The IIHF has reached an agreement with the NHL and
NHLPA for NHL players to participate in the 2002 Olympics in
Salt Lake City. The agreement still must be ratified by the
IIHF Congress and the NHLPA Exec Committee (NHL). USA
TODAY's Kevin Allen writes that despite all the "politicking
and hard-line negotiations that went on behind closed doors
... there was never any doubt that NHL players liked having
the opportunity to perform in the world's premier sports
venue." In addition, players will participate in the World
Cup of Hockey in September 2004 (USA TODAY, 5/10). In
Atlanta, Jeff Schultz reports the NHL "will take a 12-day
break" for the Olympics, four days shorter than the '98
Games, which were "deemed a public-relations disaster."
Schultz adds that there were "minor unresolved issues
remained" to finalize the agreement, such as some European
countries asking for an increased transfer fee payment from
NHL teams for "players lost" to the NHL. But NHL VP/Media
Relations Frank Brown said, "There was an attempt by some
federations to connect the transfer agreement with the
Olympics. We made it clear that connection would not and
could not be made" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/10). NHL
VP/Legal Affairs Bill Daly said that the shorter break was
agreed on because the players "do not have to travel
overseas" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/10). The AP's Erica Bulman wrote
that the NHL "already received assurances it will get the
tickets and TV exposure it wants" from the Games (AP, 5/9).
SLOC MAKES PAYMENT TO NHL: In Salt Lake City, Brett
Prettyman writes that "no sport is expected to generate more
money" for the SLOC's $1.32B budget than hockey, which "is
pegged to bring in" $37M. Tickets for the men's final "will
range up to" $450, but the SLOC "hopes to get much more for
some" tickets that will be sold on an Internet auction in
August. To "secure" NHL participation in the Games, an
"enticement fund vaguely described as totaling 'several
million dollars,' was created" by the SLOC, the IOC and
other winter-sports federations. SLOC President Mitt Romney
placed the SLOC's contribution at about $1M. Romney, on the
fund: "I'm not sure I'd say the word 'donated.' It's a
commitment we're making to defray some of their [NHL]
costs." Prettyman notes that the fund "will be used to
compensate" NHL team owners, "to pay insurance premiums for
NHL players, to guarantee 300 hotel rooms and to cover
transportation costs for NHL officials and players'
families." NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol said the U.S.
"hockey story will not be shunted to daytime or late-night
coverage." He said that one cable network, "most likely"
CNBC, "will be devoted almost entirely to hockey, with
start-to-finish coverage of games" (S.L. TRIBUNE, 5/10).
WORKING TOGETHER: In Toronto, Al Strachan writes that
the Olympic agreement "did not come easily," as there "is
not a lot of co-operation these days between" the NHL and
the NHLPA. But he writes that it "is a good sign, an
indication that despite the bickering, the two can come
together for the good of hockey when it matters." More
Strachan: "When it comes to harmony between three important
bodies -- the NHL, the NHLPA and the IIHF -- the indications
are that despite the bluster, when they need to come
together they will. This is particularly important in view
of the expiration of the [CBA] in 2004" (TORONTO SUN, 5/10).
