Pucks, Pipelines, Politics and Power - Alliances of Nationalism, Capitalism and Professional Sports

In the German leftist debate matters of ideology tend to be either discussed as invisible conspiracy, orchestrated by a hidden elite, or as a necessary "fetish" that emerges from the very organisation of society itself, dismissing agency and practice of dominant groups and government. Either point of of view must be considered flawed, both from a theoretical Marxist point of view and from empirically observing how governmental politics of propaganda aim at creating identification with the state and social cohesion through ideological means, and how economical interests are intertwined with this matter. This essay, based on the lecture of a professor from Turku in Finnland, is aimed at giving some ideas how these matters can be explored in the field of professional sports.


Professional sports have different economic, political and ideological aspects. Among other things they can be a promoter of nationalism, of the identification of the masses with the state they are subjected to. More generally: Sport performances, if they are held in representation of some sort of collective identity, can be transferred to the performance of the identity. Since sports catch a lot of attention, they also provide an opportunity to distract from major social problems or controversial political decisions - unpopular means like cuts in social spendings are regularly taken in times of major sportive events. Considering economy the positive association of sports or athletes with certain brands or companies improve the "image" of the latter and through that grant a higher share of the market. But of course the Sport itself can be a lucrative form of entertainment itself. Also politicians often share the opinion that professional sports is able lift the health of the population by animating to imitate the professionals. Because of that professional sports is considered a tool of generative politics or even defence politics too: who can throw a basketball should be able to throw a grenade too. Finally professional sports can also be a medium of diplomacy, like the well known ping pong diplomacy between China and the USA.


Ice Hockey isn't one of the major globally played professional sports in the world, but it is popular in countries like Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Slovakia, and to some extend also in the Baltic States. Most of these states are either dependant of the supply with gas from the Russian state owned company Gazprom, or in the area of political interest of Russia. In Russia there is a long tradition of sports politics. Professional sport however had ceased to exist after the revolution, being, probably rightfully, condemned as bourgeois. However, together with the general roll-back in the UDSSR and the consolidation of the power of the Nomenklatura, there was a need of the political class to represent its strength on an international level. A part of that was the import of Ice-Hockey to the UDSSR. The intensively trained "Red Machine", that featured its own "collective" style of playing, quickly became one of the best and most successful Teams in the world. Its success was part of a battle over the representation of the competing ideologies in the field of sports. It was also a source of cohesion within soviet society and today the popularity of Ice Hockey in Russia is only matches by the popularity of soccer. After the end of the UDSSR Russian professional sport declined immediately. Specially Ice Hockey became affiliated with the criminal underground in the nineties. But after Russian economy recovered, so did the professional sport and soon owning a club became a status symbol for the "New Russians". The investments in sports of the new bourgeois class that has risen from the ashes of Soviet Russia even became international ones soon. There is also an influence of recreational Hockey Sport, that comes to form "Gentlemen Clubs", where political decisions are made. Hockey background has also became an asset on Russian political landscape and is one important basis for "networking" in Russia.



A major player in the sponsoring of ice hockey is Gazprom who through this wants to improve its reputation and influence. It even has its own company Ice Hockey team composed of ex-Soviet players. Another organisation that is interested in Hockey, in the same way the Soviet government was, is of course the Russian government. Not only does the Russian government hope to promote public health and raise the national birthrate, in order to maintain Russia's Status as great Power, it also explicitly hopes to "reunite" the cultural sphere of the former soviet union by using Ice Hockey as a tool of what could be considered cultural imperialism. Here the interests of Gazprom, who wishes to retrieve the old gas transportation system, that is now owned by ex satellite states, and the Russian government, converge additionally. This can be considered an alliance between nationalism, capitalism and soviet nostalgia, the latter meaning that many of the involved seek to continue a tradition started in soviet times. The decisiveness of this alliance is shown in the creation of a big Anti-NHL League, in the Russian sphere of interest and ambitions to expand this league even further.