In Minneapolis, Patrick Reusse writes the NHL's expansion and relocations of the Gary Bettman Era have "done more to enhance the sport than even he might have imagined." Though there have been failures in Atlanta and Phoenix, the "major successes of the current NHL are astounding." Nashville is "bonkers for hockey," and the game in Las Vegas is the "greatest thing going in a city with great things going every night." Wild Owner Craig Leipold said, "The expansion to the South and West has worked, without a doubt. To see Tampa as a tremendous hockey market, to see Nashville, the success with Anaheim, San Jose, and now Las Vegas ... the NHL is in great shape" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/10).
GAME DAY FUMBLE: In San Jose, Gary Peterson cites a survey saying the NFL "offers its paying customers the worst game day experience of the major U.S. professional sports." The Temkin Group survey "focused on nine live-event experiences -- select and purchase tickets; parking; enter arena or stadium; find your seat; use the bathroom; purchase food; purchase souvenir; watch game; leave arena or stadium." Of the nine criteria, the NFL "placed dead last in eight." Other sports in the survey "included MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, PGA, MLS, WNBA and ATP" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 5/9).
IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU: In Columbus, Michael Arace writes attendance is "down for many MLS teams, but the league celebrates the trend in Columbus." They "want out of America's original professional soccer market." The MLS gave Crew Owner Anthony Precourt an exit clause "for this express purpose and, to this end, Arsenic Night might be the next promotion" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 5/10).
