It is now getting rather tiresome this talk of internationalisation of the Swedish ice hockey. The human incarnation of the Devil, Håkan Loob, has now come out to say he will step down from the Medvedev/Gazprom/KHL sponsored committee that is looking into the different options for 'The Future of Swedish Ice Hockey'.
Nice looking chap that Loob
Apparently, they are no longer looking into expatriating the 'top' (read 'economically most successful' or 'potentially economically most successful') Swedish teams into KHL. There has been a change of heart. Why one could ask, but the answer is so blatantly clear it would be a waste of energy to do so; People would not be interested to watch this. In itself, that would not be a problem for Loob and his cronies, but apparently the sponsors and the TV channels would not be as interested to splash the cash if that would be the case.
The latest configuration being looked at is branded EHL. Now, according to Loob, it would be based in Sweden. This would of course make Swedish fans happy; We want international hockey, but fuck having to travel to watch the games. The league would like the NHL be a closed one - entry through application only! Now this is more like it. Loob has always been an advocate for a closed system. Apparently it is too big a risk for a club (or 'profit making limited company' as he most likely would call it) to be relegated. This is of course true (I know, I'm a Leksand fan) - but much more so since he and his cohorts have made the distribution of money in the existing Swedish league so massively scewed that it is near enough impossible for the to HockayAllsvenska teams to compete even with the bottom ones in Elitserien. And this economic apartheid is allowed to grow even more year on year. The difference in TV money alone is next year going to be in the region of SEK 28-29 million - approximately the cost of two average HA squads. On top of that you can add the difference in sponsorship, gate income etc etc. Having said this, promotion and relegation is a cornerstone of any European sport. They did close the Finnish league a few years back, this was quickly revoked as it proved unpopular with the crowds. But the effect of the closed system was interesting, some teams actually took 'sabbaticals' with playing the youth team one season in order to amass enough money to buy all the best players and win the league following. Well, why not? Surely better than mid-table mediocrity year after year
Back to the EHL... Any applicants approved to join have to show a sound organisation and economical environment Again, the sporting aspect is of no or very little relevance. Its is all about the money, and they don't even try to pretend otherwise anymore. Those who are under the impression it's not really have to go and check that their cognitive functions are still intact.
The Future of Hockey - I'll give you £50 if you can spot the puck.
Teams are then supposed to play 60% of the games against domestic opposition, 20% against Nordic opposition and 20% against European opposition. I don't think it's too jumping to conclusions too much if I assume it will, like the NHL, be different conferences with KHL being one of those. Let's assume KHL, (mainly consisting of teams from the old Soviet states, just as now), a Nordic one (Sweden and Finland + potential teams from Norway and Denmark - not that they'd be good enough, but did I by chance mention it is not from the sporting aspect these teams are chosen? Copenhagen and Oslo are however good potential 'markets') and finally one Central European (Czech, Slovakia, Germany, Austria and Switzerland). This, I guess, makes sense. But to get a 60-20-20 configuration in this system, the conferences will have to have smaller conferences within them and the system will at the best become near enough impossible to grasp. But then again - it is about the dosh, not the sport!
What saddens me is that there seem to be very little critique of this in Swedish media and the arm-chair fans seem exited about the developments. The proper hockey fans (I mean the ones who actually care and pay the money to watch the games), seem to be more split with some, like me, being very sceptical about what is going on. I don't make any secrets about my feelings regarding Loob and his plans, but I can understand the frustration of the current system. Sadly they forget that him and his mates in Frölunda and Linköping to a great extent were the architects for the developments in this area over the last ten years. Not only did they fuck up the Swedish league, but now they've got the stomach to complain about it and create another league. Am I exited about this prospect? Sure, in the same way as I am exited to find how it feel to masturbate with a cheese grater!
Hmmm...
I am not saying it is wrong to look at a system like this, but unless there are some major adjustments I will not see the latest suggestion as a viable option. First of all, it must be an open league with relegation/promotion from the domestic ones. This is essential and I will not approve of any other system in sport. Secondly, money comes into the sport when you have a well functioning product - you can't create traditions, rivalries and culture. The step looking at being taken opens the path for Franchises and a level of commercialism not seen in European hockey before. Call me an old stooge or a fuddy-duddy if you wish - I'd be proud to be one!
Well, I'll try and contain myself until the 2012/13 season, when it is supposed to get off the ground, but until the I've got important things such as HockeyAllsvenskan and Kavalserien to keep me on my toes. God forbid that something interesting actually happens on the ice.
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