Closer to Home

Guess who sent a representative to the recent climate change conference in Paris?  Why, the NHL, of course.  Truly, of all the major sports, hockey is the most affected by climate change.  After all, warm temperatures and ice don’t mix.

That’s pretty much what Omar Mitchell, NHL vice president for corporate social responsibility (and doesn’t that sound like an oxymoron), told the Washington Post: “We need cold weather; we need fresh water to play.  Therefore, our game is directly impacted by climate change and fresh water scarcity.”  Some might argue the opposite, that the NHL has too much water in places like Columbus and Edmonton.

If we’re going to talk about a business being responsible, why not start closer to home with an issue like concussions?  The NHL hasn’t exactly been in the forefront of research and safety measures.  And what about health care and pensions?  Compared to baseball, NHL players today get a pittance; it can only be worse for players from the ‘60s and ‘70s.  Being responsible doesn’t mean being all wet.