quarter-final losers play a round robin with the 2 best records qualifying. I know that is tough, because a roster can have a lot of turnover for a tournament 4 years apart.

Could eventually get to full qualifying. Say top 20 teams get paired up. 1 vs 20, 2 vs 19 and so on. Play a best of 3. Yes, I am sure Canada would smoke whoever is ranked #20 and the US/Sweden/Finland/Russia would all smoke #19, 18, and so forth. But, at least it is giving those fringe countries a chance. Basing it on Geography the way FIFA does would not be prudent at this time. Going to have the US and Canada play Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic?

For it to work, you would need the NHL, IIHF, KHL, and the governing bodies of the top-6 to be on board. Actually, could probably pull it off it was just the KHL and NHL to truly get a best-on-best. How the profits/losses are split up, I really do not care. However, if anyone thinks it would be an even split, I would say you are nuts. The NHL has most of the best players, they are going to want a bigger cut.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Nhl probably think that eoroteam is fantastic idea! I hope players who wil play for this team agre

But NA team is really good idea

I believe this was put together in conjuction with the NHLPA. I find it hard to believe that players like Kopitar and Chara were not asked what they thought about a Team Euro. Would also think they had asked guys who were 20 at the time and thus on the U23 team. I truly believe these were put together so Kopitar could play. If he said he didn't want to play for a mixed Euro team and would rather take his lumps with Slovenia, the idea would have been scrapped.

 

[Jablkon]

The NHL has RUINED the Olympic Games? Interesting.

And yes, the NHL certainly does have the resources to put on a best on best event. They have the most important piece, THE PLAYERS. If they wanted to stage the tournament in Europe, they could easily contact arena management in Helsinki, Stockholm, Prague, and Moscow.

And don't they, if they dont allow players to go to next OG? I am not talking about one match in one city, I am talking about entire tourney in one country, this is certainly not only about contacting arena management. I dont have anything against old Canada cups, but common, in long term perspective, who would respect something organized just by one league and held only in one country as a true best of best international tourney? This is basically NA cup, not a World cup. To be honest, when you accept that not everything in the world can be ideal , its not that hard to organize BOB tourney. This World cup is what happens when you think you can still bargain for everything in your favour....

 

[patnyrnyg]

And don't they, if they dont allow players to go to next OG? I am not talking about one match in one city, I am talking about entire tourney in one country, this is certainly not only about contacting arena management. I dont have anything against old Canada cups, but common, in long term perspective, who would respect something organized just by one league and held only in one country as a true best of best international tourney? This is basically NA cup, not a World cup. To be honest, when you accept that not everything in the world can be ideal , its not that hard to organize BOB tourney. This World cup is what happens when you think you can still bargain for everything in your favour....

Well, if you are saying the NHL pulling out would ruin the Olympics in hockey, that tells me the Olympics needs the NHL more than the NHL needs the Olympics. As Fasel said, the Olympics had hockey without the NHL for over 70 years.

Secondly, doesn't matter to me where it is held or who organizes it. As long as the countries have access to their best players and the players are the best team the country has to offer, that is all that counts. Yes, I always thought of the Canada Cup and then the World Cup as the real tournament for International Supremacy before 1998.

It is completely different than soccer. In soccer, the best players are all playing in different leagues and players will go from league to league and be bought and sold by teams in different leagues. Sorry, but in hockey the best players are in the NHL. If it ever got to a point where all the best soccer players were playing in the English Premiere League or they were all playing in Serie A, or if some of the big clubs throughout Europe got together to form a Super-League, you could bet everything you own that that league would start to have a lot more influence on FIFA and the international scene.

 

[Jablkon]

Well, if you are saying the NHL pulling out would ruin the Olympics in hockey, that tells me the Olympics needs the NHL more than the NHL needs the Olympics. As Fasel said, the Olympics had hockey without the NHL for over 70 years.

Secondly, doesn't matter to me where it is held or who organizes it. As long as the countries have access to their best players and the players are the best team the country has to offer, that is all that counts. Yes, I always thought of the Canada Cup and then the World Cup as the real tournament for International Supremacy before 1998.

It is completely different than soccer. In soccer, the best players are all playing in different leagues and players will go from league to league and be bought and sold by teams in different leagues. Sorry, but in hockey the best players are in the NHL. If it ever got to a point where all the best soccer players were playing in the English Premiere League or they were all playing in Serie A, or if some of the big clubs throughout Europe got together to form a Super-League, you could bet everything you own that that league would start to have a lot more influence on FIFA and the international scene.

