KHL Struggling Financially

[WingsallTheway 383]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/khl-threatened-by-russian-ruble-s-collapse-1.2877879

Looks like a number of teams will be folding next season.

Theres a report in the article that a player hasn't even been paid since October.

Looks like the crazy contracts handed out to players are coming back as a negative for the league..

Good news for the NHL?

Edited December 18, 2014 by WingsallTheway

[Guest DeGraa55]

The link I saw on nhltraderumors said many players haven't been played and right now guessing three teams could fold. I think they said 2/3rds of the league is struggling?

That should be good

News for us! Bring a the dat line from the Olympics with kovalchuk and I can't remember the other guy!

[kipwinger 8,756]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/khl-threatened-by-russian-ruble-s-collapse-1.2877879

Looks like a number of teams will be folding next season.

Theres a report in the article that a player hasn't even been paid since October.

Looks like the crazy contracts handed out to players are coming back as a negative for the league..

Good news for the NHL?

Pretty sure the collapsing Russian economy resulting from Putin's disasterous foreign policy blunders has more to do with it than their penchant to overpay. Particularly considering the league was subsidized by the government (currently dealing with sanctions and declining foreign investment).

Or it was bad contracts. Either way.

[number9 3,297]

As long as Kovalchuck and Radulov get paid this doesn't do much for the NHL. Just a bunch crappy Russian hockey players out of a job. Though it might prevent them form being able to steal more stars back to Russia in the future.

[kipwinger 8,756]

Can't wait for the inevitable, self righteous, and long winded interview Mike Commodore gives on this latest development lol.

[WingsallTheway 383]

Pretty sure the collapsing Russian economy resulting from Putin's disasterous foreign policy blunders has more to do with it than their penchant to overpay. Particularly considering the league was subsidized by the government (currently dealing with sanctions and declining foreign investment).

Or it was bad contracts. Either way.

yeah your right, but both factors obviously come into play when teams are handing out contracts they can't afford.

[kipwinger 8,756]

yeah your right, but both factors obviously come into play when teams are handing out contracts they can't afford.

That's the point, they could afford them (because the government was giving them money). Once the government could no longer subsidize the league, teams had to rely on their profit margins, and they couldn't. But it would be noted that the teams who signed NHL talent to big contracts are NOT the ones that are folding. CSKA Moscow (Radulov) and SKA St. Petersburg (Kovalchuk) are pretty healthy franchises. It's the small market, periphery, teams that can't pay the bills. And no matter what contracts they've got on the books, those teams were going to sink because they don't make enough money to cover costs.

Edited December 18, 2014 by kipwinger

[derblaueClaus 1,668]

With inflation running high as hell there won't be much profit from other sources like Ad-Revenue tickets or merchandise either. Who buys tickets to a hockeygame when you are struggling paying for basic things like rent and food ?

Edited December 18, 2014 by derblaueClaus

[number9 3,297]

Can't wait for the inevitable, self righteous, and long winded interview Mike Commodore gives on this latest development lol.

This time it will be Ian White and Commodore somehow blaming Babcock for ruining their KHL careers

[kipwinger 8,756]

This time it will be Ian White and Commodore somehow blaming Babcock for ruining their KHL careers

Maybe they'll blame it on Mike Keenan, the Babcock of the KHL.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

I'd love to see my boy Oleg Kvasha back in the NHL. Same with Viktor Kozlov.

Come to think of it, I'd love to see Svitov on the Wings.

[sibiriak 84]

That's the point, they could afford them (because the government was giving them money). Once the government could no longer subsidize the league, teams had to rely on their profit margins, and they couldn't. But it would be noted that the teams who signed NHL talent to big contracts are NOT the ones that are folding. CSKA Moscow (Radulov) and SKA St. Petersburg (Kovalchuk) are pretty healthy franchises. It's the small market, periphery, teams that can't pay the bills. And no matter what contracts they've got on the books, those teams were going to sink because they don't make enough money to cover costs.

