Canada: Iginla's Rise As Hockey's Poster Boy

Article (Globe and Mail, Canada)

Observers claim that as the NHL's first black captain, Mr. Iginla could help market hockey to black Americans. We say highly doubtful. For one, Americans - especially black folks - strongly prefer to follow American sports stars. Second, how many black folks (hell, any folks) watch hockey in America? The sport is barely on TV here. More affluent blacks prefer tennis and golf, and working-class blacks prefer the showstoppa pizzazz of football, basketball, and boxing. Plus, NASCAR is fiercely on the rise with black folks. We just don't see how ice hockey can compete.