Buds Board Keepers League

yaa.. but that's only because the very top players get to play in the biggest international stage.. if someone like john scott or any other players gets invited to play for his country they'd probably not gonna reject it.. hence.. not much players are really voicing out except some star players (but of coz some do not want to get penalized and won't say anything about it..)

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

exactly.. almost everyone who cares about basketball watch the olympics US team.. they will even broadcast live in HK..
not that hockey is as common but as there are more ppl immigrating to the North America and some ppl came back like me who had been in Canada.. i loved the game and even in HK some players just want to try playing ice hockey and they start watching the games afterwards.. if they want it to make it a more popular sport over the world.. there are no better stage than the olympics which everyone's eyes are on them..
in hk a lot of the olympic events are broadcast live even there's not much representatives from HK..

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

well they try to replace it with world cup of hockey.. which is... IMHO... junk.. i didn't care about it a single bit

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

Well, the 2 places the NHL should be working on growing the market are the US and Asia. Since the upcoming OGs are in Asia, that'd be an unbelievable chance to put NHL talent on display show the people "Hey, look how cool this is. Now after this ends feel free to start following some of your favorite players from the Games." And as an American I can promise you the Olympics are far and away the time when hockey gets the most recognition here. People who don't follow hockey watch the Olympics to root for the US, then when it ends you can try to get them to follow their local team or their favorite players.

Just in terms of marketability, it's clear the Olympics is the biggest stage for the NHL, and they're throwing it away because they don't get an immediate check from it. Instead they're trying to pimp their WCoH shit, which is ridiculous because only hockey fans watch that, so you aren't getting any extra exposure. The only smart thing they did with the WCoH is put it on ESPN to get the shameless promoting they do of their own product.

hong57 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

well they try to replace it with world cup of hockey.. which is... IMHO... junk.. i didn't care about it a single bit

Exactly. No one does. Hockey fans (some of them) watch it cause it's hockey, but no one who doesn't already follow the NHL even knows it exists except for ESPN plugging it.

and everyone who watches hockey would definitely only watch the NHL (except like the league is in your country)... i know the game is definitely growing as ice hockey is getting popular in HK too (like there are more ppl playing it.. having more rinks which allow more than just figure skating... some NHL games will be on sports news which it never used to..) to accommodate the rising popularity of the sport...
i can certainly bet that.. the income of NHL will grow tremendously if ppl in Asia get to watch the NHL players in olympics in SK and China coming 2 olympics..



well but i do understand Josh's argument... and probably the immediate profit is what will keep bettman having his job.. he can only keep his jobs before his retirement if NHL gets profit now but not the future .. but that is very very shortsighted of the NHL as a whole..

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

Well, the 2 places the NHL should be working on growing the market are the US and Asia. Since the upcoming OGs are in Asia, that'd be an unbelievable chance to put NHL talent on display show the people "Hey, look how cool this is. Now after this ends feel free to start following some of your favorite players from the Games." And as an American I can promise you the Olympics are far and away the time when hockey gets the most recognition here. People who don't follow hockey watch the Olympics to root for the US, then when it ends you can try to get them to follow their local team or their favorite players.

Just in terms of marketability, it's clear the Olympics is the biggest stage for the NHL, and they're throwing it away because they don't get an immediate check from it. Instead they're trying to pimp their WCoH shit, which is ridiculous because only hockey fans watch that, so you aren't getting any extra exposure. The only smart thing they did with the WCoH is put it on ESPN to get the shameless promoting they do of their own product.

What other sport cancels their season mid-way through to go to the Olympics or other international tournament? What other sport has to absorb the cost of sending and insuring their own players for said tournament? It doesn't make any sense for the NHL to send their players imo, and like I said its not an issue of exposure imo, there are people playing hockey all over, its an issue with the game itself, working class families don't have the time/money to put kids in such an expensive sport. Even look at most of the prospects you see these days, all urban upper-class kids you don't see nearly as many kids coming from rural or lower class families anymore.

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

Well, the 2 places the NHL should be working on growing the market are the US and Asia. Since the upcoming OGs are in Asia, that'd be an unbelievable chance to put NHL talent on display show the people "Hey, look how cool this is. Now after this ends feel free to start following some of your favorite players from the Games." And as an American I can promise you the Olympics are far and away the time when hockey gets the most recognition here. People who don't follow hockey watch the Olympics to root for the US, then when it ends you can try to get them to follow their local team or their favorite players.

