Looks like they are trying to start the season off again next year in Europe.
This time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/rumors/post/Pens-Lightning-could-open-2009-in-Prague;_ylt=Anlxajb10rnNaEXFB3meQY97vLYF?urn=nhl,47381
Do you guys like this idea? Or hate it?
What are your thoughts?
2007-10-01 04:25:46 · 11 answers · asked by |Flames| |Fan| 5 in Sports ➔ Hockey
I love the idea, it's great exposure. I got sick of the regular season opening in Japan (How many japanese players have made the NHL...1!)
I saw the Hawks and Canadiens play in London back in the mid 90s and it was great.
I watched the first trip to Tokyo in 1997 (Vancouver and Anaheim) and the arena was silent the entire game.
The NHL has a long history of being in Europe in September (Washington and St. Louis in 1980, Washington and Winnipeg in 1981, Toronto and the Rangers 1992, Montreal and Chicago 1993)
Just don't expect any games in Russia anytime soon. With the lack of Russian signatures on the current NHL/IIHF transfer agreement, the Russians are likely to kidnap their own players!
2007-10-01 05:00:04 · answer #1 · answered by Like I'm Telling You Who I A 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
There are positives and negatives.
I like the idea of the Czech Republic since there are many players in the NHL who are from there. I'm sure they would like the opportunity to play a couple of games in their home country. London is another story.
On the flip side, I will lose a home game next year if the Bolts are involved and only be able to see the Penguins in Tampa once. The fatigue factor of traveling could also affect both teams at the start of the season.
2007-10-01 07:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by ripbolts 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The NHL has pockets of strong support in a lot of European countries. In total there may be as many NHL fans in Europe as there are in the US. Expanding on that fan base is good marketing, but it would be nice to see if they could find a way to do this without giving away the season opener. The time it takes for travel to and from most European cities probably rules out most scenarios of doing it at any time but the start of the season. Since I can't have my cake and eat it too, and you're not talking about the same team giving up their season and home opener every year, I'd sacrifice losing one home game every 15 years. (2 teams involved one time a year divided amongst 30 teams)
CNN is not paying attention to the fact the NHL has a lot more fans than the NFL or NBA in many parts of Europe.
2007-10-01 05:08:20 · answer #3 · answered by cme 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The NHL has the best chance of having a European version of itself. Professional hockey is popular in many countries in Europe already (summer = soccer and winter = hockey) - which is where the players were during the lockout. Plus, 1/3 of the players are from Europe.
The NFL has rare fans in Europe.
The NBA has more fans there, but not many.
While the logistics of sharing the same league are possibly unworkable, I think there should be a top-level hockey league in Europe that is of NHL caliber. Winner of Europe and winner of North America should play for the World Championship.
2007-10-01 04:42:48 · answer #4 · answered by Bill W 【ツ】 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I Hate it and I'm not able to watch it.
The Bettman NHL must opt out of their Vs. deal and go back crawling and begging that ESPN will take them back with any sort of deal. I don't want to hear spin from the Bettman apologist, because ESPN is always the best deal.
What was wrong with having the season open in North America seemed liked the fans like it and it was nationally televised. These gimmick games just seem so cheap and desperate like the NHL has ran out of options and must resort to opening the season in different continents. What is next a game in Brazil because Bettman is going to convert all those Soccer fans to hockey fans with a 2 game circus act.
2007-10-01 05:08:00 · answer #5 · answered by Glen Greene 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The exhibition season opener is one thing, the actual season opener is too much of a barnstorm. Though it would be interesting to see how the British react to a game of hockey. Y'know seeing a sport where the athletes take more of a beating than the fans.
2007-10-01 05:22:04 · answer #6 · answered by Tim O 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Its open Season for Treason which is giving everyone a frisson lets go train a Bichon Hey, its fishing season lets go find us a bee's son. All kidding aside, what do you mean? Open season for treason by who? and for what purpose? And no, it is not open season for treason, anywhere.
2016-04-06 22:32:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bettman is an idiot. He can't put teams in places that will fill arenas over here but he wants to try and eventually expand overseas.That is all well and good, but it is similar to inviting more guests on board the Titanic after the side has been ripped open. We need to get that retarded gimp away from the controls and fix what is wrong here first. Pull the cities not doing anything, put them in places where they will do something and stop this mindless expansion or moving from one southern market to another. Then after that is fixed , then onto Europe.
2007-10-01 04:38:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
If you are going to play a NHL game somewhere in Europe, at least do it somewhere that cares something about Hockey.
2007-10-01 04:40:49 · answer #9 · answered by halfwaytoeverywhere 5 · 6⤊ 0⤋
personally i wasnt a big fan of it, but hey, if the londoners like it, i guess its more popularity for the NHL, which they desperately need... having ESPN air poker, but not hockey.. anything to gain popularity in this world...i guess
2007-10-01 09:21:02 · answer #10 · answered by McMoose--RIPYAHS 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