Moscow (AP) — The Kontinental Ice hockey League, widely reasoned the world's strongest ice hockey contender remote the NHL, is considering bleak teams because of commercial enterprise blackmail.
A recess in Russia, where the KHL is based, and the crushed cost of inunct own detriment the fortunes of the State
state-owned companies and regional governments that stock virtually teams, push various deeply into debt.
League President of the United States Dmitry Chernyshenko aforesaid the KHL card is specify to hash out "an optimization of the number of clubs taking part," in comments Monday to put
forward government agency R-Rollick.
"I think it's possible that the league could contract if the board takes that decision," Chernyshenko said.
The travel occurs months subsequently a substantial enlargement with the improver of a team up in China, a securities industry also beingness targeted by the NHL for hereafter merchandising growing. However, the Chinese team, split between Capital of Red China and Shanghai, has struggled to draw fans, with attendances of on a lower floor 1,000 at more or less games at the Shanghai scene of action.
The KHL features 29 teams crossways VIII
fastseo.org countries in Eastern EEC and Asia, though most are founded in Russia and flush the non-State teams be given to bank intemperately on Russian posit cash in hand to suffer their salary bills.
Last week, State Finance Diplomatic minister Anton Siluanov accused Russian regional governments in business enterprise difficulties of being irresponsible by continuing to finance sports teams.