Beijing and Shanghai last year played host to two exhibition games between the Kings and CanucksGETTY IMAGES
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that the league ultimately "hopes to stage regular-season games" in China, according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the BOSTON GLOBE. Daly said, "It took us awhile in Europe. We went through the same progression of having preseason games, having preseason tournaments, ultimately graduating to regular-season games. And now I would tell you that I think the European marketplace, I am not sure they would have the same receptiveness to preseason or exhibition games. So I would hope over time we go through the same evolution of demand in the Chinese marketplace." The Bruins and Flames will play a pair of exhibition games in China in September, with the game in Shenzhen being "played at Universiade Sports Centre (capacity: 11,660) and then in Beijing at the Cadillac Arena (11,728)." Beijing will host the '22 Winter Games, but the NHL has "yet to determine whether it wants to return" to the Olympics after it abstained from the '18 Pyeongchang Games. Daly: "Whatever we ultimately decide, really is disconnected in many ways from the broader Chinese strategy. ... I don't think one is necessarily dependent on the other." Dupont noted the NHL for years has "eyed the possibility of expanding to Europe, as well as Scandinavia and Russia." Daly said that it "remains a curiosity," but there are "myriad impediments, including the obvious long-distance travel challenges as well as arena suitability." Daly: "The biggest issue now is probably facility availability. The facility is such a big part of the revenue of our sport now -- the business and economics of our sport -- and I just don't think it's even close to the same level in Europe in terms of arena sophistication and amenity" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/20).
