Europe’s nurtured sport-child, soccer, is just that: an only child that’s captured the attention of Europeans for over 150 years. The sport has yet to pull American interest on the same level… and probably won’t.
So what did the European market do? Aside from the exchange of the Euro crushing the dollar – it’s now one Euro to $1.56 – They’ve started to embezzle athletes of North American leagues to compete in European leagues, outside of the soccer realm. Most notably basketball, but hockey may be heading down the same path.
One such notable league due to take off this coming September, the Continental Hockey League, has already made a serious name brand move. Yes, you’re thinking, “who cares about hockey anyway?” But the CHL just signed one of the biggest names in hockey, Jaromir Jagr, to a whopping contract.
In case you hadn’t and probably didn’t notice, the 36 year-old Jagr is ranked second among active players in career goals, assists and points. So how much is the Russian team Avangard Omsk paying him? His two year contract is reportedly worth $7 million. But it’s tax free. No taxes and the hefty exchange rate means Jagr will be netting around $11 million. Even with the increased salary cap in the NHL, the max a single player can earn in North America is $11.34 million. Must have been tough for Jagr to make the decision to jump the pond, even if he’ll be living in Russia.
But the CHL isn’t alone in bringing North American athletes to their leagues. National basketball leagues across Europe, comprising the ULEB (Union of European Leagues of Basketball) have already started snagging NBA players with fat pay raises.
Probably the biggest name tag to head over thus far is Atlanta Hawks Q-tip resembling guard/forward Josh Childress, who signed with the Greek club Olympiacos. Childress was by no means a star in the NBA but was arguably the Hawks most formidable bench guy. In his four years with the Hawks he averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 boards. Statistics hardly worthy in the NBA of the three-year, $20 million deal Olympiacos coughed up.
The Hawks had the rights to match an offer from another NBA team, as Childress was a restricted free agent, but not offers from international clubs. Childress said he’s confident he can adapt to a different culture…
Olympiacos isn’t the only organization making moves. There are other European clubs with the same Euro-rejuvenated budget and an aspiration to satisfy the increasing popularity of the sport.
Just to name a few jumping on the band wagon: Dynamo Moscow corralled nets forward Bostjan Nachbar, giving him a pay raise of over $2 million a year. Khimki of Moscow grabbed shooting guard Carlos Delfino from the Raptors with a $2.7 million yearly increase. Juan Carlos Navarro left the Grizzlies for FC Barcelona and who can forget high school phenomenon Brandon Jennings that chose Italy over Arizona. Or was it because he couldn’t satisfy Arizona’s academic standards..? Either way, he’s in Europe too. What about Sasha Vujacic? He’s asking the Lakers to double his salary. And he can because now there’s a competitive market in Europe. This dichotomy is an agents dream.
The aforementioned players aren’t of the highest pedigree in the NBA. But such names obviously offer something better than their European counterparts. Suppose the trend continues, and guys like Childress are not just an anomaly. The competition will undoubtedly heat up and if the Euro stays on the course it has the last seven months… Could we eventually see NBA’s superstars making the jump too?
Imagine Kobe strutting the streets of Milan with two Italian birds on his arms…oh wait. How about Greg Oden serenading crowds with soothing notes from a piano on the famous Champs Elysee in Paris? Are North American sports heading to second rate status… to a soccer-crazed continent?
Keywords: Barcelona, Basketball, Continental Hockey League, Europe, European exodus, Greece, Hockey, Josh Childress, Kobe Bryant, North America, Russia
