Sports Business News
There isn’t going to be good news for sports as a business for a long time. Teams, particularly minor-league teams, are struggling, and one WHL team has already gone bankrupt. In that case the owner was in the oil business and suddenly wasn’t this endless pot of money like Scrooge McDuck any longer.
Sports media is no different, and is carrying the double whammy of nothing to cover and parent companies struggling just to pay for their news division. Even sports media that isn’t welded onto a news division is hurting:
Trying to track down all of The Athletic layoffs via Twitter. Here's what I've found so far.
— Yousef Nasser (@7he1stYous) June 5, 2020
I subscribed the The Athletic in January 2020 and have really enjoyed their content.
Wishing nothing but the best for the 46 people laid off. Disappointing day for sports journalism. pic.twitter.com/1fj0JkFtth
List to date:
There are several NHL writers on this list, some like Joe Yerdon, who cover teams out of the playoffs, some who cover teams who are in.
Several SBNation writers accepted buyouts as well.
Sports Media and Society
People are speaking up to tell you what it’s like to cover sports while Black.
“I gotta tell you this, and a lot of people in Canada don’t want to hear it — it’s been harder for me in Canada.”
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 5, 2020
NHL Analyst @KevinWeekes joined @JamesCybulski and @psolkowski on @Sportsnet650 to discuss his experience with racism in Canada.https://t.co/0DiQxZ8ccP
Or how reporting can be affected, even unconsciously, by race:
I’ll never forget hearing an older, respected reporter casually use the N-word in the Rogers Centre press box. He also passionately complained to other writers about the diversity of one of the main Toronto newspapers. "They keep putting minorities on the front page."
— David Singh (@ByDavidSingh) June 4, 2020
Direct Action
Thank you for listening and acknowledging the issues. Thank you for taking steps to stop them from happening. And thank you to all who shared those hateful and racist names. It’s a start. https://t.co/EakAZFUObd
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) June 5, 2020
EA Sports was pushed into acting to improve the experience of players of their games. Edging closer, one baby step at a time, to providing equality of experience.
Sports Organizations
From @rwesthead: Hockey Canada to begin tracking reported incidents of racism, harassment. MORE: https://t.co/TQf8PqSK9J pic.twitter.com/mY6nUHIZBq
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 5, 2020
Hockey Canada is establishing an equity, diversity and inclusion task team that will develop an incident-tracking system that will allow it to begin tracking reported incidents of racism, bullying and harassment, the organization said in a statement to TSN.
The national governing body for grassroots hockey in Canada said it would also establish a new requirement in its registration database to help identify racialized participation in Hockey Canada programs, which may begin in the 2021-22 season.
Joel Ward had thoughts on this:
"Actions speak louder than words. I don't see what is there to hide? What’s the problem? Just make all of this information public." - Joel Ward, former NHL player. https://t.co/KZRFsyoI37
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) June 5, 2020
Hockey in Society posted this academic, yet accessible paper yesterday:
So you want to be an ally? Did you say you're ready to learn? Then get out your highlighter and post-in notes and go through these policy recommendations for hockey:https://t.co/NMqDnU2gHq pic.twitter.com/jcZRdnSpzW
— Dr. "Despa"-Szto (@courtneyszto) June 5, 2020
And their call for action from Hockey Canada is extensive and includes:
3. CONSISTENCY OF ENFORCEMENT
a. We call upon Hockey Canada to institute a “duty to report” policy with relation to all incidents of suspected racism in the sport.
b. We call upon Hockey Canada to track all such incidents over time, to establish objectives with regards to the elimination of such incidents, and to develop metrics for assessing the success of anti-racism initiatives.
c. We call upon Hockey Canada to develop a “zero tolerance” policy with relation to racism in the sport and to institute clear protocols for dealing with racist incidents that will be considered required knowledge for all coaches, administrators, and officials.
6. DATA COLLECTION
a. We call upon Hockey Canada to implement a system to collect ongoing information on the participation of racialized groups in hockey in order to monitor demographic changes and trends.
Also included are a lot of other things that fall under the heading of why aren’t they doing that already? Joel Ward is right, this data is meaningless if it isn’t public.
And, in MLSE news:
Well...this just happened ---> MLSE is looking for a Director, Inclusion & Diversity. https://t.co/VnSm5Y6fny
— Jordan Hayles (@MR_STiXX) June 5, 2020
Phase 2
If you missed the news earlier, NHL teams are allowed to start Phase 2 on Monday morning.
Some #Leafs who are in town began being tested for CoVid today. Those who are cleared can voluntarily head to the practice facility on Monday, with an eye on having physicals done ahead of possibly starting those small group workouts.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) June 5, 2020
Stay tuned for more.
So far, it’s not known how many of the 24 teams returning to play will not participate in Phase 2 immediately, but some don’t have enough players on hand to do it.
Other News
GIBBONS: Split between Senators and Sens foundation boils down to money | Ottawa Sun
Surely, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has now secured the undisputed title of Most Unpopular Professional Sports Owner Ever Anywhere now that even his team’s charitable foundation has quit on him in utter frustration.
Nationally Renowned Commentator Chris Cuthbert Joins Sportsnet’s NHL Broadcast Team | Sportsnet Media Centre
One of the best in the business is coming on board as Sportsnet welcomes award-winning broadcaster – and one of the country’s most recognizable hockey voices – Chris Cuthbert to the Sportsnet family.
And that sets you up for the weekend. Have a good one everyone, remember to wash your hands and keep up the distancing.
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