Canadian Parliament member Dennis Mills, who is the
Chair of the subcommittee studying sport in Canada, said
yesterday that the "idea of Canadian sports teams getting
cash grants to allow them to compete with their American
counterparts is 'deader than a doornail,'" according to
Chris Young of the TORONTO STAR. But Mills said that there
"is a chance the committee will think about recommending
legalized sports books to help fund amateur sports." Mills
said that the committee will "need more time to discuss its
fundings, which are to be delivered to Parliament" on
December 3. Although he backed some public grants to help
the country's pro teams, Mills "came to realize the public
didn't share his sentiment." Mills: "We got slammed on that
one." Among the committee's "65 or so recommendations will
be the possibility of a nationwide sports betting network of
3,000 sports book shops," the profits of which would fund
amateur sports programs. But a sports betting network
"would have to clear a number of hurdles," as provinces that
run sports lotteries "would have to be reassured" that the
new system would not impede on its business and pro sports
leagues "would likely be opposed" (TORONTO STAR, 11/12).
Stephen Brunt writes that while "direct subsidies wasn't
going to fly with a large segment of the populace," the
U.S.-based pro leagues are unlikely to support any link to
sports books. Brunt: "There would be the perfect irony:
What began as an attempt to keep professional teams in
Canada effectively driving them out" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/12).
SHOULD NHLPA MATCH NHL CAP PAYMENT? In Toronto, Ken
Fidlin writes that while the tax-exempt NHLPA has reportedly
built up a C$80M war chest, it has "done nothing wrong" and
has "simply played the game, and very deftly, by the rules."
But Fidlin adds that the NHLPA has a "vested interest in
making sure the Canadian franchises all are maintained on a
solid financial foundation" and at the "very least," the
NHLPA "should be forced to match the NHL's contribution to
the Canadian Assistance Plan" to help Canadian teams compete
against the stronger U.S. dollar (TORONTO SUN, 11/12).