Of the 4 teams in financial trouble mentioned in the article, 3 are NOT based in Russia. The Russian government certainly does not give them any money. Player contracts in the KHL are set in rubles or other national currencies (lats for Riga, tenge for Barys, etc.), so the teams do not have to pay more to the players, as the ruble depreciates.

So far, no team lost a sponsor due to recent crisis. So the rumors of KHL's demise are grossly exaggerated. That is not to say that a prolonged economic crisis in Russia would not adversely affect all areas of life, sports included. Just don't expect that the Russian top hockey league will fold. It has survived far worse crises in 1990s and in 2008-9.

[ami 273]

Player contracts in the KHL are set in rubles or other national currencies (lats for Riga, tenge for Barys, etc.),

... Just don't expect that the Russian top hockey league will fold. It has survived far worse crises in 1990s and in 2008-9.

No doubt, KHL isn't going anywhere; However, I wouldn't be so sure about high-caliber players though ....

[sibiriak 84]

No doubt, KHL isn't going anywhere; However, I wouldn't be so sure about high-caliber players though ....

Some foreign players may leave, but there aren't many foreign superstars in KHL. And they will have to play out the remaining time on their contracts, as NHL and KHL agreed to respect each others contracts. I would bet that Kovalchuks and Radulovs will still get paid.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Well this is very nice for the other national leagues in Europe because the Khl now has to stop raiding them or buying arenas in order to force teams into hostile Khl takeovers.

Sadly too late for Jokerit so enjoy your filthy money Harkimo you son of a *****

Edited December 20, 2014 by frankgrimes

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Maybe Pavel will finish his career in Detroit and sign another contract after his is over.

[hillbillywingsfan 794]

Pretty sure the collapsing Russian economy resulting from Putin's disasterous foreign policy blunders has more to do with it than their penchant to overpay. Particularly considering the league was subsidized by the government (currently dealing with sanctions and declining foreign investment).

Or it was bad contracts. Either way.

Look at you trying to get the Political thread up and running again. =)

[frankgrimes 1,836]

KHL is not funded by the government they are funded by Oligarchs like Medvedev, Abramovic...

[ChristopherReevesLegs 7,022]

Slava Malamud's twitter rant about the KHL and Russian politics

This comes on the heals of more KHL teams folding and Kovalchuck opting to stay in Russia because olympics

[kickazz 5,459]

Lol Russia.

[toby91_ca 620]

This has no impact at all on the NHL.  The KHL is not seen as much of an alternate to the NHL or competitor.  Some may have thought that years ago as a potential, but it's just not going to happen.  No one, not even Russians think it is a league that could compete for talent with the NHL

[kickazz 5,459]

30 minutes ago, toby91_ca said:

No one, not even Russians think it is a league that could compete for talent with the NHL

Vladamir Putin probably does. 

[toby91_ca 620]

2 hours ago, kickazz said:

Vladamir Putin probably does. 

Perhaps my direct use of "no one" went too far.  I was merely using a discussion with a Russian guy (who is basically the guy in the media with a reputation as being the go to guy for knowledge on Russian hockey and Russian players)

[ChristopherReevesLegs 7,022]

2 hours ago, toby91_ca said:

This has no impact at all on the NHL.  The KHL is not seen as much of an alternate to the NHL or competitor.  Some may have thought that years ago as a potential, but it's just not going to happen.  No one, not even Russians think it is a league that could compete for talent with the NHL

Wrong, CNN says the KHL hacked the stanley cup finals

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Don't they have a team in China and another in Finland?  I can only imagine the travel required across that many time zones.  

5 hours ago, F.Michael said:

Russia has always been, and will always be 1 seriously f'ed up country.

It's no wonder why many want to get outta that $hithole.

Trust me, it's paradise now compared to how it used to be during the USSR and the many years after that.