In fairness, I'd say that hockey is the sport that needs the most intentional help to ensure that anyone who wants to participate is able to do so. It is simply impossible, as a sport requiring lots of specialized equipment that is played in a climate-controlled location, to make hockey affordable. That means that only the relatively wealthy can participate, and that hockey is missing out on potentially great talent who are getting shoved into more affordable sports for purely economic reasons.
I feel like the prevalence of hockey players with Slavic or French Canadian sounding names points to it being a more popular sport in colder climates. I don't see a lot of wealthy southern kids playing hockey.
Meh. It's not like young football players have to pay for all their gear. . . .
Do hockey players in places where hockey is both popular and has a climate that makes it easily playable have to pay for all their own gear? Or only players in areas where it'd be prohibitively expensive to run a program due to warm weather, not enough interest, etc?
Oh absolutely. Look at NASCAR. Or better yet NHL. Also. I am not sure how the NFL is evidence of systemic racism. At all.
NHL is all in on DEI
https://www.nhl.com/community/diversity-and-inclusion
In fairness, I'd say that hockey is the sport that needs the most intentional help to ensure that anyone who wants to participate is able to do so. It is simply impossible, as a sport requiring lots of specialized equipment that is played in a climate-controlled location, to make hockey affordable. That means that only the relatively wealthy can participate, and that hockey is missing out on potentially great talent who are getting shoved into more affordable sports for purely economic reasons.
I feel like the prevalence of hockey players with Slavic or French Canadian sounding names points to it being a more popular sport in colder climates. I don't see a lot of wealthy southern kids playing hockey.
Meh. It's not like young football players have to pay for all their gear. . . .
Do hockey players in places where hockey is both popular and has a climate that makes it easily playable have to pay for all their own gear? Or only players in areas where it'd be prohibitively expensive to run a program due to warm weather, not enough interest, etc?
Curling. Beach volleyball.