alienanxiety 23 Report post Posted March 9, 2007 My top 5 "I'd love to punch in the head" list: 1. Dick Cheney 2. Gary Bettman 3. Ann Coulter 4. Patrick Roy 5. Gary Bettman (second shot goes to the balls) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sibiriak 84 Report post Posted March 9, 2007 My top 5 "I'd love to punch in the head" list: 1. Dick Cheney 2. Gary Bettman 3. Ann Coulter 4. Patrick Roy 5. Gary Bettman (second shot goes to the balls) Careful, Cheney's got a gun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auxlepli 17 Report post Posted March 9, 2007 He's ******* clueless. Yeah versus is great for the nhl hell I don't even know when games are on versus. You're kidding us right? http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/1367...icleWrapper.tpl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Statts 4 Report post Posted March 9, 2007 Without actually having heard the interview, I think Bettman's point regarding Versus is this: The NHL is pretty much the biggest thing on that network, and they treat it as such. You see commercials on other channels promoting NHL games on Versus. On ESPN, the NHL would have been behind at least 10 other sports and would not have been given the same promotional consideration from the network. I don't think Bettman is saying "Versus is better than ESPN". But, as out-of-touch as he is, maybe he was saying that... either way, on Versus, the NHL is a big fish in a small pond. With ESPN, they'd be that same size fish in an ocean. I see what your saying, but disagree. Even though I get Versus, I never watch anything but the NHL on that channel. If the NHL were on ESPN the casual sports fan could change the channel and catch a hockey game and become a fan. I don’t care if Versus treats the NHL better than ESPN would. If nobody is watching the game then what’s the point? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auxlepli 17 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Here's the Bettman interview. http://rapidshare.com/files/20234527/BettmanInterview.mp3 Thanks aflac9262 for recording and posting it. Again, it pains me to say it, but I agree with Bettman on many of the things he said. Traditional markets look down their down there nose at newer markets. That the NHL is better with Versus than ESPN That the NHL is the best sport, that the growth potential is great, that the NHL has farther to go than the other three major sports, that sports TV ratings are down, that the NHL rebounded very well to the lockout where as baseball didn't, that it was the right thing to do to wait until after this cycle to change the schedule, etc. The number one thing I agree with him on the most is what he said about Yzerman. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. The only thing I don't agree with him is that the Wings should stay in the West, and for selfish reasons I want the Wings to stay in the West. Living in Indiana is great for a Wings fan. I'm close to all the Central division cities. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heroes of Hockeytown 694 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 sounds like another case of Bettman either being totally clueless or insulting the fans' intelligence with his bald-faced lies. Man, I was on your case the other day trying to defend his position and then and Bettman serves up this stinker. Well, anyways, you've won me over. Let's go storm the castle and put this clown under the guillotine. Honestly, he could at least acknowledge that, yes, fans in Detroit want to be in the East, there are no rivalries in the West, and that it just may not happen for business related reasons. Ay ay ay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedWingsFan4Life 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 (edited) You're kidding us right? http://www.versus.com/nw/article/view/1367...icleWrapper.tpl Ok let me rephrase that theirs no freaking promotion for games on tv other then on a network that sucks. Who the hell actully watches VS anytime hockey isn't on? They don't promote the games on other stations. Atleast with espn you knew it was on espn because, espn atleast has stuff thats worth watching. Plus versus dumbs down hockey and it's annoying. You can say what you want but, it's a horrible network and being the third or fourth rate sport on espn is better then being on VS. Edited March 10, 2007 by RedWingsFan4Life Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aflac9262 211 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 (edited) Bettman is eventually gonna go on the radio trying to justify this http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nhl_s..._deal_with_food Edited March 10, 2007 by aflac9262 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
regwinguofmfan 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Does this dick even realize VS is not even on all cable sytems? This guy will be the death of the NHL I think owners should break away from the NHL and form a new league. Betman can then finish his dream of making nets bigger, having teams as far south as Key West and having games broadcast on comedy central. