In response to Mark Sha’s blogpost on the NHL lockout with regards to questioning professional hockey is a sport, business or both, I believe that unfortunately it is swaying towards a business to the detriment of the fans. Though, this isn’t specific to the NHL but all sports.

Specifically, within the article he referenced it starts to delve into European football, and the economics/business behind it. As an adamant follower of the Premier League, specifically Liverpool Football Club, the mentioning of former owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks struck an angering chord within me.

The pair, bought the club using a leveraged buyout, in essence paying for the club with profits made by it. This did not at all going to plan, with the pair ending up vastly in debt, and the club minutes from administration, which would in essence have knocked them down the table, possibly into the second division, and devoid of the form expected from them on the pitch. Worst case scenario, as seen with historic Scottish club Rangers, would be potential expulsion from any league.

If teams can be expelled from leagues solely due to finances, then sports in general are becoming primarily a business.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/marksha/

http://www.economist.com/node/21563293

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/oct/08/liverpool-nine-point-deduction-sale

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/rangers/9327059/Rangers-in-crisis-administration-timeline.html