National Hockey League aims to establish hockey culture in China

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The National Hockey League (NHL) is working to establish a hockey culture in China by bringing professional hockey players and matches to Chinese audiences, according to an NHL report on Sunday.

The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames will participate in the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games in Shenzhen's Universiade Sports Center on Sept. 15. They will then travel to Beijing on Sept. 19 for another match at Cadillac Arena.

Brandon Sutter #20 of Vancouver Canucks skates against players of Los Angeles Kings during the NHL pre-season game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks at Wukesong Arena in Beijing, China, Sept. 23, 2017. /VCG Photo

The China-based matchups in September will be the third and fourth preseason contests following last year's O.R.G NHL tour in China, which involved games in Shanghai and Beijing between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks.

"The way I view it is we're three years into a strategy to build a hockey infrastructure in China," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.

A delegation of NHL employees and NHL alumni traveled to China three years ago to begin working with local schools and the government to introduce hockey.

"For us to make hockey relevant in China it's more of a two-pronged approach," Daly said. "It's a lot different from European markets, where hockey is developed. I think we have to be committed to grassroots youth hockey. We have to work with other parties who are willing to work on that."

A general view of the Universiade Sports Centre, a set-up for the press conference of the NHL pre-season game between the Boston Bruins and the Calgary Flames in Shenzhen, China, July 23, 2018. /VCG Photo

Daly said the NHL wanted to bring the world's greatest players and the world's greatest teams to China so the Chinese audiences could see hockey at its highest level.

It is important to expose players and teams in person, he added.

The NHL's China strategy is to both target business opportunities that will grow the League's brand globally and to help the game grow in China as part of the winter sports development in advance of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, according to the report.

The League has contractually agreed to host preseason games in China in six of the next eight years. It has also agreed to develop learn-to-play programs and to provide the necessary equipment, including sticks and balls for the hockey program.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency