Tom Sweetnam
Platinum Member
Professional hockey continues to grow at a greater pace than the NFL, NBA, or Big League baseball. Huge long-term advertising contracts this year (for beer...what else?) secured from Coors in the US and Molsen in Canada, will ensure $3 billion in gross sales for the league this year. That's a little less than 1/3 the NFL's annual gross of $10 billion.
Pay caps are easing up. Average annual salary in the NHL this year is $2.4 million compared to the NFL's 2014 average salary of $1.9 million. Of course it depends on who you are, doesn't it? Ovechkin's $125 million 12-year contract leads the pack, but there are dozens of contracts in the $30-$60 million realm as well. Six more cities want franchises, but there's a lot of internal politics in getting one.
The quality of play is better than at any time in history. Hey, America loves contact sports, and they get that in spades with professional hockey. 30 blacks are now in the league, and with NHL-sponsored hockey leagues springing up in inner cities and big time NCAA hockey scholarships, that number will only grow every year. Add players from at least a dozen foreign countries, and the human zoo is well represented. These are good times for the league and the fans who love the game.
NHL celebrates record annual revenue
Pay caps are easing up. Average annual salary in the NHL this year is $2.4 million compared to the NFL's 2014 average salary of $1.9 million. Of course it depends on who you are, doesn't it? Ovechkin's $125 million 12-year contract leads the pack, but there are dozens of contracts in the $30-$60 million realm as well. Six more cities want franchises, but there's a lot of internal politics in getting one.
The quality of play is better than at any time in history. Hey, America loves contact sports, and they get that in spades with professional hockey. 30 blacks are now in the league, and with NHL-sponsored hockey leagues springing up in inner cities and big time NCAA hockey scholarships, that number will only grow every year. Add players from at least a dozen foreign countries, and the human zoo is well represented. These are good times for the league and the fans who love the game.
NHL celebrates record annual revenue