Though the NHL is stuck in yet another lockout, the rest of the hockey world continues to go on. That includes the various leagues in Europe, where many NHL players are spending the first days of the work stoppage.
The best of those leagues is obviously the KHL, where players like Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin have signed on and are already playing. There are various Internet streams that allow fans to watch if they choose to look for them, but would they watch if the games were broadcast on TV?
This past week, the KHL posted on its English website that there has been "a surge" in interest from North American TV companies about broadcasting games.
The statement:
The UFA Sports agency, which acts as the KHL’s marketing service partner in nations outside the League’s borders, has announced a surge in interest among North American TV companies seeking to broadcast matches in the KHL Championship.
At present, the American media are interested primarily in showing games featuring Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Malkin, Sergei Gonchar and other locked-out NHL stars, so current talks are focused on coverage of games featuring Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Dynamo Moscow, CSKA Moscow and SKA Saint Petersburg.
There are also ongoing talks with interested broadcasters from Great Britain and a number of European countries about showing KHL Championship games.
That doesn't mean it's going to happen, but would you have any interest if it did?
Would you watch a KHL game that involved Malkin or Ovechkin? Or are you simply NHL-or-bust when it comes to your hockey viewing?
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