We've been going for a very long time. , . Where are the origins of Chinese hockey and how does this sport live today in the Middle Kingdom?
How did it all start?
In 1963, the Chinese Ice Hockey Federation joined the IIHF. However, the origins of this sport in China date back to the 1910s, when hockey began to be introduced to China. In 1953, a national league appeared, uniting amateur teams; then it included 8 teams, and later their number ranged from 6 to 12.
Regarding the founding of the national association, the dates vary: different sources mention 1957, 1951 and 1953. It arose as a division of the winter sports association.
In 1983, the hockey association, headquartered in Beijing, received independent status. The Chinese Hockey Association has five branches: the national committee, the standing committee, the coaches committee, the referee committee and the research committee.
Who plays hockey and where?
According to reports, today more than 20,000 people play hockey in China, of which more than 1,200 are registered as professional hockey players. There are about 100 skating rinks in the country, 48 of which are indoors. In addition, there are 98 registered hockey referees in China.
National team
The Chinese team is ranked 38th among men's national teams. Your very big victory the Chinese won in 1999, when they beat Kuwait 35:0, and biggest defeat was the game with Latvia in 1994, when the team from the Baltic states turned out to be stronger with a score of 22:0. There were years when China rose to the first division of the world championship, but it was not possible to stay there for more than two seasons.
Chinese clubs
The China Dragon club is the only professional club in the country and plays outside the Chinese championship - in the Asian Hockey League. This club is based in Shanghai and has never achieved any success in the AHL (only once did the “dragons” manage to take not the last place, but the penultimate one – in the 2008/09 season). It is headed by at the moment Jeff Hutchins, former hockey player Canadian-British origin, who also played for the British national team. There are also players from North America. The arena in Shanghai, by the way, seats 8,000 spectators.
That's what he said Wade Flaherty, ex-Vancouver goalkeeper, about his performances in the Chinese league: “In China, no one really knows about the word “role.” Hockey players run chaotically around the court. The players have positions, but they have little idea what they are.
When I came to China, it seemed like a good opportunity to be part of something new, to help them build a league from scratch. It's bad that the season there lasts from September to January. Even an 8-year-old child in Canada spends more time on the ice than Chinese hockey players. This needs to change,” Flaherty said in an interview with The Vancouver Sun. These words were spoken in 2009. Perhaps very soon we will have the opportunity to see with our own eyes positive changes in Chinese hockey that have occurred over the past years.
Why China?
Beijing will host winter sports in 2022 Olympic Games. Naturally, the Chinese side is interested in the development of winter sports, which have hitherto been in the background or even third in this country. Therefore, the presence of a club can be an impetus for the development of hockey in the country, including from the point of view of increasing spectator interest.
“There is no direct connection between the entry of the Chinese club into the 2022 Olympics. China is accustomed to planning all activities over a long period of time. To a certain extent, we are in a hurry, so here we need to somehow harmonize the speed of decision-making. In any case, China will develop hockey. I know that the International Hockey Federation is actively working in this direction. The Olympic Games will be the catalyst. You place the object in a favorable environment, and everything happens faster there,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko about the motives for the club from China to join.
From China. Due to increased interest in the People's Republic of China this species sports, it was decided to create a professional hockey club to participate in the ultra-popular Continental Hockey League, in which China had not previously participated.
History of creation
Professional Chinese team performs in Asian Games and has been their leader since 1986. This year, the team from the Celestial Empire won the victory for the first time and won the cup. In general, the team is stable and rarely falls below third place. However, he was not represented in any club. The main difference between the Kunlun Red Star squad and the Chinese national team is the absence of players from China in the original main squad.
On June 24, 2016, the KHL board of directors decided to participate in the 2016-17 season. Kunlun Red Star team. The document was signed with the participation of top officials from Russia and China, who expressed hope for the development of this wonderful sport in China.
