League Notes

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that he "continues to speak regularly" with NHLPA Exec Dir Bob Goodenow, but the sides have "made no real progress regarding" a new CBA. Bettman, on the NHLPA: "They know we're ready to [negotiate] whenever they want. It's up to them" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/8) ....Turner Sports NBA analyst Danny Ainge, on the "health of the NBA": "It is overexposed. There are barriers between players and fans. The average fan is priced out of the game. As time has gone on, I see a lot of kids coming into the league without any fundamentals" (PORTLAND TRIBUNE, 1/4)....A CINCINNATI POST editorial, noting MLS paid about $40M to acquire the domestic TV rights to the '02 and '06 men's World Cups and the '03 women's World Cup, stated, "If Americans don't take to soccer, it won't be because of lack of effort by its devotees" (CINCY POST, 1/4)....The THOROUGHBRED TIMES' Mark Simon wrote the NTRA "needs to overcome its recent inertia and conservative constituency by instituting an effective marketing campaign that grabs the attention of nonracing fans. ... The NTRA has not had a cohesive marketing plan in recent years and has instead strayed into such murky waters as race-day medication and drug testing" (THOROUGHBRED TIMES, 1/6)....Mercedes Championships officials estimated that the PGA Tour event which concluded Sunday, "pumped more than" $13M into Maui's economy (HONOLULU ADVERTISER, 1/7).