Just in terms of marketability, it's clear the Olympics is the biggest stage for the NHL, and they're throwing it away because they don't get an immediate check from it. Instead they're trying to pimp their WCoH shit, which is ridiculous because only hockey fans watch that, so you aren't getting any extra exposure. The only smart thing they did with the WCoH is put it on ESPN to get the shameless promoting they do of their own product.

What other sport cancels their season mid-way through to go to the Olympics or other international tournament? What other sport has to absorb the cost of sending and insuring their own players for said tournament? It doesn't make any sense for the NHL to send their players imo, and like I said its not an issue of exposure imo, there are people playing hockey all over, its an issue with the game itself, working class families don't have the time/money to put kids in such an expensive sport. Even look at most of the prospects you see these days, all urban upper-class kids you don't see nearly as many kids coming from rural or lower class families anymore.

i duno.. does olympic has MLB players? baseball is very popular in taiwan, SK, Japan.. i know they cancelled it last olympic but are getting it back.. but i can tell Japanese follow their league but most follow the MLB as well

Summer Olympics don't have MLB players no, they have the World Baseball Classic.

sadly.. no wonder olympic shut down baseball as its sport to be included in the event.. i don't see any broadcast or news of baseball in the olympic BUT yes the world baseball classic they appear in sports news..

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

Well, the 2 places the NHL should be working on growing the market are the US and Asia. Since the upcoming OGs are in Asia, that'd be an unbelievable chance to put NHL talent on display show the people "Hey, look how cool this is. Now after this ends feel free to start following some of your favorite players from the Games." And as an American I can promise you the Olympics are far and away the time when hockey gets the most recognition here. People who don't follow hockey watch the Olympics to root for the US, then when it ends you can try to get them to follow their local team or their favorite players.

Just in terms of marketability, it's clear the Olympics is the biggest stage for the NHL, and they're throwing it away because they don't get an immediate check from it. Instead they're trying to pimp their WCoH shit, which is ridiculous because only hockey fans watch that, so you aren't getting any extra exposure. The only smart thing they did with the WCoH is put it on ESPN to get the shameless promoting they do of their own product.

What other sport cancels their season mid-way through to go to the Olympics or other international tournament? What other sport has to absorb the cost of sending and insuring their own players for said tournament? It doesn't make any sense for the NHL to send their players imo, and like I said its not an issue of exposure imo, there are people playing hockey all over, its an issue with the game itself, working class families don't have the time/money to put kids in such an expensive sport. Even look at most of the prospects you see these days, all urban upper-class kids you don't see nearly as many kids coming from rural or lower class families anymore.

MLS players participate in the World Cup every time, and it occurs right in the middle of the MLS season. Also Qatar World Cup will be held in January, meaning all the European leagues will stop to accommodate it. As a matter of fact now that I think about it there are tons of international competitions and qualifiers that occur mid-season and require players to leave their club teams.

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLONI think Bettman and the NHL are missing the bigger picture, which is that the Olympics grow the sport's visibility and the interest of the casual fan. Look at what the World Cup does for soccer's popularity every 4 years. The Olympics have the same impact when people can watch the US try to beat Russia for a gold medal.

But, no, of course Bettman and the NHL only look at the short-term profit from it. Just like when they chose to put games on Versus for a slightly bigger check instead of ESPN, where they would've gotten all the exposure the same way the NBA currently does.

I think the fact of the matter is it doesn't really grow exposure since its the same 3 or 4 teams that win, its pretty rare that any team outside of Canada, the USA, Russia or Sweden win much of anything in international play. Hockey is really just a game that doesn't have the same appeal to the casual fan that soccer does, its a winter-time sport that needs a ton of expensive equipment to play its never going to compete with a game that only requires a ball to play

Well, the 2 places the NHL should be working on growing the market are the US and Asia. Since the upcoming OGs are in Asia, that'd be an unbelievable chance to put NHL talent on display show the people "Hey, look how cool this is. Now after this ends feel free to start following some of your favorite players from the Games." And as an American I can promise you the Olympics are far and away the time when hockey gets the most recognition here. People who don't follow hockey watch the Olympics to root for the US, then when it ends you can try to get them to follow their local team or their favorite players.