The very next day, the club’s management announced the beginning of the formation of the Kunlun Red Star team. Initially, the appointment of Vladimir Yurzinov as coach was announced.
Club name
The name "Kunlun Red Star" can be divided into two parts. The last two words are translated from English language like "red star". And “Kunlun” is the name of a mountain system in China. Literally from Chinese it can be translated as “mountains of the moon”.
Compound
Final composition"Kunlun Red Star" season 2016-2017. was announced already on July 5, 2016. And already on February 18, 2017, after the efforts made, the team was able to make it to the playoffs.
In March 2017, the head coach was replaced; Mike Keenan was appointed as the new coach. Senior coach - Igor Kravchuk.
Current Kunlun Red Star roster 2017-18:
- Goalkeepers: Manus Hellberg (Sweden) and Alexander Skrynnik (Russia).
- Defenders: Rinat Ibraimov (Russia), Bladen Joe (Canada), Artur Kulda (Latvia), Brett Bellemore (Canada), Marek Dialoga (Slovakia), Nick Schaus (USA), Pavel Vorobey (Belarus), Nikita Khlystov (Russia), Joonos Jarvinen (Finland), Jesse Blecker (Canada), Roman Grabrenko (Belarus), Sergey Peretyagin (Russia).
- Forwards: (Belarus), Kirill Lebedev (Russia), (Ukraine), Mikhail Mokin (Russia), Lucas Lessio (Canada), Brandon DeFazio (Canada), Brandon Yip (Canada), Luke Lockhart (Canada), Taylor Beck (Canada) ), Greg Squires (USA).
- Centers: Corey Kane (USA), Brendan O'Donnell (Canada), Gilbert Brule (Canada), Kyle Chipchura (Canada), Jaakko Risanen (Finland).
On December 3, 2017, it became known about changes in the Kunlun Red Star lineup; again, these changes affected the team’s coaching staff. Mike Keenan has left his post and Bobby Carpenter has been appointed interim head coach. There is still controversy surrounding his departure. The main reason for the coach's departure is not known.
Otherwise, the composition of the Kunlun Red Star team remains stable, even if you do not pay attention to the frequent changes in the main coaching staff. Not only the board of directors of Kunlun Red Star, but also an increasing number of fans of the new club are satisfied with the work of the center forwards.
NEW CHINESE
“I grew up in America and graduated from Columbia University, studying business and humanities,” Liao began telling her story about herself. - My grandfather was a famous general during the Sino-Japanese War. Therefore, after studying in the States, the goal was to benefit China.
- What is the new generation of Chinese?
Typically, Chinese students do very well in the US and UK. The Chinese approach is to work hard in pursuit of improvement and success. Now the Chinese have begun to think more globally, work better in teams, while maintaining the traditions of diligent students.
- How has business changed in your country recently?
We have become closer to the world. Large companies have learned a lot from the West and are developing both intensively and extensively, using acquisitions, mergers and investments. Therefore, my focus in the field of effective foreign investments has become very popular.
- Chinese companies are increasingly present in world markets.
Unfortunately, in Europe and North America, Chinese investors are often deceived because they do not know the specifics of local marketing. Western companies know almost nothing about our country. Because I am familiar with both "worlds", I help with the location of investments in the West and believe that I am making a positive contribution to the development of our business and country.
- How did the Chinese become interested in sports?
Over time, our investors began to increasingly invest in the entertainment industry, as the population began to pay attention to improving living standards and good entertainment content - films, TV series and, of course, sports broadcasts. All this is becoming even more in demand in China. I am well aware of the needs of the Chinese market and the preconditions for investment in this area.
September 5. Beijing. "Kunlun" - "Admiral" - 6:3. Rudy Ying (left) during the Chinese anthem. Photo photo.khl.ru
KUNLUN
- How did you end up in hockey?
