The '16 World Cup of Hockey is "expected to generate" more than $110M in revenue, according to sources cited by Ian Thomas of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Initial revenue estimates were in the $90-100M range, with the additional growth "coming from a strong commercial response from global television rights and advertisers." Corporate sponsorship revenue also exceeded $25M, "thanks in part to a jersey advertisement deal with SAP." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "declined to comment on revenue figures." He said putting the World Cup back on the league's calendar was more about "bringing back something that is important to hockey." Bettman: "The money is secondary" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/3 issue).
50-50 SPLIT: The GLOBE & MAIL's David Shoalts wrote while the estimated profit from the 15-day tournament -- reportedly about $60M in mixed Canadian and U.S. dollars -- "looks impressive at first glance, the number of ways it has to be split quickly waters it down." The profit is "split 50-50 between the league and the players' union." World Cup organizers admitted that the event "was not a cash bonanza." NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that it was "still a better financial deal for the league" than the Olympics. But Daly said, "It's a relatively minor commercial opportunity." Shoalts noted the NHL's $30M take "means that each of the 30 teams gets" $1M. But since the plan is to hold the World Cup every four years, that $1M "should be annualized over that period, which reduces the profit to $250,000 a team." Both Bettman and NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr said that there "will be at least one more World Cup in four years." The NHL and the players "expect to work together to sell the game in markets outside of North America, especially in Asia." Meanwhile, sponsor sales "went well, with about nine corporations, including Samsung, Pepsi and Canadian Tire, paying an estimated average" of $3M each to be major sponsors. Merchandise sales "have yet to be tallied," but at least $2M is expected. Neither the league nor the union "would say what the ticket sales were, but hockey fans did not snap up every ticket." The problem was the "outsized expectations of what people in the world's top hockey market would pay" (GLOBE & MAIL, 10/1).
GAUGING SUCCESS: In Boston, Fluto Shinzawa wrote if the parties involved "boast bigger wallets after the made-up tournament than before, the World Cup will be considered successful" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/2). The AP's Larry Lage wrote it was surprisingly "difficult to fill seats" at Air Canada Centre "despite being in [a] hockey hotbed." It seemed "many more people were interested in attending" Blue Jays games when "world-class hockey matchups and playoff-push baseball games were played at the same time" (AP, 9/30). Daly said, "Even for this market and its hockey passion, it was, at times, challenging. We haven't evaluated it, and we'll see how the bid process works and what people decide are good ideas for us to consider. I could certainly see splitting games in the future between proximate markets" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/1). YAHOO SPORTS' Greg Wyshynski noted the buzz for the tournament "wasn't high." Empty seats, "although they were sold, were plentiful at games." The next World Cup venue "will be up for bid," and "expect Edmonton to make a significant one." Wyshynski: "Expect Buffalo to make one, with [Sabres Owners] the Pegulas. Expect Russia to make one, and good luck with that." There is intrigue about "whether the NHL splits the venues" for the '20 World Cup (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/1).
WORK TO DO: CBSSPORTS.com's Chris Peters wrote the tournament was "not a rousing success by any means, but the league did not embarrass itself, either." What the event "did provide was a very competitive tournament with hockey of the highest quality." Peters: "Most would agree that the quality of the tournament ended up even exceeding expectations." Considering that the "alternative was meaningless preseason games featuring a lot of players fans aren't familiar with, this is about as good as it gets for hockey in September." It was the "celebration of the sport that hockey fans deserved [at] a time where they're just coming out of their summer hockey hibernation" (CBSSPORTS.com, 9/30). In Toronto, Damien Cox wrote the tournament was the "first step in reviving what was once a pretty good thing for hockey." For a guide to what is possible, "look to golf's Ryder Cup." Not every Ryder Cup "will dazzle, but each one is part of what has become an enduring narrative for the sport." Finding success for the World Cup of Hockey "will take time, at least a decade or more," but the tournament "can gather more meaning than displayed over the past two weeks if it is played more regularly and provides compelling drama and reliability in the same way the Ryder Cup has" (TORONTO STAR, 10/1).
