The number of teams and series systems of the ice hockey SM league have been the talk of the town in recent years. The consulting company came up with a very surprising solution.
On Tuesday, the consulting company EY, which has been analyzing the finances of the ice hockey championship league clubs, published a wild proposal for series systems.
There has been a lot of talk in the public about A and B leagues, each with ten teams. EY takes the idea even further: in its proposal, the A, B, C leagues would each have eight teams.
Director of EY’s financial administration advisory services Janne Aalto sees that the financial differences between the SM league and Mestis are too great. That’s why EY started thinking about the matter from a clean slate.
The consulting company believes that in eight-team leagues, the difference between the standings would be smaller. EY also suggests that you could rise and fall not only in spring but also in autumn.
– It would make it possible for there to be fewer passing games and maybe there would be more interest. The financial differences between the levels would be significantly smaller, says Aalto.
According to Aalto, the series would not be separate, but different levels would have the opportunity to reach the spring playoffs.
– It requires a more in-depth analysis, whether semi-annual promotion or relegation qualifiers would be used, and whether games would only be played within one level or whether there would also be games between levels.
The proposal breaks the traditional model
Sports expert Top Nättinen considers the proposal refreshing, but challenging.
The proposal breaks the traditional sports model, when the qualifying games would be in the middle of the season, so to speak.
– This is a challenging idea for my own sports understanding and internal system, says Nättinen.
– But at the same time, it feels like a moment. The traditional model, which has two series, will not really be reached except through bankruptcy. I don’t think anyone will suddenly agree to leave the league.
EY does not believe in Mesti’s professionalism
According to EY’s view, with the proposed ten-team main league, Mestis’ level would rise, and the gap between the league and Mestis would decrease significantly.
However, EY does not believe that ten professionally functioning teams would be enough for Mesti.
According to Aalto, it is also practically impossible to find six clubs that would agree to move to Mestis.
The expert Nättinen also thinks it’s clear that in any case the end result must be some kind of hybrid model, so that the clubs’ operations don’t disappear due to relegation.
– At least so far, this is by far the best proposal. And it’s a bit confusing that I didn’t even think that the teams could be divided into three leagues.
Will the league bosses give up their benefits?
Nättinen is not sure if the three-series system is the truth for solving the competitiveness of the SM league and Finnish player production.
He is also skeptical that the clubs would be ready for such a radical change.
– If I’m honest, I don’t think that the bosses of the league clubs actually agree to any changes. They do not give up the gains they have made, even if they are losing gains for some, which is ironic.
– Even if we see that the bus is about to hit the wall, we’d rather hit the wall than give up the bus trip.
Television contract in a significant role
However, the core of the solution is external money, in other words, a television contract. Whether it’s a 20-team A+B league or an ABC league, they should be put under a television contract.
– For example, relegation from the A-league to the B-league cannot mean that one and a half million television money goes.
– It would certainly be a minimum requirement to somehow get the television contract on the same line. Then we could even discuss these issues.