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aflac9262 211 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 (edited) Does this dick even realize VS is not even on all cable sytems? This guy will be the death of the NHL I think owners should break away from the NHL and form a new league. Betman can then finish his dream of making nets bigger, having teams as far south as Key West and having games broadcast on comedy central. Yeah it is quite sad. Only around 70 million people have the channel in the US. Lets see, there's about 300 million people in the US...Enough said. In addition to that, out of those "lucky" 70 million, how many of them even heard of it before? I mean how often do you or anyone else see a promo for hockey games on Versus on other channels? Edited March 10, 2007 by aflac9262 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sibiriak 84 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 (edited) Does this dick even realize VS is not even on all cable sytems? This guy will be the death of the NHL I think owners should break away from the NHL and form a new league. Betman can then finish his dream of making nets bigger, having teams as far south as Key West and having games broadcast on comedy central. Who'd you think approved the "Bettman's" plan to go with more money from VS vs less money with ESPN?? The NHL board of governors that has the power to appoint and fire the commisioner, and to overturn any of his decisions, consist of OWNERS. They WANTED more money, if at the expense of less TV exposure. They also approve all rule changes, schedules, teams relocating etc. If you want someone to blame, at least blame the right guys! Edited March 10, 2007 by sibiriak Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icteria virens 11 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 I see what your saying, but disagree. Even though I get Versus, I never watch anything but the NHL on that channel. If the NHL were on ESPN the casual sports fan could change the channel and catch a hockey game and become a fan. I don’t care if Versus treats the NHL better than ESPN would. If nobody is watching the game then what’s the point? some of you have really short memories, this is the time of the year that ESPN would have taken Hockey off FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK because of the basketball tournements. Doesn't anybody here remember that? I'm sick of hearing how ESPN would be so good for the NHL. It had the NHL for how long and at the end of it's term Poker, cake decorating, and area football got better ratings. I want to know exactly how ESPN is going to grow the sport, it had it's chance and couldn't. Just face it, hockey is a niche sport with regional popularity. ESPN is not some magical cure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HomeNugget 2 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 just got around to listening to this. the thing that bothered me the most was that he told Detroit fans that they would rather be in the west. so what if we don't play colorado? give me toronto and montreal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
regwinguofmfan 0 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 I like to believe the owners we duped into believing Bettman had a master plan. BTW, it seems to me the owners in the NHL who actually made money on there teams have no problem with viewership. The fact remains: Betman thinks the way to make the NHL more profitable, is to cater to markets where hockey will never flourish. We all saw how the cap has made the league more balanced. lol The teams usually on top are still there and the teams that are poorly run, overpay and get crappy results. Not much has changed there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sibiriak 84 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 I like to believe the owners we duped into believing Bettman had a master plan. BTW, it seems to me the owners in the NHL who actually made money on there teams have no problem with viewership. The fact remains: Betman thinks the way to make the NHL more profitable, is to cater to markets where hockey will never flourish. We all saw how the cap has made the league more balanced. lol The teams usually on top are still there and the teams that are poorly run, overpay and get crappy results. Not much has changed there. Bettman has been a comissioner for 15 years now. If the owners were "duped" into anything, they would have to be an exceptionally stupid bunch not to have caught on by now. I prefer the simpler and more believable explanation: the owners LIKE what Bettman is doing. And if the league was not growing the way they wanted in the traditional markets, and if they didn't expand to other markets, how do you grow the game then? Anyway, this topic has been fought over and over again on this board, and if you want to find good arguments against (and for) your opinion, use the search engine. Search for "relocation", "expansion", "moving" etc. and you are sure to find such discussion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haroldsnepsts 4,826 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Man, I was on your case the other day trying to defend his position and then and Bettman serves up this stinker. Well, anyways, you've won me over. Let's go storm the castle and put this clown under the guillotine. Honestly, he could at least acknowledge that, yes, fans in Detroit want to be in the East, there are no rivalries in the West, and that it just may not happen for business related reasons. Ay ay ay. I'm glad you've seen the light. That's part of what drives me nuts. him saying stuff that's obviously not true, as if he can Jedi mind trick hockey fans or something. "Detroit fans want the team to remain in the West. The East is not the conference you're looking for." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betterREDthandead 58 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Does this dick even realize VS is not even on all cable sytems? This guy will be the death of the NHL I think owners should break away from the NHL and form a new league. Betman can then finish his dream of making nets bigger, having teams as far south as Key West and having games broadcast on comedy central. Huh????? Are you serious? The owners are the NHL. If all 30 owners got together and decided to form a new league with the same teams, they'd probably call it............the National Hockey League. Bettman is hired by the owners. The owners pay him. The NHL is not some shadowy organization that forces these changes on the owners. At the end of the day, it's the owners that make the decisions. If Bettman wants bigger nets, the owners have to agree. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoalieManPat 1,007 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Id rather be on VS then ESPN at this point. Sure the casual sports fan cant flip to hockey and stay watching it but guess what. In the years it was on ESPN they didnt do it anyways. They just kept on clicking through. Id rather have hockey be the #1 thing on an offbeat channel like VS then a 6th sport on ESPN. 1 game a week on ESPN and even less in high traffic months like March when everything on all the ESPNs is college basketball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haroldsnepsts 4,826 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Id rather be on VS then ESPN at this point. Sure the casual sports fan cant flip to hockey and stay watching it but guess what. In the years it was on ESPN they didnt do it anyways. They just kept on clicking through. Id rather have hockey be the #1 thing on an offbeat channel like VS then a 6th sport on ESPN. 1 game a week on ESPN and even less in high traffic months like March when everything on all the ESPNs is college basketball. True. Versus definitely isn't a great channel at the moment, but it still has the potential. There is something to be said for hockey being the flagship sport on a channel, instead of it being an afterthought on ESPN, where if you're lucky they might show a Stanley Cup clip in between hourlong shows of baseball spring training. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aflac9262 211 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 The sad part about it is that if Versus somehow does become popular and they get lets say they get NFL, NBA, MLB deals somehow - they would flick the NHL off their shoulder like a flea, and that so-called "loyalty" Bettman expresses certainly wouldn't shine then would it? I agree though it's better than nothing, but ESPN (even with a "lower profile") would have been better. At least nearly 300 million could see it rather than the restricted 70 million... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoalieManPat 1,007 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 The problem was that 300 million are not watching. Which is why ESPN doesnt care about losing the NHL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogeygolfer 4 Report post Posted March 10, 2007 Everything he said was pretty valid except for when he said the "wings fans won't wan to leave all the western conference rivals" proves what I already thought, he knows his business, but not his hockey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BuckeyeWingsfan80 209 Report post Posted March 12, 2007 Without actually having heard the interview, I think Bettman's point regarding Versus is this: The NHL is pretty much the biggest thing on that network, and they treat it as such. You see commercials on other channels promoting NHL games on Versus. On ESPN, the NHL would have been behind at least 10 other sports and would not have been given the same promotional consideration from the network. I don't think Bettman is saying "Versus is better than ESPN". But, as out-of-touch as he is, maybe he was saying that... either way, on Versus, the NHL is a big fish in a small pond. With ESPN, they'd be that same size fish in an ocean. If they were truly the biggest fish in the Versus pond, they'd be on Versus more than once or twice a week. It seems to me that hunting/fishing/outdoorsman shows are the big fish in the Versus pond at this point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vladdy16 2,154 Report post Posted March 12, 2007 Everyone seems to have forgotten that ESPN did not tender a deal to show the NHL. While I would love to blame Betteman for this as well as my cellulite, global warming and the fact that the sun will eventually implode in about a billion years, he took the only deal he had on the table. That said: Die, Butthead, DIE!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hank 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2007 (edited) Who'd you think approved the "Bettman's" plan to go with more money from VS vs less money with ESPN?? The NHL board of governors that has the power to appoint and fire the commisioner, and to overturn any of his decisions, consist of OWNERS. They WANTED more money, if at the expense of less TV exposure. They also approve all rule changes, schedules, teams relocating etc. If you want someone to blame, at least blame the right guys! sibiriak & betterREDthandead, I think we are in the minority as far as rational thinkers concerning Gary Bettman. That post about "I think the owners should abandon the NHL so Bettman can do whatever he wants with the league" was the funniest thing I've ever read. THE OWNERS ARE THE NHL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Gary Bettman is hired BY THE OWNERS TO DO WHAT THE OWNERS WANT!!! If the nets become larger it's not because Bettman said so it's because the BOG and the Competition Committee pushed it through. Geez people, please, get some sense into your heads!!!! This discussion should go right up there with "Kris Draper has a NO TRADE CLAUSE so please stop saying 'lets trade Draper'". I agree that Bettman isn't always right and there are arguments that you can make against him but please have some intelligence on the subject. Bettman is not the KING of the NHL. It's not a communist system or a monarchy. Bettman does what the BOG wants. Simple as that. If the Wings stay in the West it's because the BOG wants it that way. If the NHL expands to Mexico it's because the BOG approved it, not Bettman. Bettman only serves to get what the BOG wants; simple as that. What's next? Punching the Gerber baby in the face because you don't like 'Smashed Peas'? Edited March 12, 2007 by Hank Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
