Almost four years to the day that it ran a cover story
proclaiming the NHL "hot" and the NBA "not," SI examines the
state of the NHL under the header, "Is Anyone Watching?" As
part of its report, a poll for SI conducted by Yankelovich
Partners of 577 sports fans taken June 3 and 4 shows that
the NHL "has settled in" at No. 6 among pro sports in fan
interest. SI's Michael Farber: "The momentum of '94 ....
has dissipated, leaving the NHL with as many perceived
problems as real ones." Farber reports that "roughly" 13
franchises are losing money in a league that "will finish
$100 million in the red for 1997-98." He says the TV
ratings "stink," and that could have a "corresponding effect
on league revenues" when Fox's four-year deal expires after
next season. If TV revenue "is cut dramatically ... some
teams that are already losing money may be at risk of
financial ruin." The league is also searching for a
telegenic player to take the marketing mantle from Wayne
Gretzky, as it has "been unable to develop a crossover star,
one with the proper mix of skills, slickness and diplomacy."
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman: "There's an ebb and flow to
sports, and you have to deal with cycles. ... There are no
Band-Aids. You must build a foundation" (SI, 6/15 issue).
NOT ALL DOOM 'N GLOOM: Farber adds that hockey is
"still a player on the U.S. sports scene," with "solid"
minor league attendance and increased grassroots
participation. Farber: "If the game keeps cementing its
foundation, if those connected dots form a bold picture, the
league's teams could collectively make money by the end of
its current [CBA through 2004] and make noise even sooner.
If Jordan retires, if the NBA has protracted labor trouble,
the NHL could be looking at a power play ... as early as
next fall" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 6/15 issue).
