What's a decent Nikon telephoto/zoom lens for low-light sports?

We've got a AF-S VR-Nikkor 70-200mm 1:2.8G, but it was recently broken. We're debating on sending it in to have it fixed, but we also want to price new lenses just in case we would be better off getting a new one. I'd prefer not going with the VR-II, as it's fairly pricey. I'm hoping to find something sub-$2, 000 that will perform well in low-light. The zoom on this one is a bit high for our photographers' tastes, as this lens pulls double duty for portraiture and whatnot, as well.

Thanks!

Added (1). We could certainly go with a non-Nikon branded lens, too. I've been looking at the Tamron line of lenses.

The lens you've got is about as good as it gets among zoom lenses in that range of focal lengths. The low-light conditions would dictate an f/2.8 or faster lens in my book and the 70-200mm f/2.8 would probably be where I'd start. The point lurking here is repairing that lens is recommended in light of the fact that replacing it will be significantly more costly. If you replace the lens with the newer VR-II version, it will not make dramatic improvements in your images as the original lens was pretty good in its own right.

As for alternatives in the sub-$2000 range, there really aren't many in the Nikon catalog at this time. You can go to a 70-300mm f/4-5.6 VR that offers slightly longer focal lengths but, it its also one to two stops slower at any given focal length and that may kill you in low-light if you can't push your ISO high enough to allow sufficiently fast shutter speeds. You could also go with third party lenses but, none would be as good or better than your 70-200mm lens. Primes would be the next logical alternative if you don't mind zooming with your feet and/or swapping lenses. Optional primes that come to mind within the range covered by the 70-200mm zoom would be fast 85mm (f/1.8 or faster) and 135mm (f/2 or faster) primes. I don't know if you can get both in the Nikon system for less than $2000 anymore as I know many of Nikon's newest and best primes have been priced well over $1000 each.