The Business of Hockey
A Brief History of Rinkside Advertising
August 1st, 2018 A look at what could be in store for the NHL and the other professional leagues in North America as board advertising and in-ice logos become more prevalent in every arena. From display ads on the ice and boards to television commercials and corporate sponsorships,...
How Escrow May Lead to Another NHL Lockout
July 30th, 2018 There is mounting evidence that NHL players are preparing for a lockout with countless tweets, blogs, and articles hinting that escrow may be the final straw. There is no doubt that escrow is a growing concern, with some calling it the “dirtiest word in hockey dressing...
Are One-Way Contracts Hurting Your Favorite Team?
July 11th, 2018 The NHL free agency period is always an exciting time for hockey fans. Whether a team is a perennial Cup contender, in the process of rebuilding, or tearing it all down and tanking for the first overall pick, July 1 brings plenty of compelling action to keep every fan on...
NHL Players Are Planning for a Lockout
July 4th, 2018 NHL players have begun to prepare themselves for the next NHL lockout. In recent years, there has been a drastic uptick in the number of NHL contracts that have a significant portion of the compensation paid in the form of signing bonuses rather than base salary alone. This...
The NHL and Gary Bettman: 25 Years of Progress and Controversy
July 3rd, 2018 * originally published in Feb. 2018 Gary Bettman gets booed when he speaks. A lot. He is the public face behind the decision not to allow NHL players to participate in the 2018 Olympics. When an owner wants public funds used to finance a new arena, Bettman makes the...
Golden Knights Score for Vegas Economy
June 13th, 2018 It is remarkable how much can change in a year for a hockey franchise. One year ago, the inaugural Vegas Golden Knights had 500-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. A year later, the franchise entering its sophomore year of existence is fourth in the odds list, 10-1 favourites...
NHL Players Need to Protect Themselves Off-ice Too
May 19th, 2018 The NHL has talked a lot about head shots and dirty hits in the last few years. The league has also taken a lot of heat to make sure that they are doing everything they can to protect their players, either through rule changes or heavier consequences (whether they are or...
How Much Do Young NHLers Make?
May 17th, 2018 Many 18-year-old hockey stars will be watching the NHL Conference Finals that are underway, but their focus is on something completely different: the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. With under six weeks left, these players are preparing for one of the biggest days in their lives....
NHL Salaries Not As Advertised
May 11th, 2018 NHL player salaries haven’t always been public. Back in the day, contracts were kept secret even amongst teammates. But with the rise of the internet, social media, and websites like CapFriendly, it doesn’t take long for new contract details to spread like wildfire to...
OHL Priority Selection Process
April 6th, 2018 The Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection is an annual online player draft featuring the future of Major-Junior hockey. Draft-eligible players wait anxiously all season long for this one big day. How exactly does a player prepare for draft day? How do teams prepare? What...
At the Crossroads of Culture, Family, Science and CTE
March 9th, 2018 One of the most complex issues facing sports, including hockey, is chronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE, a brain disease associated with violent head trauma. It has been six years since John Branch’s seminal reporting on the death of hockey fighter Derek Boogard, at...
Calgary’s 2026 Olympic Bid Has Huge NHL Implications
March 7th, 2018 The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea have come and gone. With the 2018 event complete, the focus of the winter sports world has turned towards preparations for the 2022 Beijing Olympics and the bidding process for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Four cities...
March Marks NHL's Sustainability Initiative
March 2nd, 2018 Organizations and associations around the world have shifted their focus to environmentally-friendly initiatives that incorporate their values with those of green business practices. While the majority of sports associations have been hesitant, the National Hockey League...