I was appointed president "Kunlun Red Star" so that the club’s performance in one of the world’s strongest leagues will contribute to the successful development of hockey in China. The club is playing vital role in Chinese-Russian relations. This project, like the vast majority of international projects in China, is aimed at successful performance at the 2022 Olympics. Our winter sport is just beginning to develop. At this stage we don't have enough professional athletes and staff. For the Chinese market and audience, this is a completely unknown area. Having secured high-level support from the governments of the two countries, we aimed our project at a significant breakthrough winter sports in China, as well as attracting and informing mass audiences.
- How does hockey help in the development of international relations?
KHL matches take place in eight countries, including China. Sport has become a tool of sports communication between them, completely new and interesting for us. Our country has never played in an international league of this level before. Performance in Continental League will help to establish connections through culture and sports, our athletes to improve, as well as the entire club and the hockey industry in the country to develop in order to reach the world level by 2022.
- How is this development planned?
The Continental League is played by high-level professionals, and we have gathered the best Chinese players to play in it. In addition, together with the Chinese Sports Administration (analogous to the Ministry of Sports. - Note auto.) and the hockey federation, we organized a viewing of players from the national teams under 20 and under 18 years old. Our efforts are aimed at raising the general level of hockey players in the country and training personnel for the main Chinese national team, so that talented young people can prove themselves at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
- What short-term goals does the club face?
We hope the team makes it to the playoffs. The whole team works hard together to achieve more. I think it is useful to develop sports team towards self-sufficiency. This does not contradict the main line of the country's successful preparation for the Winter Olympics. Sports marketing in China is not developing along the traditional American path. Since the government controls most of the sports industry, you have to be careful.
- How can you make money from the club in these conditions?
The hockey club is part of a holding company of several companies in various areas, including sports marketing and others. And we plan to develop other areas to make the project successful. Perhaps the club itself cannot pay for itself yet. The main thing is to attract investment in sports marketing. We hope that with the help of our and the Russian government, we will not be just a team about which they say: “They are rich and can afford to spend a lot of money.” We are ready to invest carefully to make the club the main symbol of our entertainment industry. The ultimate dream of our hockey players is a career in the KHL. We are ready to use other areas of business for the comprehensive development of the club in order to fully utilize the opportunities of sports marketing.
ATTENDANCE
- How do you plan to cope with low attendance at home matches in Shanghai?
Essentially, we create marketing and create new audiences. Our team is based in Beijing, but as a Chinese team in the KHL, we have to play many home games in Shanghai. Growing in two different markets is even more difficult. I hope in Russian media will be able to tell how difficult it is to attract the attention of a completely new audience, because in China people are not accustomed to going to sporting event V free time or with your family. In addition, our sport seriously lags behind football and basketball in popularity.
- In what ways do you attract the audience?
We mobilized work on local television and most sports electronic platforms to tell people about hockey. Famous hockey personalities can help with brand development by telling why they chose this sport and what the KHL is. Our target audience is university students, sports fans, especially football and basketball fans in Beijing and Shanghai, foreigners and tourists. They are used to watching sports, and we will accustom them to hockey. Although we have done a lot of work, it does not compare with the progress in other more developed countries in terms of hockey - Russia and others where hockey is national species sports
- What instruments attract young people?
An important part of our project is teaching children hockey with kindergarten and up to 18 years of age. Kunlun's performance in the KHL will increase its popularity among the young population. This may take some time, as even the National Hockey League only came to China three years ago.
- How can the KHL overtake in Asia?
The advantage of the KHL is that a Chinese team plays in the league, as well as the proximity of the region. Either way, with the current government support and hopefully media coverage, we are poised to gain momentum. You have to understand that the team was created in a few months, and it is performing well, but we are ready to continue to work hard and develop, solving many problems every day. I hope we can make hockey popular in China.
- How can the KHL develop in China?
In the future, our group of companies plans to create several KHL teams from China. This will allow more Chinese hockey players to perform at the highest level and improve. We will begin these projects as soon as we get the current one up and running.
