The hockey games provide a bulk of the programming to the Olympics. There are more than 30 games scheduled and about 100 hours of programming for the networks and for the organizing committees. Twenty thousand people per game attend the games. Hence more than 600,000 tickets are sold. And the league shuts down the arena that is being used for the games which is the home of the Vancouver Canucks. It has been reconfigured for the Olympics too. You should see what the staff has done to seating to handle the world’s media.
Each team is stocked full of NHL players. The Swedish team is awesome. I think 90 percent NHL laden. Nick Backstom had a strong game yesterday, by the way. Great faceoff winning percentage and a wonderful play and assist on Sweden’s second goal. We will attend three games today highlighted by the US team, the Canadian team and the team from Russia. All day. All hockey.
The merchandising sales are through the roof here. I bought some USA hats at $35 each. Wow! And replica jerseys were selling for more than $300. We bought some USA jerseys for our kids and some from Sweden, too.
The NHL has provided more than $2 BILLION of committed contracts in terms of players to the Olympics. The Capitals have provided in our six players more than $200 million worth of talent as well, I believe. And in payment back we received two free tickets to each game per team 
. Seems like a fair exchange, huh?
And we aren’t allowed to do any press work on site or media streaming in any way or use the Olympic logos or see our players or park at the arena and on and on. I bet I am violating some rules in blogging about the Olympics as I am not paying a penny to do so. I didn’t ask for permission or credentials either.
I love the Olympics but we don’t have a fair exchange of value that is for sure.
As far as I can tell the Olympic Committee is more important than governments, leagues, police forces, individual teams, athletes and even religions. They rule! They are in total control. The floggings will continue until morale improves around here!
Your comment about the NHL sending $2 billion worth of talent to the Olympics fails to mention that many of the national sports federations spent their own $$$ developing those talented players that who skate in the NHL. USA Hockey spends money developing American hockey players–shouldn’t USA Hockey expect those player to represent their country every 4 years?
Well…one injured Ovechkin costs 124 million, not sure if the “advertising” is worth the risk.
Hey Ted, is the juice worth the squeeze?
The Olympics are the BEST advertisement for the sport of hockey. A “captive” audience, the best players, etc. And announcers over and over state that certain players play for this or that NHL Team. And this makes more NHL fans and ticket buyers. SO….why in the heck would the NHL not want their players at the 2014 Olympics?
Ted, I understand your point and concern about the NHL shutting down for two weeks and risking injury to its players. As a long time Capitals season ticket holder and passionate Capitals fan I want to say that I love the Olympics and having the NHL players competing. Even though I am a diehard Capital fan, first and foremost I am a hockey fan. One of my first exposures to hockey was the 1960 Olympics in Squaw Valley. I was in highschool at the time and I remember watching the semi final and gold medal game on TV. I grew up in Minnesota and it was an especially big deal when the USA team won because of all the Minnesotans that were on the team. Similarly, the 1980 Miracle on Ice will never be forgotten I am sure by people who experienced it live or on TV.
Next week, I will be going to Vancouver to watch a quarterfinal game which hopefully the United States will be in and also a semi-final game which if US makes it that far will be playing in. I can truly say it will be an experience of a lifetime.
It would be a horrible mistake if the NHL in the future does not allow its players to play in the Olympics. The Olympics are the premier sporting event and the exposure hockey gets cannot be equalled. I predict that more people will watch the USA Canada game this Sunday than watched Game 7 of last seasons Stanley Cup final between Detroit and Pittsburgh.
…and yet the networks see fit to preempt the start of many hockey games with that penultimate sport, CURLING??!
What is up with that??!
Ted, first let me say I adore reading your blog but, I know of only 5 Caps at the olympics. Who’s the 6th? I want to root for him too!
yes; the olympians are control freaks…but… I can watch them on DirecTV which is more then I can see when the Caps are on Vs. (Maybe you can lobby a xfinity or directv exec you see up there…just get the playoffs on)
enjoy
Ted, so how is Freedonia’s team this year?
The fans don’t care about the metrics, they just want to cheer on their countries best!
I support teams getting only two tickets per game. Its not about you.
The IOC are bigger that the Beatles!
And lest anyone forget, for all the money being made, the athletes don’t see a dime. I’m not sure which is a bigger racket, the Olympics or the NCAA.