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Wharnsby: USA Hockey needs a PR lesson

Tim Wharnsby, January 3, 2008 at 12:45 PM EDT

PARDUBICE, Czech Republic -- New NHLPA boss Paul Kelly arrived at his first world under-20 championship on Wednesday to mix and mingle with NHL scouts and general managers as well as IIHF officials. One of the causes he has championed since he took over his office on lower Bay St. in Toronto was to better market hockey in the United States.

He should have a chat with the people that run USA Hockey. For the second year in a row, Canada and the U.S. will meet in the semifinals at the world junior and for the second straight year hockey’s governing body down south made available for interviews after practice only three players and coach John Hynes.

This was disappointing, considering the tournament’s leading scorer, Colin Wilson, lived most of his life in Winnipeg and is the son of former Canadian national team member Carey Wilson.

But the USA Hockey forgets it hails from the land of the brave and home of the free when it comes to allowing their athletes to speak to the media prior to a big game. Instead, USA Hockey officials act like a communist regime, only allowing those to speak with well-rehearsed programmed responses.

The reason for this behaviour is that USA Hockey is fearful that one of the U.S. players will give their North American rivals bulletin board material.

No wonder this tournament barely has a heart beat in the States.

  1. Rob Kirsic from Brampton, writes: To be fair, besides in Canada does the WJC have any "heartbeat" anywhere else in the world? Not likely. TSN has done an excellent job at hyping up the tournament over the years and frankly I don't know how people can watch one team (really) dominate the tournament year after year. Frankly, it gets boring fast.

    Also, the NHL and PA need to realize that hockey is dead in the USA. It doesn't matter if people don't know that there's a junior championship on - they barely notice that professional hockey is on in the first place, what hope do these kids have (and USA Hockey) at garnering attention?
  2. ray ittac from Canada writes: "No wonder this tournament barely has a heart beat in the States." Are you kidding me? Besides that NHL sponsored (but entertaining) Buffalo/Pittsburg snowstorm game, what NHL activity, hey what hockey activity, has a national heartbeat? Are you talking about for the good of the game or just ticked off that American coaches don't seem to care about the media as much as Canadians? Maybe they were worried that Cndn papers would splash headlines about junior players being discontent with playing time and create a controversy where one wasn't needed. Hey......like you did!
  3. dale spinx from Canada writes: player interviews blow....the kids are coached and rehearsed and dont ever give anything worth reporting. let them battle it out on the ice, thats where its going to matter. if the hockey is great then you wont need fluffed up segments with lame interviews to market the game.
  4. bob smith from Canada writes: Player interviews add nothing. The reason the tourney has reached the lofty heights it has in Canada is because of the genius marketing by TSN. They have made it so that you're not a true Canadian unless you watch the WJC. Worked on me...I am hooked! USA Hockey is helpless unless they have some network help to get the tournament pushed. I don't blame them for clamping down. I wish Canada had and not let Bernier give an interview after he was benched.
  5. Dave Aiello from Newtown, PA, United States writes: I think that the NHL Winter Classic in Buffalo may have been the biggest success in terms of stimulating interest in the sport of ice hockey in the United States since the lockout ended. If the NHL is headed in the right direction, it will build on this by having more than one outdoor game in different major U.S. cities in 2008-2009.

    The World Junior Tournament would be very interesting to Americans already involved in the sport as players, coaches, or officials at relatively high levels. However, that group is not a meaningful television audience.

    Television audiences can be built for amateur hockey in the United States, but they are most likely to be attracted to NCAA Division I men's ice hockey games at this point.
  6. Proud Canadian from Canada writes: The US people really have no interest in Ice Hockey. I travel every night into Michigan/Ohio, deal with the working people. I ask, do you know about hockey. Nope. Any interest. Shrug shoulders. At this time of year, the National Title in College Football is most important. Ohio State vs LSU I believe. I know Ohio State is in. The only thing they talk about, watch, the national championship. And if they know anything about hockey, its the Pittsburg Penguins and Sidney Crosby. If they came to Columbus this year it would sell out because of Crosby. They know nothing about Canada, the Leafs, Sens, Canadians.

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