Head coach of Kunlun Vladimir YURZINOV. Photo photo.khl.ru
THE SECRET OF SUCCESS
- What is behind the successful start of the regular season for Kunlun?
I think we chose the right head coach and general manager. - very experienced specialist and professionally uses best qualities players, and also competently distributes foreign and Chinese hockey players in the team. We have assembled an international team of eight different countries, including Russia, they were joined by seven Chinese. Hockey players quickly found a common language of hockey, despite their differences. I think we're done good job, and we can only thank our team for a successful start, but there is always room to grow.
- How do Chinese hockey players feel in the KHL club?
Our hockey players are fully aware and grateful for the opportunity to play in the KHL, so they work painstakingly under the guidance of a coach. The son of our celebrity returned from the North American club to play for our team. IN "Kunlun" The Chinese are also motivated by patriotism. That is why it is necessary to tell legionnaires who have made a huge contribution to success about our country.
- What do you know about Russia?
Little. I really want to learn more about it, and our project is a great opportunity for this. For me, Russia is a mysterious country with a rich history and culture. In this, China is similar to it. We do not want the world to judge us only on money or the political situation, forgetting about other areas. Cooperation between two countries with a rich past and economic power can make them stronger, and also allow our compatriots to get to know each other better. Hockey is a great opportunity for the Chinese to get to know the Russians.
- Did you know that you became popular in the Russian hockey community thanks to your page on a social network?
I didn't know about this before. After spending some time in the USA, the habit of maintaining a Facebook page remained. It’s great that the fans liked it, and now I will update it more often to tell more about the club and Chinese culture. I will be only glad of this.
We are talking not only about figure skating and short track speed skating - disciplines in which Chinese athletes traditionally show good results, but also about sports that are less common in China, such as hockey.
According to the strategy developed by the Chief public administration According to the Ministry of Physical Education and Sports of the People's Republic of China, the main idea of holding the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022 is to popularize previously unpopular winter sports among more than 300 million Chinese citizens. The task of disseminating such disciplines as alpine skiing, bobsled and ski jumping, will largely fulfill olympic city Zhangjiakou, located 200 km from the capital, is already ready to host snow slopes. But with team sports, especially hockey, the situation is much more complicated.
The 2022 Olympics will feature 12 hockey teams (8 of which will take places in the IIHF rankings), as well as the winners of three qualifying groups and the host country, that is, China. The title of “capital” of the Winter Olympic Games implies mandatory participation in the tournament by the Chinese national hockey team, which currently ranks only 38th in the IIHF world rankings. The figure is by no means high, so in order to increase the competitiveness of the hockey team by 2022, the Chinese authorities have seriously taken up the creation of a strong team.
Today's successes international competitions It’s too early for Chinese hockey players to boast. The only team from China plays in the Asian Hockey League - China Dragon, which has collected all the anti-records in the AIHL. The team was formed in 2007, the Chinese Hockey Association assembled the “best of the best” from the two strongest teams: “Hosa” (Harbin) and “Changchun-fuao” (Qiqihar). As a result of negotiations between the Chinese Hockey Association and the San Jose Sharks (teams from the NHL), it was decided to strengthen the Chinese national team with five players and three coaches from the NHL, the team was called the China Sharks. However, all efforts went to waste: despite the fact that the team slightly improved its level, in terms of the difference in goals scored/missed, it remained “at the bottom” standings, surpassing only the Japanese club Nikko Icebugs. In 2009, China Sharks lost financial support from the West, and the team was renamed China Dragon. Last season, the Chinese club managed to win only 7 victories in 48 matches.
