U.S. (and Canadian) media may wring their hands over violence in hockey, but consider how one of the league's more successful franchises is selling the game in the United States:
The following are billboard titles used by the Dallas Stars to promote the 2007-08 season.
-- Ultimate Fighting. What A Friendly Little Sport. Come into the cold. -- The Ticket Covers The Hockey. The Boxing Is A Bonus. Come into the cold. -- At 32 Degrees Water Freezes And Blood Boils. Come into the cold. -- Watch People Fight at Work. Come into the cold. -- Their Whole Paycheck Is Hazard Pay. Come into the cold. -- Meet Our Defenders - Assault And Battery. Come into the cold. The Stars also used the opportunity to take some shots at the other sports leagues: -- One Game A Week? Is The N in NFL For Nancy? Come into the cold. -- Maybe Baseball Should Stop Using The World Sacrifice. Come into the Cold. And NBA commissioner David Stern will love this one: -- The Only Things Our Refs Shave Is the Ice. Come into the cold.