Monday, October 8, 2007

European Expansion?



1) With the completed opening of the NHL season in London recently, we at FAUXRUMORS decided we'd look into the possibility of European expansion and its feasibility. Our friend at Jibblescibbits recently did their own story on this matter. ttp://jibblescribbits.blogspot.com/2007/09/nhl-europe.html


2) He believes it IS a possibility, albeit a distant one. We set forth in response to that post a series of reasons which we believe would most likely preclude a possible European expansion:


  • The time differential. Getting folks to tune into NHL games is difficult enough down in the states now. Imagine if a good % of games started at 1-2 or 3:00 a.m. EST? Even worse for the folks out west.


  • Differences in currency. It was a nightmare(until recently) to have 2 currencies dominate the league. Imagine if they throw the Euro, and other European currencies into the mix?


  • The "Big countries" over the pond in Western Europe(England, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany) are not known as hockey hot beds. Certainly hockey is huge in Sweden, Czech and Slovak republics, Russia, and to a lesser extent Switzerland. Is that where the NHL wants to expand?


  • Those aforementioned countries all have well established "Elite leagues". Would/could they find a series of folks willing to shell out big expansion fees in these smaller countries?


  • How many North Americans would want to play 9 months of the year so far from home if they could stay closer at the same salary? You'd have a dichotomy of talent. The Euros staying over there and NA's staying over here. Unlike now where there is a mix on each team


  • As a result the potential exists that one could see a top draft pick(s) refusing to report to a European city alla Eric Lindros refusing to go to Quebec in 1991 for language reasons. Only now it would occur on both sides and MUCH more frequently. Most Europeans speak English and its taught in almost all schools. The same is NOT true over here. How many North American hockey players speak Swedish, Russian, etc?


  • The travel for teams here going to Europe and vise versa would be horrendous. Teams in the 2 western time zones would have it even worse than the East. Its hard enough leveling the playing field in 3-4 time zones. Adding 6-7 more would be a nightmare!


3) No, we simply can not see a legitimate scenario where a series of European NHL teams could be established. Way too many hurdles. Perhaps in the VERY distant future when the Earth has ONE currency, the transport of folks to and from can be accomplished in minutes not hours, the idea may have some potential. Until then, the best possible scenario that could have a legitimate shot at working would be to have a European champion play the NHL champion for the Stanley Cup. Even that would face tremendous challenges from North American hockey traditionalists, but would have the potential to really open up the NHL into Europen consciousness

15 comments:

VLAD THE IMPALER said...

I can see the reasons that it would be difficult faux. However the article you cited said it might take 20 years. Quite a bit can change in that time. In my life time for example, 20 years ago my ancestor's country was still ruled by Ceauşescu!
It would make the nhl which in my opinion is already the most ethnicly diverse pro sport into a truley world wide league

FAUX RUMORS said...

1) Vlad: We agree NHL hockey is already an international league with the significant diversification of the best talent from around the globe
2) That does little to change the logistics to allow for actually European based teams. 20 years is a long time, agreed, BUT its hard to imagine the HUGE problems that teams over there would cause might be solved with a mere 20 year passage.

The Co-Pilot said...

Man it was hard to watch hockey starting at noon here last weekend. I'll be damned if I have to do it all the time. I'm a big hockey guy too. The casual fan is not goig to watch. It won't work.

Antzmarching said...

I suppose this topic is worthy of a SHORT discussion... For all the reasons you alluded to, expansion to Europe would be a failed experiment waiting happen... Versus has a lower viewership than most commercials, so how could we expect N. Americans to tune in to watch the San Jose Sharks take on the Parisian White Flags? It's simply not feasible... I love the European influence and influx in the NHL, but to expect this league to expand across the pond is ludicrous...


BTW, Janet Tocchet's face is beginning to look like a mask - can you say botox, anyone?

FAUX RUMORS said...

1) Janets face isn't a mask???

Antzmarching said...

Hey Vlad, I loved your reference to little Nickoli - little, being the operative word... He was what, 5'2"? Even shorter, once his head was blown off...

And Mr. Alcindor, I agree wholeheartedly - no one will watch at noon...

Antzmarching said...

Ok Faux, ya figured it out - it IS a mask... I wonder if she picked the Yankees and their 2:1 odds to win the World Series... The D-Backs should have been obvious; they play in her backyard in Phoenix...

The Co-Pilot said...

Mr Antz, you try to keep up with Walton and Lanier night after night!

Antzmarching said...

THE HELL I DON'T!!! By the way, I should have had the lasagna - I don't feel so good...

The Co-Pilot said...

Uncontrolled flatulence setting in?

FAUX RUMORS said...

1) Interesting, if not an indecipherable exchange between Antz and Pilot. LOL
2) When we saw all those comments we were expecting a return of our mentally challenged 'buddy'
3) Anyway, we would NEVER bet on any sport, but if we had a gun to our heads we would have picked the Native Americans to beat the Yankees. If we were so inclined we'd place a wager on the boys from Boston to win it all. perhaps we'll watch an inning here and there.

Antzmarching said...

So, the RED Sox are playing the INDIANS - this sounds quite politically incorrect to me...

Hey Kareem, tell Captain Over I said "Hi."

Stacy Schnall said...

You guys aint making no sense on here laitly. I aint never been in urope before and i aint plannin on going to see no hockey over their. its a dum idea

Jibblescribbits said...

2) When we saw all those comments we were expecting a return of our mentally challenged 'buddy' I resent that :)

A couple counter points

- NFL, College football, and baseball ALL play day games, regularly. NBA games are on early on the weekends too. The only sport that doesn't do morning/early games is the NHL. It's hard to imagine right now because the NHL isn't as popular and the TV ratings are low, but in 20 years it could be different (unless Bettmen is prominently involved)

- In 20 years nearly every household will have a TiVo/DVR. Watching it "Live" won't be as big a deal, and people will easily be able to record and watch the game when they return home

- I don't think Russia would be involved in an NHL-Europe branch, because they are too difficult to incorporate, mainly because they have a fiercely national and are traditionally stubbornly opposed to getting involved with situations like this. On the other hand, the Swedes, Fins, Czechs aren't the Russkis

- Going to Europe only adds one currency (the Euro) unless on of the teams is in a non-EU country (I don't think it is)

- Oslo, Stockhom, Helsinki, Munich, Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Zurich. 8 Cities big enough and rich enough for an NHL team.

- People will go where they pay them.

- Elite leagues? Fans will come see the best players playing at the best competition.

The main reason I think it WILL happen:
There's a lot of money to be made in doing it. A LOT. Anytime this much money is on the line, people will find a way to make it happen.

La Grenouille said...

Quel vaguement espèce d'idiot vous est m faucon ? Ceci est de l'hockey et tout vous parlez de sont des compteurs ? Quand je vois vos notes ici je ne les lis pas d'habitude, mais quand je je fais tombe d'habitude malade. Vous êtes un connard total !

 
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