An important step in development national hockey was the entry of the Chinese club into the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)
An important step in the development of national hockey was the entry of the Chinese club into the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The decision to create a Chinese team in one of the strongest hockey leagues was discussed at the level of top officials, and in October last year the KHL working group visited the “hockey” cities of the Middle Kingdom. During the visit, the Russian delegation visited Shanghai, Harbin and Beijing, where they got acquainted with the local hockey infrastructure and attended youth competitions. The purpose of the visit was to assess further prospects for cooperation between the League and Chinese clubs. A little later it became known that the President of the Russian Hockey Federation Vladislav Tretyak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Continental hockey league Gennady Timchenko and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chinese Hockey Club "Red Star-Kunlun" Yang Yun of the protocol on China's performance in the KHL. According to the document, to participate in the series of games next KHL season, the Red Star-Kunlun club is obliged to provide financial guarantees of the minimum amount of funding until the end of April 2016, as well as fulfill all the conditions for participation in the League, comply with the rules and regulations provided for by the KHL Regulations. There is no doubt about the financial guarantees of the Chinese club - the taxation system in China is quite loyal to sports, which is well proven by the activity of the Chinese football clubs, who spent over 203 million euros in the winter transfer window and overtook the most prestigious English Premier League. Thus, according to forecasts, the expected budget of Red Star-Kunlun will be comparable to the budgets of the richest KHL teams, such as SKA, Ak Bars and the capital CSKA. The Chinese club will be based in Beijing, home arena should become sports complex"Mastercard Center", built back to Summer Olympics 2008 and designed for 18 thousand fans.
Chinese fans hope that the new Chinese club in the KHL will be able to collect good team. Chairman of the KHL Board of Directors Gennady Timchenko said that the KHL newcomer - the Beijing Red Star-Kunlun - will be provided with special conditions for recruiting hockey players. And we will, first of all, talk about athletes from North America and, possibly, players from Russia. However, hockey fans believe that the Chinese club will choose the North American vector of development, the reason for this is the offer of a working contract to Canadian hockey coach Mike Keenan, who won many trophies during his career, including the Stanley Cup and the Gagarin Cup. If the Chinese club manages to put such a experienced trainer, this will significantly increase the chances of the club performing at the very high level. However, according to the regulations, in addition to foreign stars, athletes with Chinese passports must also play in the club.
Given the low level of play in regional hockey clubs, the problem of finding professionals is quite acute. But it can also be solved. Every year, interest in getting an education abroad is growing in China; many young junior hockey players go to study in Canada and the USA, and after graduation they stay to play in local clubs. An example is 19-year-old Andong Song, who moved from China to Canada at the age of 10, played for local clubs for a long time, and was later noticed by the New York Islanders hockey club. To date, Song is considered the first ethnic Chinese in the NHL. It is possible that Red Star-Kunlun will be able to bring back young players or naturalize players with Chinese roots.
Interesting: By the way, prices for classes and equipment in China are not much different from Russian ones: average price uniforms - about 65 dollars, the price of one lesson in a section - 30 dollars, in Russia the cost of equipment is slightly lower - around 55 dollars, but classes are more expensive - 30-35 dollars
The entry of Chinese clubs into the KHL is beneficial both to the League itself and to the PRC. The performance of the national team in the KHL contributes to the popularity of hockey in the country, and will also help in creating a competitive national team that can perform well at the home Olympics. In turn, the KHL will receive a huge market. By the way, interest in hockey in China has been constantly growing in recent years, as evidenced by television ratings data during the hockey finals at the Olympic Games in Sochi: over 120 million Chinese watched the Canada-Sweden match, while at home they were rooting for Canada only 15 million TV viewers. It’s hard to imagine how many TV viewers will be glued to the screens if sooner or later the Chinese team makes it to the finals.
Matches involving the Chinese team in the KHL will be of no less interest. Thus, about 800 thousand Chinese watch NHL games, and this is despite the morning broadcast. It is worth noting that the NHL has long been trying to “strengthen itself” in China, in addition to creating sports schools and camps, NHL clubs organize tourist trips to matches in the United States. In addition, several clubs are planning to send their players to participate in the local league. Perhaps such competition will benefit the KHL. The Youth Hockey Development Program can also contribute to this. The Ministry of Sports of China and Russia, the FHR and the KHL are in constant dialogue. It is planned to create youth team, which may play in the MHL (Youth Hockey League). And in the youth team, preference will be given to local players rather than to foreign players.
