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Subject: Women-in-Hockey Digest V1 #284
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Women-in-Hockey Digest   Friday, September 25 1998   Volume 01 : Number 284



In this issue:

   Re: ESPN
   Womens Professional League
   Re: Womens Professional League
   Tournament
   Karyn Bye and Alana Blahoski

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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 00:01:13 EDT
From: email@hidden
Subject: Re: ESPN

In a message dated 9/24/98 11:52:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time:

> 
>  I am from Minnesota, and have played hockey for four years and been a fan 
> all
>  of my life.  I am also a fan of many other sports and enjoy watching them
on
>  ESPN.  Lately I have been wondering why they play sports like men's aerobic
>  dance competitions and arm wrestling.  How do these sports compare to
womens'
> 
>  hockey?  I may be biased, but you still do not see any womens' hockey on 
> ESPN
>  and was wondering if anyone else would like to see it.  I feel that if we
>  write enough letters to them maybe they will get the clue that the fan base
> is
>  out there.  Well, thanks for listening.  If you feel like writing and
>  supporting this very worthwhile cause, write to:
>  

One thing to bear in mind is that your local cable channel may be obliged to
block a certain broadcast. If a local station or local cable network (ie, MSG
here in New York) has rights to broadcast a game in your area, other sports
networks are stuck with fill-in programming. 

As far as women's hockey, there isn't any to broadcast now except collegiate,
and I think you'll find ESPN doesn't even bcast MEN's college hockey as a
rule. It's of regional interest, so ESPN is happy to be outbid for telecast
rights by a regional network or channel.

It's a business decision, always. ESPN, like every other channel, bases its
decisions on the amount it will have to spend on rights vs the amount it will
collect in advertiser revenue. Sometimes, for a show they WANT, they get
outbid.

I will go so far as to predict that, in the run-up to the next Olympics (or
sooner if Ed gets his league going!), 'mainstream' sports channels will join
Lifetime in trying to buy rights for at least some of the women's hockey
games. Right now there's just not much truly elite women's hockey out there to
show, or enough interest outside the immediate geographic area of a given
team.

Margaret Lillard
Brooklyn Blades #49

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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 07:45:17 -0400
From: "Cindy Goodman" 
Subject: Womens Professional League

Does anyone know if the women's professional league got off the ground? It was supposed to start this year. I was wondering if anyone has any information about this. 

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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 08:06:16 EDT
From: email@hidden
Subject: Re: Womens Professional League

FROM: Ed Saunders
RE: Women's ProfessionalHockey League


I have continued to receive letters of both inquiry and support regarding the
Women's Professional Hockey League.  As announced earlier in the summer, we
have been forced to postpone the league launch for primarily financial
reasons.  We continue to pursue our mission, although a little less publicly,
and are aware of several developments within the sport that will lend
themselves to furthering our concept.

While the sport grows closer to professionalism, we will continue to remain
involved at the grassroots level.

A couple of notes...

The folks at the NHL have personally expressed to me an interest in seeing the
sport grow, and are eager to be helpful.  They are waiting for an opporunity
that is closer to fruition than we might be right now.  Write them letters, it
may prove beneficial!

You'll see arm wrestling and pro beach hockey on ESPN 2 because an entire
season's worth of footage can be shot in one weekend, at one site, at very low
cost.  Hockey, men's or women's, is expensive to produce, $30,000 per game
minimally.


Thanks for all your support.  We'll get there eventually.

Ed Saunders,
President
Women's Professional Hockey League, Inc.

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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 07:58:34 -0500
From: "Olson, Lynn" 
Subject: Tournament

The All American Girls' & Women's Ice Hockey Tournament is still open for
about another week.  All age classifications, including girls, high school,
college club and senior women are included.  At the present time there are
54 teams entered.  

November 5-8, 1998
National Sports Center Super Rink (4 Olympic size sheets of ice)
Blaine, Minnesota, USA
For information contact the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission
Telephone 612-785-3682
Fax 612-785-5699
e-mail email@hidden

Entry fees $450 for all age divisions except 19A, 19B and Collegiate Club.

$575 for 19A, 19B and Collegiate Club.  These games will be an hour and one
half.

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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 08:07:49 -0500
From: "Olson, Lynn" 
Subject: Karyn Bye and Alana Blahoski

The Wild, Minnesota's new professional NHL team, has hired Karyn Bye and
Alana Blahoski as advisors and to be grassroots spokespersons.  They will
speak to youth groups, schools and hockey programs regarding the sport of
ice hockey.  Neil Broton has also been hired.  They will be in attendance at
the Target Center on September 30, 1998, for an event sponsored by The Wild
that will include an ice hockey game between the Dallas Stars and Phoenix.

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End of Women-in-Hockey Digest V1 #284
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