If you dont want only junior players in oG, then OG need every leagues. And sure you can say they need those leagues more than they need OG. But for some reason other leagues, except NHL, naturally respect this tourney and dont have any issue with taking brake. Speaking about most spreaded excuse - injuries, set aside a probability of injury, in case that Latvia, Kazachstan or BElarus make this tourney, it means that Dynamo Riga, Dynamo Minsk and Barys Astana are under huge risk of bankrupt because they delivering about 10 or more players to their national teams. Still they can somehow handle it. So why not owners of NHL teams?

Best players are in NHL. So far Finnland and Czechs have about 33 players there. If you dont want to eliminate those teams from participating, I bet you give some vote to other leagues. Btw those leagues send their players to Eurohockey tour and WHC every year. And I can continue and continue. So if you want to convince me that one break in 4 years is too much for the league and I have to accept this tourney instead of OGs, you would have to come with unbelievable product and send me the tickets at least for one match for free. Then I would believe that you comming with something big....But sure I can start feel sorry that NHL does not have any income from OG, kiss MR Bettman and say "yep boy, I understand, do it for yourself, for your owners, I will not attend the matches probably, but I will send 100 bucks as a donation - 50 for NHL, 50 NHLPA. How come that fans still havent realized that we need to help to NHL!

 

[Oilception]

Maybe its cause I'm from Canada but i like the Euro team. gives them a hell of a better chance of winning than it just being Slovakia?

I'm a huge basketball fan and if they made a top 8 plus rest of the world team(Canada being in the rest of the world) Id personally be happier than them picking the 9th best team. this way at least I would get to see the best players from my country.

I like the idea, I think it makes it more competitive, and is interesting

 

[patnyrnyg]

If you dont want only junior players in oG, then OG need every leagues. And sure you can say they need those leagues more than they need OG. But for some reason other leagues, except NHL, naturally respect this tourney and dont have any issue with taking brake. Speaking about most spreaded excuse - injuries, set aside a probability of injury, in case that Latvia, Kazachstan or BElarus make this tourney, it means that Dynamo Riga, Dynamo Minsk and Barys Astana are under huge risk of bankrupt because they delivering about 10 or more players to their national teams. Still they can somehow handle it. So why not owners of NHL teams?

Best players are in NHL. So far Finnland and Czechs have about 33 players there. If you dont want to eliminate those teams from participating, I bet you give some vote to other leagues. Btw those leagues send their players to Eurohockey tour and WHC every year. And I can continue and continue. So if you want to convince me that one break in 4 years is too much for the league and I have to accept this tourney instead of OGs, you would have to come with unbelievable product and send me the tickets at least for one match for free. Then I would believe that you comming with something big....But sure I can start feel sorry that NHL does not have any income from OG, kiss MR Bettman and say "yep boy, I understand, do it for yourself, for your owners, I will not attend the matches probably, but I will send 100 bucks as a donation - 50 for NHL, 50 NHLPA. How come that fans still havent realized that we need to help to NHL!

I don't like the NHL shutting down for the Olympics and would rather have a World Cup, well a real World Cup. However, once every four years, if they continue, is not a big deal. But if soccer can make the Olympics a U23 (?) tourney, and their big event is a World Cup outside of the Olympics, why can't hockey do the same? You can't tell me the Olympics being the best of each country is some long standing traditions since it has only been done since 1998.

The NHL is a business first and foremost, and a big business at that. Just like any other business, why would they not try to make money on something they think they can do just to let someone else make the money? If the lower leagues in Europe want to shut down, for the Olympics, so be it. Enjoy your JV tournament. Like I said in my other post, to get a REAL World Cup like they have in soccer, at the very least the NHL would have to work with the KHL. Even better would be to work with the IIHF, the governing bodies and the top league in each country.

 

[MXD]

Maybe its cause I'm from Canada but i like the Euro team. gives them a hell of a better chance of winning than it just being Slovakia?

I'm a huge basketball fan and if they made a top 8 plus rest of the world team(Canada being in the rest of the world) Id personally be happier than them picking the 9th best team. this way at least I would get to see the best players from my country.

I like the idea, I think it makes it more competitive, and is interesting

Well, the problem is the players (on Euro team) might not give a damn about it, especially the older ones.
And one would think motivated players are quite essential to the success of a tournament.