As for junior hockey in China itself, only three teams competed at the 2014-2015 U18 national championship: Harbin, Qiqihar and Beijing. The northern teams (Harbin and Qiqihar) are significantly inferior in technique to the young Beijing hockey players. One of the key advantages of the Beijing team is the participation of 9 young hockey players who were trained in the USA and Canada, where intensive training newcomers. Even if we compare the number of matches played per year, “over the hill” young people participate in more than 100 official matches, and the guys from Chinese clubs cannot earn such practice even in 5 years. Another interesting fact is that in the capital, children begin playing hockey at the age of 4-5, and children from the northern regions of China enroll in the hockey section at the age of 7-8, although it is believed that children from the northern provinces are stronger and taller. As for the number of competitions at the city level, Beijing is the leader here too. Thus, about 730 matches take place in the capital during the annual city junior training camp, in which 1,745 young athletes take part.
Perhaps the more active development of hockey in Beijing is influenced not only by the image of the “Olympic capital”, but also by other factors. Firstly, the abundance of sports infrastructure, soon specifically for the popularization of hockey and figure skating construction of 16 is planned in Beijing ice arenas and about 50 outdoor skating rinks, for a total of 64 outdoor and 48 indoor skating rinks in China. For comparison: in Russia at the beginning of 2016 there were 2,553 outdoor and 450 indoor skating rinks. Secondly, the capital is the leader in the number of middle class, and these are people who can afford to buy their children expensive hockey equipment and pay for classes.
Today the Youth Hockey League has 708 players. Of course, the numbers are not that impressive, but everyone knows what Chinese athletes are capable of, especially with the support of the country's top leader: Chinese President Xi Jinping recently admitted that hockey is his favorite winter sport.
The first talk that the Chinese club could start playing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) appeared at the end of previous season. Towards the end of 2015, abstract conversations began to take on quite tangible outlines - Russia, perhaps even earlier than China, learned the name - the Beijing Kunlun Red Star - of a still non-existent team that had every chance of starting to play in the KHL. And so the first Chinese club was officially accepted into KHL composition and will begin its performances in the coming season.
This decision was made at the KHL Board of Directors, which had to consider three applications for entry into the KHL, received from different Chinese clubs from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Only one was satisfied - which meets all the requirements of the league.
A club that doesn't exist
Naturally, Russians are now wondering what this hockey team one from China that will play in the KHL against our CSKA, SKA, Spartak and Dynamo.
However, it is not yet possible to answer this question. Even in the club itself they are unlikely to be able to tell you anything intelligible. The fact is that the club still exists only on paper.
From a legal point of view, everything looks just perfect - a Chinese team that will play in a converted basketball palace with financial help from mainly Russian and partly Chinese businesses. All necessary guarantees from the club and permissions from the federations have been received. It would seem that nothing prevents the start of work.
But there is no one to work yet. The first official public employee of the club, who began to work hard, was former general director of the resurgent hockey club “Krylya Sovetov” Vladimir Krechin, who became the general manager of the Chinese team.
“Today, June 8, Vladimir Nikolaevich Krechin left the post of general director of the Krylya Sovetov hockey club. Vladimir Nikolaevich received an offer to become the general manager of a new club in the KHL system - Red Star Kunlun from Beijing. We wish Vladimir Nikolaevich success and achievement of new professional heights. The name of the new general director will be announced later,” read the announcement on the official website of “Wings of the Soviets.”
