Meghan Duggan need only look around sports to get excited about what an NHL-run womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey league might look like.
The NBA did it with the WNBA. Soccer leagues in Europe and the U.S. have done it. And that was enough for the 2018 U.S. Olympic gold-medal winning captain and more than 200 fellow players to take a leap of faith by pledging not to play in North America this year to try to get to the point where thereB次元官网网址檚 a single, economically viable professional league.
B次元官网网址淗istory has told all of us that startup womenB次元官网网址檚 professional leagues thrive and are very successful when working with an existing professional league,B次元官网网址� Duggan told The Associated Press on Thursday. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 definitely something I think that we would be excited about. But this is just the first step in getting there.B次元官网网址�
The effective boycott of North AmericaB次元官网网址檚 only remaining womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey league, the National WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey League, sent shockwaves through the sport with a major equipment company advocating for NHL ownership and menB次元官网网址檚 players and agents voicing their support.
Now comes the big question:
Will it work?
B次元官网网址淚 think they have a better chance of succeeding than some of the menB次元官网网址檚 unions have,B次元官网网址� said Matt DelDuca, a labour and employment attorney with Pepper Hamilton. B次元官网网址淪trikes have not been very effective in professional sports for players because itB次元官网网址檚 hard to maintain them long term. WomenB次元官网网址檚 professional sports are a little different because of the economics. I think there is a tremendous opportunity for them.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 an opportunity equipment giant Bauer Hockey wants to be a part of. Vice president of marketing Mary-Kay Messier released a statement saying the National Hockey League B次元官网网址渕ust be in an ownership positionB次元官网网址� for any womenB次元官网网址檚 league.
B次元官网网址淚 really do believe and we at Bauer believe that that is the only sustainable, viable option for ownership,B次元官网网址� Messier said in a phone interview. B次元官网网址淚t will really take a long-term view and the possibility of looking at this from a perspective of not the bottom line immediately but as a necessary step to ensure the future of the game through continued growth and participation inspiring those (future) generations.B次元官网网址�
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The NHL has given $50,000 annually each to the NWHL and the now-defunct Canadian WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hockey League that recently ceased operations. It has invited a handful of top players to participate in its All-Star skills competition. When Brianna Decker demonstrated the passing drill and finished with a better time than the winner, CCM Hockey said it would pay her the $25,000 she wouldB次元官网网址檝e gotten as the prize.
University at Buffalo sports law professor Nellie Drew said her children follow the NHL and NWHL and love the game. She wonders what happens next.
B次元官网网址淭he question is going to be whether the economic demand will be there to drive this,B次元官网网址� Drew said. B次元官网网址淩ight now in 2019, do the womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey players have the economic leverage to make an effective stand on this position? Maybe not. But do they have the capacity to drive public sentiment strongly enough that it will make the (NHL) consider it? Yeah, I think they do.B次元官网网址�
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The AP, B次元官网网址淲e will further explore the situation privately before taking any affirmative position on next steps.B次元官网网址�
The U.S. womenB次元官网网址檚 national team in 2017 threatened to skip the world championships in Michigan and wound up getting an improved benefits package from USA Hockey. Those players will now make $3,000-$4,000 a month with the ability to earn about $71,000 annually. They can make up to $129,000 in Olympic years with contributions from the U.S. Olympic Committee. It was a big boost for a group of women who were getting $1,000 a month for six months around the Olympics.
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That situation is much different from trying to establish a league from scratch, with questions ranging from the business model to potential locations, sponsors and investors, player benefits and more. The NWHL said it was going ahead with next season and was offering improved salaries and a revenue-sharing deal with players, who nonetheless made their decision to sit out.
No one believes a long-term league will materialize overnight, but U.S. Olympic game-winning goal-scorer Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson said she was optimistic based on the NHLB次元官网网址檚 position and the power of so many players.
B次元官网网址淲e feel confident that we potentially have a gap year now and players are prepared to sit out an entire season of professional hockey, which isnB次元官网网址檛 good for any one individual player,B次元官网网址� Lamoureux-Davidson said. B次元官网网址淏ut hopefully that will be the maximum that anyone would have to sit out.B次元官网网址�
As word of the womenB次元官网网址檚 decision spread, NHL players said they were excited even if theyB次元官网网址檙e not sure how a league run by the NHL might work.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e the best in the world at what they do. They should be compensated accordingly,B次元官网网址� Colorado defenceman Ian Cole said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not sure how that would be structured. IB次元官网网址檓 not the chief financial officer of the NHL. I donB次元官网网址檛 know what the figures would look like. I donB次元官网网址檛 know if itB次元官网网址檚 economically feasible. IB次元官网网址檓 not sure how they would do it. Would we like to see that? Yeah, absolutely.B次元官网网址�
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AP Sports Writers Pat Graham and Teresa M. Walker contributed.
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Stephen Whyno And John Wawrow, The Associated Press
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