USA Hockey, the National Governing Body for ice hockey
in the U.S., announced the acquisition of the National
InLine Hockey Association and all business-related assets of
the organization. Through the acquisition, all players,
coaches, referees, and league administrators registered with
the NIHA become registered members of USA Hockey InLine.
The acquisition establishes USA Hockey InLine as the
"largest in-line hockey program in the world," and gives USA
Hockey InLine more than 80,000 members (USA Hockey).
DETAILS: In a teleconference call announcing the deal,
NIHA co-Founder Bob Naegele called USA Hockey "the best
hockey administrators in the world," and said the deal
"means great things for the sport moving forward." NIHA co-
Founder Joe Mireault: "The sport itself is bigger than all
of us. ... Kids and adults playing at a recreational level
have dictated this merger." USA Hockey Exec Dir David
Ogrean, on the possibility of USA Hockey becoming the
National or International Governing Body for in-line hockey:
"It's up to the IOC who will be the international governing
body for in-line hockey. That is not the reason this
acquisition was made." Ogrean, on in-line hockey being in
the Olympics: "I think it is unlikely to be added in 2000,
even as a demonstration sport" (THE DAILY).
COST: In Colorado, Mike Spence adds "sources" indicate
USA Hockey paid $1M to buy NIHA from Naegele, Mireault and
Doug Balog, who founded the organization four years ago.
USA Hockey's acquisition "could put it in a position to
challenge" the U.S. Amateur Confederation of Roller Skating,
the long-time governing body for the sport of in-line hockey
(Colorado Springs GAZETTE TELEGRAPH, 12/12).