Just in terms of marketability, it's clear the Olympics is the biggest stage for the NHL, and they're throwing it away because they don't get an immediate check from it. Instead they're trying to pimp their WCoH shit, which is ridiculous because only hockey fans watch that, so you aren't getting any extra exposure. The only smart thing they did with the WCoH is put it on ESPN to get the shameless promoting they do of their own product.

What other sport cancels their season mid-way through to go to the Olympics or other international tournament? What other sport has to absorb the cost of sending and insuring their own players for said tournament? It doesn't make any sense for the NHL to send their players imo, and like I said its not an issue of exposure imo, there are people playing hockey all over, its an issue with the game itself, working class families don't have the time/money to put kids in such an expensive sport. Even look at most of the prospects you see these days, all urban upper-class kids you don't see nearly as many kids coming from rural or lower class families anymore.

MLS players participate in the World Cup every time, and it occurs right in the middle of the MLS season. Also Qatar World Cup will be held in January, meaning all the European leagues will stop to accommodate it. As a matter of fact now that I think about it there are tons of international competitions and qualifiers that occur mid-season and require players to leave their club teams.

Are you just intentionally ignoring the economic argument I'm making or?

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLONAre you just intentionally ignoring the economic argument I'm making or?

It doesn't matter of the sport is expensive to play. I'm not talking about getting more people to play hockey, I'm talking about watching it since that's how you make money. And people watch sports they never played all the time. I never played ice hockey or organized tackle football or anything higher than little kid rec basketball, yet I watched all of those sports more in the past year than I did soccer, the sport I actually played at a high level growing up.

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLONAre you just intentionally ignoring the economic argument I'm making or?

It doesn't matter of the sport is expensive to play. I'm not talking about getting more people to play hockey, I'm talking about watching it since that's how you make money. And people watch sports they never played all the time. I never played ice hockey or organized tackle football or anything higher than little kid rec basketball, yet I watched all of those sports more in the past year than I did soccer, the sport I actually played at a high level growing up.

So you don't think there's a relation between playing and watching the sport in terms of growing the game? I think there is a lot of evidence to suggest that countries are only invested in their own people are playing at the highest level, which means they need to actually play it at some point right. I just don't see a lot of people in Asian countries, to use an example, being interested in watching Canada and the US play a game that they've never played and have no interest in taking up

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLON

timwebb1212 wroteCOLON

Sensfanjosh wroteCOLONAre you just intentionally ignoring the economic argument I'm making or?

It doesn't matter of the sport is expensive to play. I'm not talking about getting more people to play hockey, I'm talking about watching it since that's how you make money. And people watch sports they never played all the time. I never played ice hockey or organized tackle football or anything higher than little kid rec basketball, yet I watched all of those sports more in the past year than I did soccer, the sport I actually played at a high level growing up.

So you don't think there's a relation between playing and watching the sport in terms of growing the game? I think there is a lot of evidence to suggest that countries are only invested in their own people are playing at the highest level, which means they need to actually play it at some point right. I just don't see a lot of people in Asian countries, to use an example, being interested in watching Canada and the US play a game that they've never played and have no interest in taking up

Well of course there's a relation, but I'm saying there are still plenty of people who never played a sport who would watch it.

And Asia is such a huge, perfect, untapped market for hockey. What's to stop the Asians from playing hockey? There are plenty of wealthy Asians who live in places cold enough to play hockey. They just don't right now for the same reason Americans don't play rugby, it has no visibility here. There are no rugby games on TV or local rugby leagues (yes I know there are some of both but 99% of Americans wouldn't know where to look for either). Sending marketable players like Crosby, OV, Kane, etc. to Asia for the Olympics would be a great opportunity for hockey to grow. As a matter of fact, the Olympics is exactly how hockey spread to Russia isn't it? They decided they wanted to compete in it in the Olympics and told Tarasov to build a team. There's a wide history of people in places with no history of playing a sport embracing the sport. No one outside of Canada used to play hockey way back when. No Americans used to play soccer. No Europeans used to play basketball.

Tony wroteCOLON

pretty much lol

Seriously though what is the downside from a monetary standpoint for the NHL to allow players to go to the Olympics? I don't see any.