Why is Bettmen hated?

[thedisappearer 291]

The thing is if the nhl is going to succeed as a top sports league in the US, it has to begin to express itself in a more positive manner to "bad hockey markets". Sure we can relocate the Predators, Kings, Panthers, Islanders, Ducks, and any other team to any Canadian city where they're sure to be welcomed, but that would essentially be Bettman admitting defeat as the face of an inferior sport in the US, which is the exact opposite of what we need to do. Transferring these teams to other American cities might not be as bad, but there will still be huge damage done simply by withdrawing a failing team from a city. Especially if we withdraw all the teams that we can argue are failing. Any city who was borderline about a sport when they had a team will surely fall to the other side of the fence if the team is taken away. "Hockey couldn't make it in this city; its inferior, so I'll stick with Nascar", will be the reasoning. Yeah, it seems contradictive to leave a failing team in a city for the good of hockey, but in the long run, if the league can keep chipping away at the borderliners and football diehards, then all these struggling teams can turn into goldmines. If a team leaves the city all together, that kind of goal seems impossible. Its a s***ty situation to be in, one that I think has its roots in bad (or no) research. I think we do need to target markets who don't have a lot of hockey culture, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. In the case of Nashville, it was done in the wrong way.

I can agree with this. It's like the war in Iraq. You may not think we shoulda gone in, but now that we are there, we have to stick around so it works.

You know, minus the dead soldiers.

Man, I really don't like Bettman.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

"Why is Bettmen hated?"

that glowing puck from FOX? anyone remember it from the mid 1990's? Seriously, wtf!!

he did that as one of the techniques to make the NHl more pleasing to Americans audiences. but seriously if you cant see a black puck on white ice.....

I understand where you are coming from, but this is a silly excuse. For the new observer who might not have a full understanding of what is going on in the game, the tail behind the puck would have greatly helped in aiding seeing where it was going.

Other than using "tradition" as an excuse, I never really understood why so many people have beef with the glow/tail on the puck on TV. Didn't bother me whatsoever or affect my viewing of the sport, and I highly doubt anybody here gave up watching the game cause of "TV enhancements".

And if somebody responds with, "well a football or soccer ball or tennis ball can travel at pretty fast distances when passed or kicked..." Both those balls are larger than a puck, and a tennis ball is yellowish/neon which is easy to spot, plus there is only two or four people on a tennis court playing at the same time. There is usually so much going on at a hockey game that the glow/tail was pretty useful. I know I know, football is a chaotic game with plenty going on, but the average Joe casual sports viewer in this country will know a helluva lot more about football over hockey.

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

I agree on Detroit in the west.

The expansions were not just his decision. Ownership of the teams need to take responsibility as well. I think that more Canadian teams should have been given expansions, but thats just how I feel.

Marketing a sport that is a niche is tough to do. I feel they do a pretty darn good job. Oh, and I feel that spending advertising dollars wastefully is dumb. Some hockey fans think that spending money on advertising during the NBA finals, the super bowl, and other sporting events.

ESPN treated the NHL like a red headed stepchild. I am glad they are gone from ESPN.

in march/april these ads should be on every channel on television

I see NBA adds all over various channels, these are two quality ads that are only ever shown on channels that are dedicated to hockey

ESPN is critical for national exposure

on a related topic, the NHL should really create a hockey version of this ad:

Edited July 30, 2008 by omnipotent_hudler

[octopusonice 0]

in march/april these ads should be on every channel on television

I see NBA adds all over various channels, these are two quality ads that are only ever shown on channels that are dedicated to hockey

ESPN is critical for national exposure

on a related topic, the NHL should really create a hockey version of this ad:

I agree with you except the one with the Stanley Cup celebrations changing pictures every 1/10th of a second. I like the idea (reverence to history) behind it, but it makes me a little dizzy watching it. I don't know if it's the kind of thing that would effect epileptic people, but it makes you wonder. I thought they showed it during the SCF frequently, so it's not like it didn't get exposure.

The two minute one with the soccer player was well done. I like the scene where the girlfriend is leering at him. Hockey definitely needs an equivalent of that.

The game can be marketed to people who never played; I'm living proof of that. However, I think the game would reach more people if more youths played it in areas that are traditionally not hotbeds of hockey like here in Calif.

[joshy207 156]

A lot of the newer NHL markets have seen rapid growth in youth and adult hockey participation. Dallas and LA/Anaheim are probably the best examples, but San Jose, Columbus, Miami, and Phoenix have also seen tremendous growth, not just in quantity but also in quality. Dallas, LA, San Jose, and Phoenix teams are competitive on the national stage and have begun producing college and pro players.

[Yemack 1]

I tend to agree alot w/ Bettmen on alot of issues.

[auxlepli 17]

His obvious love of and favoritism toward Brian Burke is enough for me to hate him.

Yet there's so many more reasons ....

Conference, division name changes.

Safety net installation.

His immeasurable duplicity.

... to name just a few more.

[South Dakota wings fan 7]

ESPN and hockey shouldn't be in the same sentence. They bailed on the NHL years ago, and refuse to show more than :30 of hockey come hockey season. The national spelling bee award gets more air time then hockey. If thats not a kick in the nuts I don't know what is. Why should Bettman ditch Versus when ratings are at there all time high. Lets watch ESPN suffer and see what a great sport there missing, and will come crawling back in a few years.

