from Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star,

“The NHL is very cognizant of their global fan base,” said Peter Widdis, a sports marketing professor at George Brown College. “Now, you have to maintain a constant, consistent experience so the fan base becomes that much more entrenched, and sponsors are that much more inspired.”

Organizers say ticket sales are strong, and expect to sell out the Air Canada Centre for every tournament game. But World Cups in others sports attract a much larger global audience. The 2014 World Cup of Soccer reported reached 1 billion TV viewers, while 120 million people watch last October’s Rugby World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand.

It’s partly a question of branding.

Hockey’s more inclusive competitions — the Olympics and the world championship — don’t carry the World Cup label. So this month’s World Cup, staged by the NHL and its players’ association, is less a global competition than a showcase for the league and its stars.

Given those goals, the tournament’s eight-team format makes sense, even if it excludes European and Asian teams with few NHL players.

Calling the tournament the Six Nations Cup of Hockey might be more accurate but marketing experts say the World Cup label connotes tradition and grandeur, even if they’re manufactured to promote the NHL brand.

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