NHL and NHLPA officials responsible for putting the '16 World Cup of Hockey together are hoping the two-week tournament "will be much bigger in scope than just the on-ice product," as they are "seeking to make the project an international celebration of the sport," according to Mike Zeisberger of the TORONTO SUN. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated that he "envisions the endeavour will be a 'big event' as a destination," similar to the Super Bowl. Bettman: "Although we’ll have more games." Zeisberger reported the World Cup could feature an "Olympic-village type setting for teams and fans alike, representing all the countries involved," as well as a "splashy opening ceremony befitting what the NHL considers to be a major international event." A series of concerts could be "sprinkled throughout the two-week event," as could other events "held in conjunction" with the Toronto Int'l Film Festival. NHL COO John Collins said that holding all these proposed activities around the tournament "played a role in opting to hold the 2016 World Cup in a single city." Collins: "This is the first stage in our global plans and we want to build on it. What better way to kick off an event we hope becomes a regular thing?" Meanwhile, Bettman said the World Cup of Hockey has been set up to ensure “all games will be sold out," and ticket prices "will reflect that” (TORONTO SUN, 3/5). Bettman said conversations about bringing back the World Cup of Hockey started "over a year ago" and the people involved "got to a place where we were comfortable in terms of the format and the schedule, and then went to talk to potential broadcasting partners both in Canada and the U.S." ESPN (U.S.) and Sportsnet (Canada) on Wednesday were announced as the broadcast partners for the event (SPORTSNET.ca, 3/4).
GOING FOR GOLD? ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun wrote the question about whether the NHL will participate in the '18 Pyeongchang Games in '18 is "far from being answered." Bettman said, "We haven't had any discussions about it. And I said in Columbus (at the All-Star Game), this decision about the World Cup has no bearing on that decision. We're focused right now on the World Cup. When we get to discussing and evaluating the Olympic opportunity, that decision -- whether or not we go or not go -- will rise and fall on the merits of making that decision." NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr added, "The Olympics have to be evaluated on their own, and you have to get the right kinds of agreements with the IIHF and the IOC. Assuming you can, it's no secret what the players' position is going to be. But this (World Cup) is something we would do if we had already decided to go to the Olympics or if the Olympics had shut down and you never had them again." LeBrun reported Fehr traveled to Switzerland last month "rather under the radar" and met with IOC President Thomas Bach (ESPN.com, 3/5). Bettman said of the Olympics, "People think I’m negative on the Olympics when they forget the fact that I was the one who engineered it in the first place." He added, "When I get asked about it, it is a balancing act. Everybody knows the positives. I try to point out the difficulties. Some of those difficulties get even more difficult depending on where the Olympics are. It’s something we haven’t yet focused on, we will get to and to go or not to go will stand on its own merit vis-à-vis the Olympics" (SPORTSNET.ca, 3/4).
