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How to Fix Olympic Ice Hockey How to Fix Olympic Ice Hockey
(1 day later)
Men’s ice hockey begins on Wednesday at the Winter Olympics — but without the world’s top players. For the first time since the 1994 games, National Hockey League players won’t be competing. It isn’t that they don’t want to play. The Canadian star Sidney Crosby, probably the best player in the world, put it this way: “I’d love to be there.” The Russian star Alex Ovechkin, who has participated in three Olympics, and Patrick Kane, one of the best American players, expressed a strong desire to compete, too.Men’s ice hockey begins on Wednesday at the Winter Olympics — but without the world’s top players. For the first time since the 1994 games, National Hockey League players won’t be competing. It isn’t that they don’t want to play. The Canadian star Sidney Crosby, probably the best player in the world, put it this way: “I’d love to be there.” The Russian star Alex Ovechkin, who has participated in three Olympics, and Patrick Kane, one of the best American players, expressed a strong desire to compete, too.
But the National Hockey League says it now cannot “see what the benefit is” in Olympic participation, and insists that its players are contractually obliged to skip the games. (Ovechkin and others threatened to break their contracts to play, but in the end the league got its way.)But the National Hockey League says it now cannot “see what the benefit is” in Olympic participation, and insists that its players are contractually obliged to skip the games. (Ovechkin and others threatened to break their contracts to play, but in the end the league got its way.)
How can we prevent the narrow interests of the N.H.L. or any other sports league from diminishing the Olympics, disappointing fans and thwarting the desires of athletes?How can we prevent the narrow interests of the N.H.L. or any other sports league from diminishing the Olympics, disappointing fans and thwarting the desires of athletes?
The idea that a league like the N.H.L. gets to decide what “its” players do is hardly an immutable law of nature. Soccer is even more commercial and lucrative than hockey, yet its rules work in the opposite way: Teams are obliged, by dictate of FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football, to cough up their stars when they’re summoned by a national team for a tournament. The leagues may not like it, but there is no danger of a World Cup or an Olympics without players like Neymar and Lionel Messi. The idea that a league like the N.H.L. gets to decide what “its” players do is hardly an immutable law of nature. Soccer is even more commercial and lucrative than hockey, yet its rules work in the opposite way: Teams are obliged, by dictate of FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football, to cough up their stars when they’re summoned by a national team for a tournament. The leagues may not like it, but there is no danger of a World Cup without players like Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Clearly, soccer has figured out the better system. The players want to play; the fans want to watch; there is nothing as uplifting and inspiring as international competition between the best of the best. Since 1998, when professional players were admitted, Olympic hockey has consistently been spectacular and exhilarating.Clearly, soccer has figured out the better system. The players want to play; the fans want to watch; there is nothing as uplifting and inspiring as international competition between the best of the best. Since 1998, when professional players were admitted, Olympic hockey has consistently been spectacular and exhilarating.
But the N.H.L. sees itself as a business first and foremost, and it cannot see any profit in Olympic hockey. Moreover, the league has a competing interest: It helps run another international tournament, the World Cup of Hockey, which has so far failed to achieve anything near the popularity of Olympic hockey. Weaker Olympic hockey serves the N.H.L.’s purposes, even if it is bad for everyone else.But the N.H.L. sees itself as a business first and foremost, and it cannot see any profit in Olympic hockey. Moreover, the league has a competing interest: It helps run another international tournament, the World Cup of Hockey, which has so far failed to achieve anything near the popularity of Olympic hockey. Weaker Olympic hockey serves the N.H.L.’s purposes, even if it is bad for everyone else.
What might be done? There are a few possible solutions. Despite the notion that the N.H.L. “owns” its players, contracts of involuntary servitude remain illegal in the United States and Canada, and the star players have considerable individual bargaining power. Players like Crosby and Ovechkin should negotiate for a provision in their contracts (or at least reach an informal understanding) that clarifies that the player, when requested by his national Olympic team, would be “loaned” to the team if he wanted to be. Ultimately, the right to play at the Olympics could become part of the collective agreement between league and players.What might be done? There are a few possible solutions. Despite the notion that the N.H.L. “owns” its players, contracts of involuntary servitude remain illegal in the United States and Canada, and the star players have considerable individual bargaining power. Players like Crosby and Ovechkin should negotiate for a provision in their contracts (or at least reach an informal understanding) that clarifies that the player, when requested by his national Olympic team, would be “loaned” to the team if he wanted to be. Ultimately, the right to play at the Olympics could become part of the collective agreement between league and players.
Another possible solution is a “national duty” rule like the one that FIFA has, which the Canadian Parliament, legislatures in hockey-loving states like Minnesota and New York and perhaps even the United States Congress would enact. Such a law would require that notwithstanding any contract, athletes be excused from their jobs when requested by a national team. This would resemble existing laws that require employers to give members of the military reserves leave for their duties.Another possible solution is a “national duty” rule like the one that FIFA has, which the Canadian Parliament, legislatures in hockey-loving states like Minnesota and New York and perhaps even the United States Congress would enact. Such a law would require that notwithstanding any contract, athletes be excused from their jobs when requested by a national team. This would resemble existing laws that require employers to give members of the military reserves leave for their duties.
Once upon a time, the problem with Olympic hockey was its ban on professional athletes, a rule that, though motivated by a noble ideal of amateurism, kept out North America’s best players and thus made the Soviet teams dominant. Matters have come full circle, for it is now not suspicion of profit that hurts Olympic hockey, but too much attention to it.Once upon a time, the problem with Olympic hockey was its ban on professional athletes, a rule that, though motivated by a noble ideal of amateurism, kept out North America’s best players and thus made the Soviet teams dominant. Matters have come full circle, for it is now not suspicion of profit that hurts Olympic hockey, but too much attention to it.