MARCH 4, 2005

Now here is a good solution for F1

Formula 1 rarely learns anything from other sports but it might be worth looking at the US ice hockey scene to see how to sort out the problems of the sport. A Boston-based sports marketing company called Game Plan has joined forces with investment company Bain Capital Partners to offer to buy all 30 teams in the National Hockey League for $3.5bn. NHL is in crisis because of disputes over money. The total value of the NHL franchises was estimated to be $4.9bn last year by Forbes Magazine but the disputes have wiped a huge chunk off the value of the business.

Game Plan's aim is to have each team operating like a division of the central company, but with complete autonomy in all matters except money.