I think ESPN showed very little of the highlights when they first came out of the lockout, but I think it got a lot better this past season. When the games are on Versus, they probably only have so much they can show of the highlights. Honestly though, I have found that with Center Ice, who needs to see the highlights on sportscenter? Even "On the fly" on NHL network seems to be getting better with their coverage. I thought their coverage during the cup finals was excellent.

[Guest LivingtheDream]

What I hate about him, and I think others see, is that like many top dogs in business he always has an excuse and uses points of semi relevant minutiae to deflect the major issue or criticism. It's not about doing the right thing, its about winning some debate or argument. In effect, he is always in CYA mode - Cover Your Ass. Where does the buck stop in the NHL? Not with Bettman. The lack of accountability or simply taking it like a man is really annoying. Very Clinton-esque, Enron-esque, Bush-Esque... you name it. It's bad enough we have to put up with this in the world and work, but having it in hockey, a game we all love, well it is really sickening.

[uk_redwing 495]

Is this adjusted for inflation?

Link? Source?

Link? Source?

Link? Source?

Of course they did. He does whatever they tell him pretty much regardless of its long term impact on the game.

Who'd have ever thought Chelios would be the voice of reason??

More teams does not = better

His lack of passion for the game. His lack of understanding for the game. His incessant bold face lies about what the fans want, in spite of plenty of evidence to the contrary. Like for years when he denied clutching and grabbing was a problem. That he talked to the fans and players and they were content. Then the lockout and he's getting credit for the "new NHL."

or the new schedule "to promote rivalries" when it's really just a ploy for the cheap ass owners to save on travel. And even though the fans made it pretty clear they miss playing teams in the other conferences, they miss seeing the old rivals play, Bettman said they're changing the schedule back "in spite of that the majority of fans like it the way it is."

And in 94, the league may not have been exactly more popular than the NBA, but it was pretty close. Coming off the height of popularity for the sport and a great Stanley Cup finals, Bettman locked the players out in '95. Ten years later, another lockout. At the time the players took all the blame, but they're not the ones making the financial decisions here. It's the owners, and Bettman. Two lockouts in ten years, and a lost season and a half. That's a pretty bad record in my book.

While the owners are responsible for many of the bad decisions made over the years, as commissioner Bettman should be a steward for the game. Leading the owners at times, not just being a patsy for their whims. Particularly when their decisions are motivated by short term or selfish business interests, and not the overall health of the league.

He should have an eye on the long term health of the game, but shows little understanding or love of the sport.

What this guy said.

Bettman's list of priorities:

1. Bettman

2. $$$

3. More Crosby fans

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

and a very distant 4th. Hockey and its current fans.

Edited July 31, 2008 by uk_redwing

[Icteria virens 11]

1) NHL revenues are at their highest level ever ($200MM ahead of 2003-04)

I don't know but it seems like most pro league "revenues" are up. there are more consumers than ever before and internet technology makes it easier to watch and pay for. Plus there's *possibly* creative accounting to make it appear bigger and better than it is, the motivation would be being able to charge more for ad time. THis is somewhat speculative on my part.

2) Arena attendance is at the highest level ever

This I don't believe at all, well at least the question begs: how many of the "sold" tix are paid for as full price, paid for by actual fans, not bought by a media outlet or so that a game could be televised. Alot of arenas like Carolina and tampa bay offer deeply discounted tix to the public in an effort to sell more. I'm very leery of % capacity statistics.

3) American local television ratings are at their highest ever

are you talking about reg. season or SC finals? b/c the only reason finals ratings were so good was b/c Detroit was in there, last time they were as high was 2002, guess who was in the finals then.... if reg.season that is good- I'm glad for VS as I hope the Wolrdwide Leader in Poker, Madden Nation, and Am. Gladiator from 1972 is choking on it!

4) Player salaries are at their highest level ever

good for them I guess

5) In October 2007, the owners voted 30-0 to give him a 5 year extention

this is a great point and one that has to be made. you see, the owners are G Bettmans boss. Many people forget this. If they weren't happy with the clown he'd have been gone a long time ago so everyone on these boards who hate GB must also slide a little hate towards them as well, they too are culpable.

6) In November 2007, the players voted 98.3% to support that extention (and yes, Chelios was one of the 5 dissenters)

this is really shocking to me but proves one point, as long as salaries are up there they could care less about the integrity of the game. Pretty sad really.

He joined a league with 26 teams (Florida and Anaheim started play in his tenure but were named as franchises by John Ziegler)............now it has 30

I certainly don't see this as a good thing. in fact, I'm sure that's why the owners like him so much, they've made a mint off the expansion fees over the years. the players like him for this too as it gives them more jobs, more job security, longer careers. Flame away but I'd love to see a 20 team league. The talent wouldn't be so stretched out. There are alot of teams in the league where I look forward to seeing only a couple players play. I know many don't agree.

So why is he hated, and why do fans want him out of the game? (Besides the banning of the octopus)

these are just the points you brought up, not other things.