This was followed by the announcement of the appointment of the head coach of Red Star. He became 51 years old Vladimir Yurzinov Jr., whose last place of work was the Ufa “Salavat Yulaev” in 2015, with whom the mentor won silver medals.Only the day before the name of one of the first hockey players who signed a contract with Red Star became known. He became a 32-year-old Finnish defender Janne Jalasvaara, who previously played for another recent newcomer to the league, the Sochi hockey club. All other players are still only in the future. But the names “Chinese” are thrown around beautifully. Now half the country is absolutely sure that the main star of “Kunlun” will be Ilya Kovalchuk, outcast St. Petersburg SKA and his new head coach Oleg Znarok.
In the future, the team will recruit mainly Russian players and foreigners with experience playing in the KHL. As an exception, some Chinese may appear on the ice in a Chinese club.
“The Chinese club will place maximum emphasis on employing Russian players whenever possible, as well as on attracting our specialists to coaching staff. This was proposed by the Russian side, taking into account our extensive experience and accumulated knowledge in hockey. Although, of course, there will be Chinese players in the club,” he quotes KHL board member Roman Rotenberg TASS.
It is this functionary, by the way, who is the main driving force behind everything that happens in the Chinese club. He negotiates with managers, gives comments on transfer policy, and talks about preparing the basketball arena for hockey battles.
In general, hardly anyone knows more about the Red Star of Kunlun than Roman Rotenberg. But even from his comments a complete picture does not yet emerge. We just have to wait until September, when Krasnaya Zvezda will have its first match in the KHL. It is still unknown which club will be the first to experience all the delights of flying to Beijing. But even this will seem like an easy walk against the backdrop of constant visits to Vladivostok for matches with Admiral.
So far, these one and a half printed pages of A4 size in 12th font are practically all that is known about Chinese hockey club called “Red Star of Kunlun. In China, believe me, they know even less about him.
Celestial hockey
For many Russians, not only the appearance of a Chinese club in the KHL, but even the very presence in Celestial hockey and the desire to cultivate it.
In fact, hockey came to China almost simultaneously with our country - in the 10-20s of the last century. Then the first skating rinks began to appear, on which the local population, mostly rural, ineptly drove the projectile with sticks.
Hockey in China began to transform into something similar to a sport closer to the middle of the twentieth century. In 1953, the Chinese League appeared, in which 8 clubs competed for the title of national champion. Little has changed since then - in the championship in different years There were from 6 to 12 teams playing, but it was not ranked on the world stage. Even now, the strongest Chinese clubs play not in the national championship, but in the Asian Hockey League, where clubs from Japan and South Korea. But even there the Chinese team is one of the weakest.
The Chinese team is also far from being in the first place. In the world table of ranks, the Celestial Empire ranks closer to the end of the fourth dozen. Occasionally, the team still made it to the first division of the world championships, but mostly vegetated in the second. To make it clear what we are talking about, Russia plays in the top division.
Despite the low level of hockey development in the country, China is an excellent and still virtually untapped market. Overseas clubs from the National Hockey League (NHL) have just begun to make their first attempts to somehow conquer it. And this is not without reason - the final of the 2014 Olympics in China was watched almost 10 times more people than in Canada, which, by the way, played in the final against Sweden.
What does this mean? There is interest in the country in sports such as hockey. But if the Olympic Games can be sold to the Chinese only once every four years, then NHL games can be sold at least every day from September to May. And the Chinese market, with a potential of more than a billion people, is more than a tasty morsel for any league.
But if in the NHL the most they can do is to instill in the Chinese a love for their teams through training camps, exhibition tours, advertising campaigns and even the appearance of the first Chinese in the draft, then for the KHL it is not a problem to take an entire Chinese club under its wing, and with the prospect of increasing the presence of the Celestial Empire in the league to several teams. This, as they say, is a completely different calico.
With the 2022 Winter Olympics set to take place in Beijing and the country committing huge sums of money to promote the number one winter sport among its population, the timing for the KHL's eastward expansion is perfect. As a result, it turns out that the rush to include the “unknown animal” in the league that we are watching is absolutely justified. It remains to be seen what will come of it.