 

[JackSlater]

I think you might see some small qualifiers or even similar to what the NCAA does with the "Super Regionals" to determine the teams for the College Baseball World Series.

For those who aren't familiar, teams qualify for a regional tournament. Believe it is 4 teams, double elimination. Winner plays the winner of another regional in the "Super Regional". I believe they play a best-of-3, with the winner going to the College World Series. 16 teams make the World Series. So, 32 in the Super Regionals and 128 in the regionals. (I could be off, it might be 8 to the WS, 16 to the super regionals, and 64 to the regionals). Numbers really do not matter, you get the point.

Anyways, relate it to this. The big 6 of Canada, US, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic are in. The next 8 countries, for arguments sake we will say Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, Norway, France, Italy, and Belarus (just throwing out names, not trying to insinuate these are the next best 8 teams) get paired up. 7 vs 14, 8 vs 13, 9 vs 12, 10 vs 11. They play a best-of-3 with the 4 winners getting a spot in the tournament. Make the tournament 10 teams, 2 pools of 5. Or, stretch it and go the next 12 teams play for 6 spots and run a 12-team tournament like the Olympics. Hold these qualifying series the summer before and it could work and not TOO expensive. Costs/revenues come out of the tournament pot. For the best of 3, let each team host a game and then a game 3 if necessary gets played in a neutral country. Let the top-6 be subject to change. So, if for arguments sake Switzerland starts producing a lot of NHL-calibre talent and the Czech Republic starts to slide, then Switzerland can replace them in the Big-6 and the Czechs to the qualifying round. Could also base it on results of this tournament. Where, the teams in the semi finals automatically qualify the following tourney. The 4 quarter-final losers play a round robin with the 2 best records qualifying. I know that is tough, because a roster can have a lot of turnover for a tournament 4 years apart.

Could eventually get to full qualifying. Say top 20 teams get paired up. 1 vs 20, 2 vs 19 and so on. Play a best of 3. Yes, I am sure Canada would smoke whoever is ranked #20 and the US/Sweden/Finland/Russia would all smoke #19, 18, and so forth. But, at least it is giving those fringe countries a chance. Basing it on Geography the way FIFA does would not be prudent at this time. Going to have the US and Canada play Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic?

For it to work, you would need the NHL, IIHF, KHL, and the governing bodies of the top-6 to be on board. Actually, could probably pull it off it was just the KHL and NHL to truly get a best-on-best. How the profits/losses are split up, I really do not care. However, if anyone thinks it would be an even split, I would say you are nuts. The NHL has most of the best players, they are going to want a bigger cut.

The problem is that all of those games cost money, and the NHL would have to pick up the bill. Renting an arena, travel expenses and accommodations, insurance costs and so on. Those games (Denmark vs Slovakia, for instance) are not going to draw big crowds anywhere and no broadcaster would bother showing them. The NHL's main issue with international hockey is about money - why would the NHL implement a qualifying system that is guaranteed to lose money?

Maybe its cause I'm from Canada but i like the Euro team. gives them a hell of a better chance of winning than it just being Slovakia?

I'm a huge basketball fan and if they made a top 8 plus rest of the world team(Canada being in the rest of the world) Id personally be happier than them picking the 9th best team. this way at least I would get to see the best players from my country.

I like the idea, I think it makes it more competitive, and is interesting

Yeah, and next year I hope that the NHL takes all of the non-playoff teams and combines the best players to make the eighth seeds in each conference. What competitive, interesting teams those would be.

 

[TorstenFrings]

Maybe its cause I'm from Canada but i like the Euro team. gives them a hell of a better chance of winning than it just being Slovakia?

I'm a huge basketball fan and if they made a top 8 plus rest of the world team(Canada being in the rest of the world) Id personally be happier than them picking the 9th best team. this way at least I would get to see the best players from my country.

I like the idea, I think it makes it more competitive, and is interesting

IDK, I hear what you are saying, but has any sport ever been grown this way?

Take soccer for example. That's another sport North American mens teams just aren't good at and have a fifth rate league in world wide, but it seems the US much prefers watching their own NMT get eaten alive by a European country with a 25th the population size to having a competitive Rest of the two Americas team. The US actually making it to the WC lately thanks to the very easy North American qualifying round seems to have done the trick nothing else before has, people in the USA now actually watch the World Cup.