The state of the NHL was examined by USA TODAY's Sharon
Raboin under the header, "NHL Fights Growing Pains.
Tradition, New Ideas Collide In Critical Olympic Season."
Raboin: "As the NHL strives to become a prime-time major
league, hockey's bloodied, blue-collar tradition is knocking
heads with the social and business realities of modern
sports. How the league deals with this pivotal season could
determine the future of the NHL as an organization on par
with the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball." With the
"watershed event" of Olympic participation approaching, the
league "is struggling with the problems of what NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman calls 'a game that was
underexposed and, as a result, underappreciated.'" Among
challenges facing the league: a "violent image that become
tinged with racism" because of two incidents this season;
"low" TV ratings; "high" ticket prices and "increasing a new
fan base without alienating the old one." Raboin:
"Arguably, the NHL has never been more popular or
financially sound." But Bettman said, "That doesn't mean
anything to me. We need to be as strong as we can be, not
stronger than we've ever been" (USA TODAY, 12/9).
FREEDOM FIGHTERS: Raboin adds that "fisticuffs are part
of the attraction and repulsion of the sport. Fights fill
television highlights but scare off much of the wider fan
base hockey needs to grow." But NHL Senior VP/Operations
Brian Burke said, "We don't have a violent sport. We have a
contact sport. We're not embarrassed by the amount of
contact. It's a real selling point" (USA TODAY, 12/9).
