Dream Worlds

Some people won’t accept reality. And the National Hockey League is a perfect example of the type of people I’m talking about. They have believed that their minor sport is really desired by the entire sports world of the US. They have failed to see that the sport’s appeal is limited, just as that of soccer has been limited in this country. As a result they invested money in undesirable markets and paid players more than they could afford.

Despite a later start in this country, soccer had a better chance of succeeding than did hockey. Most of the Gen-X sports fans played youth soccer; far fewer of them played hockey. However, the people who tried to make soccer another American staple realized the unlikelihood of succeeding and scaled things down to a financially viable level. The owners and players of the NHL have been unwilling to do so. Thus, they will not be playing in their 81^st year.