To kick of the start of next season the SHL has decided to send the San Francisco Pride and the Buffalo Stampede to Osaka Japan for the first SHL Global Series! The two struggling teams will play a "home and home" in the Kyocera Dome Osaka to kick off their respective seasons. Despite the teams losing records, they are extremely popular in Japan. San Francisco's home games being a later puck drop means its easily accessible for the foreign faithful to watch their beloved Pride play while Buffalo is popular simply because the people of Osaka like their colors and. The teams will spend 10 days in Osaka sight seeing and setting up camps for the youth to learn the game and experience the game of hockey at the SHL level. The SHL will use this opportunity to grow the brand for IIHF competition as well generate more revenue