Selling hockey to China: Prime Minister Harper and the Leafs lead the rush

In between what I am sure were blisteringly exciting policy meetings at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, in Beijing, Prime Minister Stephen Harper found time to indulge in what is likely his real passion (over, say, 'ragging the puck' at blisteringly exciting policy meetings anywhere).

Hockey.

Considering that he'd taken time during his leadership of the nation, pretty much every day, to write a book based on a portion of the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's a safe bet that shinny - and the Leafs - rank right at the top of the list for the PM.

In fact, if he didn't have an election campaign to tend to in 2015, I'd be only mildly surprised if the Prime Minister got the job of running Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment when current czar Tim Leiweke leaves his post by next summer. Blast the timing of it all. Bell and Rogers can go on vetoing each other's candidates while Larry Tanenbaum excuses himself from the boardroom in order to let out primal scream F-bombs in the executive washroom.

Perhaps an NHL commissionership is really what Mr. Harper would prefer at any rate, so I'd be looking over my shoulder if I were Gary Bettman, who, I believe, is very likely and almost constantly looking over his shoulder, anyway.

So, there's the PM, in China, trumping up the fortunes of his favourite team (surely he hasn't thrown the Leafs overbord for the Flames, the way he tossed aside the Argos for the Stampeders, right?), helping them to cash in on the scourge of Chinese Communism. Or as its more commonly known; Capitalism.

The Leafs already have a presence in China and I'm not talking about that giant wall that was named after Johnny Bower. According to a report by Matthew Fisher in The National Post, they've secured millions in sponsorship deals in China, and have run hockey development camps in both Beijing and Shanghai.

“It is a good initiative that the Leafs have taken,” said Harper, in The Post story. “I am sure other teams will figure out that the Leafs are cornering the biggest potential market in the world and are probably going to react at some point.”

Oh yes, they will. As sure as corporate logos are coming to an NHL jersey near you in the not too distant future, Gary Bettman's league will most certainly and gladly follow up on the beachhead that the Prime Minister and Prime Hockey Team have provided. The lid of the cookie jar has been loosened. Now is the time for NHL teams to rush into the kitchen, fingers moistened, so they can pick up every crumb.

Not that money is the real reason for wanting to grow the brand and the sport, right?

“We’ve never had a proprietary view of it," Harper told The Post, of hockey.

Well, MLSE does have a "Chief Commercial Officer," a fella by the name of Dave Hopkinson, who's been doing lots of spade work in China.

Perhaps the PM wasn't talking about the game in monetary fashion, though. Maybe he meant it in broader, philosophical terms. "We have always encouraged the spread of the sport in all countries,” he said.

Oh, I don't know about that. Anyone who lived through the great national angst of watching the Summit Series in 1972 (and the ensuing international competitons in the 1970's) knows that there was a time not long ago when Canadians were absolutely racked with despair over the 'embarassment' of not continuing to blow out every other nation on planet earth with our best players. Kicking and screaming, Canada was dragged into the modern era of a shared game. Instead of utter dominance being our birthright we now, graciously, gift the game and embrace the rest of the world's rising excellence in our sport.

Careful what you wish for, though. Wouldn't it be great if China adopted our game and it became even more popular there? Yes it would, but with that adoption would come - if they choose - a rapidly rising ability to do battle and maybe even beat our guys and gals in the future. About 15 years ago, the Chinese decided they'd like to get good at curling. So they did. Threw huge amounts of money at it and their women won a world championship in 2009. The men's program has picked up steam, too, with a very good showing at the Sochi Olympics. China is now considered a curling contender.

If they decide to go whole hog on hockey, look out. 

In the end - as is the case with curling - the sport of hockey would only be richer with more and more nations developing into powers. And with a much deeper pool of talent, NHL expansion could really get in gear. Two teams in Toronto? Make it four!

“We are very encouraged by the interest here and look forward to some great battles on the ice with the Chinese national team in the future,” Harper said in an interview on a Chinese sports network.

We do. We do look forward to that.

And to the first year of the relocated Beijing Coyotes in the NHL's Far Eastern Conference.