While the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup this past June, it certainly hasn't been the best few months for re-retired goalie Dominik Hasek. Not only was the old crank demoted to being Chris Osgood's towel boy for the Cup Finals, but now his "Dominator" clothing line, which he started up in 1998, is losing money in a big way. In an interview with The Prague Post, the former goalkeeper noted "The company was losing about 30,000 K? [$1,955] per day, and I've already put in some 90 million K? [over $5.8 million] over its 10-year presence on the market."To understand why Hasek's business failed so badly in his homeland, one must remember that the purchasing power of the Czech Crown [Koruny] is far below the US dollar. The average Czech sports fan cannot easily afford to plunk down the equivalent of US$40 for a fancy "Dominator" t-shirt, or as much as $60 for a golf shirt. My Czech friends confirm that even the most basic "Dominator" shirts are twice as expensive as ye olde regular clothing.
Mr Hasek's operation was far larger than those of his fellow Czech [Sporting Stars], operating both in Europe and the United States. Now, he has decided to close down the European wing, while keeping the US business afloat.
This all makes me wonder if Hasek's comeback was purely financially motivated. Obviously, he needed to do something to boost sales, and what is better PR than playing with the Red Wings? If Hasek was losing money, then earning some sweet NHL bucks would be the best way to soften the pain, wouldn't it?
