NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has been in charge during the league’s three decades of ups and downs. While there were numerous positive changes within the NHL during this period – most notably, the rise in team ratings – Bettman was also at the helm of the NHL during numerous controversies, from three lockouts to the Chicago Blackhawks sexual abuse scandal to the league sex. position on CTE and concussions.
Fans have often voiced their displeasure with Bettman, and like many sports league commissioners, he is regularly booed when he appears publicly, such as when presenting the Stanley Cup trophy or at the NHL draft. Yet in last year’s draft, Bettman leaned into the hate, telling the crowd, “You can do better than this.”
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How long has Gary Bettman been NHL commissioner?
Gary Bettman, 71, has been the NHL commissioner since February 1, 1993, making him the longest-serving commissioner in any North American professional sports league. He is also the league’s first official commissioner; Before the commissioner title was established, the league’s highest-ranking executive position was president of the NHL, a role held by five people.
Before becoming commissioner, Bettman was senior vice president and general counsel of the NBA, where he worked closely with David Stern, NBA commissioner for 30 years, from 1984 to 2014.
During Bettman’s first full season in 1993-94, the league had 26 teams. It has since expanded to 33 teams (one of which is inactive) and is preparing to receive a franchise for Utah.
What is Gary Bettman’s salary?
There have been no publicly released details regarding his salary since the 2013-14 season.
Did Gary Bettman play in the NHL?
No, Bettman never played in the NHL. However, in 2016, Bettman said Sports Network that he can, in fact, skate. As for organized sports, Sports Network reported that he was on the school football team and told a local New Jersey resident Publication he played intramural hockey in college. He frequently watched the Cornell Big Red hockey team when he was a student at the university.
Why has Bettman been so polarizing?
Under Bettman, league owners locked out players three times. The first came in 1994-95, the season after he took over, which led to a shortened 48-game season. The second lockout, and perhaps the most damaging, occurred in 2004-05, when Bettman and the owners canceled the entire season. The last, in 2012-13, which lasted just over three months, reduced another season from 82 games to 48 games.
Money was at the root of every work stoppage. Owners wanted to institute a salary cap, but failed during the 1994-95 lockout. Before the second lockdown, the league had the upper hand position was losing millions while player salaries rose.
The NHL’s stance on CTE and concussions also raised red flags about Bettman. He said NPR in 2023 that he does not see a link between playing hockey in the NHL and brain disease, unlike the NFL, which has recognized a link between traumatic brain injury and CTE. “I don’t believe there has been any documented study that suggests that elements of our game result in CTE,” Bettman told NPR.
The NHL’s handling of the sexual abuse scandal involving the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 drew criticism for its slow response in handling the case. Bettman defended the league’s process and the punishment it meted out — a $2 million fine to Chicago for “inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response” to the situation.
“This response should send a clear message to all NHL clubs and all NHL personnel that inappropriate acts must be addressed in a timely manner,” Bettman he said in a statement in October 2021.
Still, despite the shots fired at him, the commissioner doesn’t seem wink an eye.
After three decades of Bettman, what is the state of the NHL today?
The NHL has transformed into multiple facets during Bettman’s time as commissioner.
Expansion has been an important element during Bettman’s time in the league. More recently, the NHL added teams in Las Vegas and Seattle; The Golden Knights have reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice, winning in 2022-23. The league also re-established a franchise in Winnipeg in 2011, and the Quebec Nordiques moved to Colorado and became the Avalanche, which won the Stanley Cups in 1996, 2001 and 2022.
Bettman’s handling of the Arizona Coyotes stadium ordeal has been a constant thorn in the side of the league. Even with Bettman’s support, the Coyotes were unable to secure a new arena. Arizona played at Arizona State University’s 5,000-seat Mullett Arena for two seasons after the city of Glendale ended its lease with the franchise after the 2021-22 season. This spring, the N.H.L. facilitated the teams to move to Utah.
As Bettman’s tenure progressed, NHL team ratings continued to rise. In 2004 (a lockout season), the average NHL team was value US$ 163 million, according to Forbes. Almost two decades later, Sport reported that the average NHL team was valued at $1.31 billion.
ESPN has returned to the broadcast mix to air NHL games beginning in the 2021-22 seasons as part of a seven-year deal, but the network’s history with the sport is complex. After the 2004-05 lockout season, ESPN refused to exercise its $60 million option to broadcast games, ending the 21-year relationship it had with the league, according to The New York Times. Comcast-owned OLN, which later became Versus, then NBC Sports Network, paid $65 million for the 2005-06 season. At the time, OLN had 64 million subscribers, compared to ESPN’s 90 million.
With ESPN and TNT Sports as broadcast partners, the NHL had an eight-year run ratings high and record attendance heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The league had an average of 504,000 spectators per game and the arenas operated at 97% capacity.
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