Sports Illustrated has reported that the NFL, MLB, and the NBA have each pledged to give $1 million to help the relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. In comparison, the NHL has only given $100,000 to the relief efforts. What the eff?
Granted, the NHL has long been the red-headed step child of the professional sports world in America. With minuscule TV revenue, and ticket sales that pale in comparison to the Leviathan that is the NFL, it is understandable that the NHL gave less. But the reality is that the NHL gave a measly one-tenth as much as all the other professional sports leagues. What gives?
Is the NHL that much less well off than other sports leagues? The answer is no. According to Forbes, the NHL made $141 million in profits in 2008 as compared to $318 million for the NBA, $501 million for MLB, and $790 million for the NFL.
Understandably, the NHL isn't the cash cow that the NFL is, but it did make almost half as much profit as the NBA in 2008. So again I ask, why so miserly?
Okay, let's not beat around the bush for too long. If Kanye West was writing this article, he would probably say "the NHL hates black people."
Indeed, the first thing that probably comes to everyone's mind when hearing how little the NHL gave is this:
NHL - White. Haiti - Black.
The population of Haiti is 90% black and only 1% white. The NHL on the other hand is about 99% white and has just a handful of black players (and proably even fewer black fans).
Now, I'm not saying the NHL is racist. I'm sure there is some perfectly rational explanation for their rather meager donation, but their gesture of goodwill (or lack thereof) towards Haiti is certainly giving us sports fans a lot to wonder about. My suggestion to the NHL - Do the right thing and bump your donation up to $500,000.
If you agree that the NHL should donate more to the Haiti relief efforts, please let the league office know by taking two seconds to send a letter or an email to Commissioner, Gary Bettman.
Here is his contact info:
Gary Bettman
National Hockey League
1251 Avenue of the Americas, FL 47
New York, NY 10020
(212) 789-2000
Or
Here is his email address
gbettman@nhl.com
Tell him the following:
Dear Mr. Bettman:
In 2008, the NHL was 44% as profitable as the NBA, yet it only gave 10% of what the NBA gave in relief to Haiti. As a concerned citizen of the world, I am requesting that the NHL donate an additional $400,000 to the relief efforts in Haiti.
Thank you,
your name
Leave a Comment