Champions Hockey League...

[SetonHallPirate]

...any way to implement?

Ah, what might have been...

[Alessandro]

Hopefully it will be possible copying the structure of the Memorial Cup... for now it's not possible, but maybe in the next few builds...

[SetonHallPirate]

Sweet!

It certainly seems a bit weird to not have a true pan-European championship, unless you want to call the Kontinental Hockey League that.

Originally Posted by SetonHallPirate

Sweet!

It certainly seems a bit weird to not have a true pan-European championship, unless you want to call the Kontinental Hockey League that.

Well we have the Continental Cup... We need all the federations to agree on a real structure and for the bigger teams to actually care about such a tournament first

[SetonHallPirate]

Originally Posted by Garethw87

Well we have the Continental Cup... We need all the federations to agree on a real structure and for the bigger teams to actually care about such a tournament first

Yes, very true...then again, the European football/soccer squads certainly care quite a bit about the UEFA Champions' League!

Originally Posted by SetonHallPirate

Yes, very true...then again, the European football/soccer squads certainly care quite a bit about the UEFA Champions' League!

Yeah this is a problem, why is it so important in soccer and not in hockey?

As for the game, I hope the continental cup gets put into it. Like on EHM.

[robbza]

Oh man first time i've heard of this, it would make the European side of FHM so much better.

[SetonHallPirate]

Originally Posted by robbza

Oh man first time i've heard of this, it would make the European side of FHM so much better.

Agreed. Of course, it would also make the European side of real life hockey so much better.

[robbza]

Originally Posted by SetonHallPirate

Agreed. Of course, it would also make the European side of real life hockey so much better.

Yeah disappointing to hear it is cancelled. Would of loved to see some great Hockey.

[grazza]

Originally Posted by SetonHallPirate

Yes, very true...then again, the European football/soccer squads certainly care quite a bit about the UEFA Champions' League!

In football terms the continental cup is far more comparable to the Europa league and really seen as more of a 2nd tier European competition. The top leagues in Europe don't send teams into the continental cup anymore. Shame there is no champions league at the moment the old European hockey league was the closest we had to that. The European Trophy is an interesting project but not really based on who finishes where in what leagues but a sort of pre season tournament that might spill into the season as well.

For EHM the continental cup is a tricky one in that it changes every year what countries do enter. Occasionally you might get a German, Swedish or Russian team but not from their top league. I do really hope it is in the game and reflects your teams reputation so say you are a UK elite league team when recruiting players they know you are playing in continental cup so it may help you. Best way to maybe do it is like football manager had the old intertoto cup where teams would receive an invite if they were interested that could be accepted or declined. The problem still is that say one year Italy have a team but not the next, does the game just reflect the layout of season 1 throughout the game or randomly generate those opting in or out in any given year but ensure the users team league can be in if they wish.

The reason the continental cup is so unstable is that there really isn't money to made from it, certainly teams from UK going to play in it have probably had to pay for their own travel and lose a weekend home league match and the cost of hosting is even more with the need to accommodate the 3 visiting teams and meet some other criteria hence why no UK team has hosted in over a decade. That said it is weird that amateur clubs from Turkey, Spain etc can afford the travel in the early rounds.

[Alessandro]

Originally Posted by grazza

That said it is weird that amateur clubs from Turkey, Spain etc can afford the travel in the early rounds.

IIHF pays for them

[SetonHallPirate]

You know, trying to find information on the rules and bylaws and whatnot of the Continental Cup is like trying to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...

[Alessandro]

Well, in case, we should just go on with this season's formula...

Originally Posted by Alessandro

IIHF pays for them

Evidence of this? Doesn't make sense why the IIHF would pay for them!

A Champions League for hockey would be so easy to make work it would just take a couple of good sponsors and some incentive to win, prize money! Gazprom would sponsor it if told to by the KHL!

[grazza]

KHl is probably biggest obstacle to it. Their goal in expansion towards a pan European league and so they would be keen for big clubs to join the KHL so anything that helps boost other Euro leagues will not go down well with KHL. The old European Hockey League was a good competition but the economics of hockey in Europe of changed back in 1999 the UK Superleague for instance had a lot more money to spend and teams could at least be competitive against top European teams now it would not be close. I would like though a system where the continental cup winners could join any top competition so at least it gives teams a potential path.

Would be weird if teams from Turkey or Spain get money from IIHF to take part as in past UK teams have had to try and raise money to go through sponsorship. when Belfast hosted a group they made a significant financial loss. IIHF basically do nothing at club level in hockey they happily take ITC card fees but do basically nothing to run the sport.

[Alessandro]

Originally Posted by grazza

KHl is probably biggest obstacle to it.

Lack of money is even more of a factor