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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Don Fehr: NHLers Won't Make Concessions In Return For Olympic Participation

NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr said that the NHL should "not be waiting for the players to give up something in return for Olympic participation," according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com. Fehr: "I don't know what it can be from the players' perspective. Obviously the players are not about to engage in collective bargaining in return for getting an opportunity to go to the Olympics for which they aren't being paid." It has been speculated the NHL "might sign off on the Olympics in return for assurances from the players not to opt out" of the CBA in '20 and allowing the CBA to run its full course to '22. Fehr said that what "amounted to 'effectively a two-year extension of the agreement' didn't interest the NHLPA." IIHF President Rene Fasel said that the "original issues which produced the Olympic stalemate ... have been taken care of." Fehr: "We are past all the issues that were present early on in these discussions as to whether or not the funding would be available to cover the kinds of unique expenses we have in hockey that the other sports don't have." He added, "As far as the players are concerned, there's no hard and fast deadline. They'll be ready to play." Fasel on Thursday said that he "needs to know by the end of April whether NHL players will be cleared to play in South Korea next year" (ESPN.com, 3/23).

NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE? NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has been “unable to quantify any benefit” from sending the league’s players to the Olympics aside from the players wanting to go, citing several issues including the league’s inability to leverage that content on its properties during the games. Bettman touched on Olympic participation and more while speaking at Leaders' Sport Business Summit in N.Y. this week. Speaking about the ongoing discussion around the '18 PyeongChang Games, Bettman said NHL teams and owners are not “anti-Olympics, but anti-disruption of our game.” He noted that the league sends "$3.5 billion dollars’ worth of player contracts" to the Games. He also cited the fact that the next two winter Olympics will be held in time zones that are not ideal for viewing by North American NHL fans. Bettman said the league has approached the IOC about becoming a TOP sponsor or official supplier considering the league provides them with strong content, but the governing body was not interested. While Bettman did not completely rule out the league going to the ’18 Games, he was more optimistic about the idea of the ’22 Olympics in Beijing. The NHL is believed to be holding preseason games in China as early as the ’17-18 season, with a view towards additional activities (Ian Thomas, Staff Writer).

DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO: The CP's Jonas Siegel noted Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin has "pledged to attend" the Olympics "whether the NHL opts to go or not." It is "not difficult to envision the headache it would cause for the league if players, beyond just Ovechkin, opted to attend next February while the NHL regular season continued to take place." The "distraction alone would be enormous" (CP, 3/23). SPORTSNET's Damien Cox wrote under the header, "If NHLers Really Want To Go To The Olympics, The NHLPA Can Take Charge." It is not '50 anymore, and players "aren't indentured servants without rights." The reality is the players "can't be forced to do anything." They have 50% of the "power over rules and anything that has to do with the NHL’s competition committee." The power of the NHLPA today "leaves many old-time NHL executives frustrated and dismayed." If the players who want to go to the Olympics "want to complain, they should complain to Fehr and their own union for not making it a big enough priority four years ago" (SPORTSNET.ca, 3/23).

AROUND THE WORLD: The GLOBE & MAIL's Vanderklippe & Duhatschek notes Chinese companies are "turning to the sport that is sometimes referred to in China as 'soccer on ice,' at a moment the NHL is readying a major new push into the world's most populous country." Groups of Chinese buyers have "begun talks with advisers in Beijing and elsewhere, discussing NHL clubs that might accept an initial investment." There is interest on both sides of the Pacific to "create closer ties as the NHL tries to expand its footprint beyond North America and Chinese authorities look to the NHL for its expertise in helping them develop a hockey culture and trying to popularize the sport in China" ahead of the '22 Beijing Games. Hockey has "vaulted into a new position of national prominence in China." NHL officials are "finalizing details for a pair of September exhibition games" between the Canucks and Kings in Beijing and Shanghai. Bettman is "planning a trip to Beijing later this month to announce the games, which will fit with a broader effort to increase both Chinese corporate sponsorship and interest in hockey" (GLOBE & MAIL, 3/24).

MORE GAMES: Bettman also addressed e-sports and the World Cup of Hockey during his panel on Tuesday. Bettman said the league plans to do the World Cup on a regular basis, with the hope being every four years. While the relaunched event was held in Toronto, Bettman said the event could be held in multiple cities, or even internationally. He also noted the league is investigating the idea of hosting an e-sports hockey league competition. Bettman: "I could envision a league-wide competition where each club runs a competition to see who will be represented in the equivalent of our championship, but for our e-sport game." EA Sports develops the current NHL video game, which features a mode called EA Sports Hockey League that allows up to six players on each team to control their own player, facing off against other user teams. Bettman said that the league is in discussions with EA over how it can do something that will build a community an awareness for the game, and the league’s teams as well (Thomas).

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