Why is Gary Bettman still around?

Question

This man hasn't done much positive for this league. He is one of the main reasons for a whole year without hockey in 04-05, and that terrible new schedule limits the diversity of matchups between Western and Eastern teams. Watching the Buffalo-Pittsburgh game, Bettman made me sick acting as though he took part in keeping the Penguins in Pittsburgh, when he did absolutely nothing. My question is, with such dislike for Bettman, why does he stay around for almost two decades as commissioner?

Answer 1

Bettman is hated by the fans and probably the players, as well. However he is loved beloved to the vast majority of the owners. He is about business and the bottom line. By taking a hardline stance and spearheading the lockout, he was able to bring in a salary cap and curtail the huge spending that [dependent upon who you chose to believe] was either losing money for almost every franchise or severely limiting their profits.

On the surface it would seem that he screwed that up by selling broadcast rights to VS which has a limited viewership and NBC which only broadcasts a handful of games. However they were willing to fork over cash and ESPN was not. Once again he put money in the owner's pocket.

Now, if you think taking money for limited exposure was a bad move compared to staying on ESPN and getting your product out there to the masses, you've forgotten about the bottom line again. This is not the only league that would rather have cash than exposure to the largest fan base possible. Look at MLB's Extra Innings deal with DirecTV this year and their ridiculous but highly profitable deal with CBS in the early '90's. Billionaires owners are not rich bc they do what's in the fan's best interest nor do they own teams bc they want to be loved by those fans. It's about money, pure and simple.

As for the schedule, again it's about the benjamins. Pretty much every team sells 90% or more of their tickets and luxury suites. In common markets about half of the NHL teams outdraw their NBA counterparts. As long as there is no attendance problems, the league doesn't much care if half the fans don't get to see Crosby, Ovechkin or whoever. By promoting and scheduling divisional rivalries, Bettman is saving owners more cash by cutting down on travel costs.

Gary Bettman doesn't know about or respect hockey and certainly can't skate to save his life but he understands how to put money in his bosses' pockets. Until he stops doing so or grows tired of it, he will be right where he is, like it or not.

Answer 2

Actually, everyone, including Mario and all of the other principal actors in the new arena deal say that Bettman had a lot to do with the outcome. as for the new scheduling, this was pushed for by the owners to cut down on travel time and expense. And, to say that he was solely responsible for the lockout is crazy. and even if it were true, the league has a much brighter future now than it did before the lockout. You answered your own question in a way. If there were such dislike for him he would be gone. He is there because the owners choose to keep him there.

Answer 3

Bettman did not save the Penguins. He was the reason Penguins almost had to move cities by demanding last minute changes in a done deal to sell the Penguins a few months ago to billionare Jim Balsillie. Now after screwing up that deal, he's suddenly the savior of the Penguins? The original sale would have cost the taxpayers of Pittsburg nothing. Now because of Bettman, the Pittsburg taxpayers will be paying for part of that new stadium for the next 30 years.

Answer 4

Pucknhead saved me a lot of typing. He is around because it is the OWNERS that have ruined the league, the OWNERS decide who the commisioner is, and Bettman is doing exactly what the owners want. Think of him like a King in a country with a Democracy --- just a figurehead.

Answer 5

This the best question I have ever seen on this website. How he still has a job is mind blowing. The only person in professional sports that deserves to be fired more than Bettman is Matt Millen.

Answer 6

Well he was the mediator for the two sides. I'm not saying he did anything important but we don't know what part exactly he played. As to why he stays around, who said the OWNERS dislike him? Do you think they care if the fans like him or not. They care what is best for the buisness. They feel that is him. As to the lockout well the OWNERS wanted the Salary Cap, THEY are the biggest reason for the lockout.

Answer 7

I really don't see any reason to keep him either.He says he wants to do great things for the NHL but won't allow any teams in Green Bay WI.,Seattle WA.,Lincoln NA etc.. Why doesn't he put teams where the fan base is the strongest.Green Bay for example has been wanting a team forever but for some reason it doesn't get past him.There are so many examples of his inadequacies it isn't even funny.

Answer 8

I reckon it relies upon on who you refer to. followers...actual Bettman has his detractors, yet those are people who do no longer seem on the physique of artwork of his accomplishments; they see a short guy who feels like count quantity Chocula who got here visiting from the NBA and who isn't precisely oozing air of secrecy who single-handedly led to the lockout (plus, it rather is ordinary (if incorrect) in charge Bettman for issues he has no administration over interior a similar way that blaming a boogeyman helps our collective psyche). they do no longer see that Olympic participation got here to bypass in the time of his regime, the iciness classic and history classic video games, they do no longer see a 5-fold develop in league gross revenues (he became employed to develop the recreation which via each and every account he's finished), as did getting the NHL on loose-to-air US television, as did the Canadian guidance Plan (retaining the two Alberta communities and Ottawa from suffering worse), as did an entire slew of alternative issues that usually speaking have helped the recreation. they do no longer understand that Bettman has 30 bosses (the NHL Board of Governors). i've got stated in the previous that his best subject is that he's a nasty public speaker (he's possibly large in boardrooms) and does not have that shallow air of secrecy and heat temperature that would earnings him very much (i bypass lower back to that image of him attempting to gown down on the Olympics donning mom denims- god love him for attempting inspite of the incontrovertible fact that it only does not "artwork" on him, and that's no longer a private attack). i've got additionally argued that his identify is confusing- people hear the be conscious "commissioner" and that they think of he's a few form of impartial party, whilst in actuality CEO of the NHL is possibly a extra precise identify. So possibly you do no longer want to have a lager with the guy, yet you will possibly want him working your business enterprise. evaluate the NHL's problems that of his contemporaries interior the NFL, NBA, and MLB (and in case you like, NASCAR and the PGA excursion). At worst he ranks 2nd and that i will make the case for being first.

Answer 9

Being mentally challenged as he is,
a lot of people feel sorry for him
He's also very stealthy and that makes assassination attempts very difficult
If there is a God, sooner or later,
someone will find him,
freeze him to the ice
and run-him-over repeatedly with a Zamboni

Answer 10

Because he is a visionary,a talented and brilliant leader ,a true hero among lesser men.HAW HAW HAW.Just because no one really wants to do the prison time for giving him what he deserves!