Bettman might say no to Sochi Olympics

[MCleveland89 122]

VANCOUVER -- Before committing to going to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Olympics, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the League and the NHL Players' Association will have to find a way to balance all the variables associated with making such a monumental decision.

IIHF President Rene Fasel said Thursday during a joint press conference with Bettman at Canada Hockey Place that the IIHF wants and needs the NHL to participate in the Olympics, but Bettman stressed that it's not a black-and-white issue.

"It's naive for anybody to think the Olympics are great, so let's go," Bettman said. "You need to understand that there is an impact on our season. The question is what can we do to balance that impact in a way in which makes sense to go? If you were looking at this in a vacuum, and all you were worried about is the two weeks of the Olympics, it's not a very difficult decision. But we don't exist in that vacuum."

Bettman stressed that he wasn't saying yes or no to the Olympics, but he outlined the many variables associated with the decision, leading with his concern about the effect shutting down the NHL season for two weeks has on business momentum gained from the first four and a half months of the season.

"When I point out these things, it's not to say, no, we're not going to go, but we have a multi-billion dollar business that we're responsible for," he said. "We have 20-plus million fans who watch our games in person and another couple of hundred million who watch on TV. We have to try to balance all the competing interests and evaluate them moving forward to see what makes sense."

Most importantly, as Bettman said, the NHL loans out its players to participate in the Olympics and the more than 140 competing in the current tournament add up to $2 billion in contract salaries.

"For two weeks we loan out the most important assets in our game and nobody should underestimate that," Bettman said.

The NHL schedule is a major factor. For instance, by Feb. 14 of this season 80 more games had been played in the NHL than were played by the same date last season.

"And, some of you who cover our games on a regular basis complained about our schedule," Bettman said. "We're going to have to look at the impact on our game competitively."

The location of the Olympics also matters, Bettman said. Sochi is eight time zones away from New York and 11 from Vancouver, so that has to be a consideration for media coverage and the well being of the players.

"From our standpoint, this one, being in Vancouver, being in Canada with Canada's game, was always a no-brainer," Bettman said. "But issues arise where people are saying 'why isn't this happening and why isn't that happening? I'm like you, I'm an invited guest to these Olympics. We don't have much control over things. That doesn't mean we're being ignored, but it's not like us running the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the All-Star Game or our Winter Classic. These are all things that will be discussed in due time."

Of course, since the location of the next Olympics is in Russia, the topic of the NHL's non-existing relationship with the KHL and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation was brought up Wednesday.

There is no current player-transfer agreement between the NHL and the KHL, but Bettman said the NHL's "relationship or the state of our relationship with the KHL has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not we go to Sochi." He wouldn't even react to Alex Ovechkin's claim that he's going to Sochi no matter what.

"I don't think I'm going to bother addressing what we would do in the event we make that decision until we actually make a decision one way or the other," he said. "Let's deal with the first issue first and then we'll worry about what flows from that."

Fasel claims he can bring the NHL and KHL together to form a good relationship.

"It's just you have so different cultures," he said. "I promise you, I'll bring those guys together."

Either way, Bettman stressed repeatedly that no decision has been made, and technically it can't be because it will have to go into the new collective bargaining agreement that hasn't yet been ironed out.

The NHL's participation in Torino and in Vancouver fell under the current CBA that was negotiated during the work stoppage. That expires after the 2010-11 season, though the players have an option to extend it through the 2011-12 season.

Bettman said it's likely that Olympic participation will be a part of the new CBA.

"There is plenty of time to deal with it," Bettman said. "We are focused now on having the best possible tournament we can have, and in due time we will deal with myriad of issues that our Olympic participation brings."

NHL

How would you feel if Bettman said no? I know if I was a player, I'd be pretty pissed off.

[Finnish Wing 110]

Bettman is anti-European guy.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

Now if the Winter Olympics were in Vegas...I'm sure he would be all over that.

[Guest mindfly]

World cup of hockey, will take place in 2011 again, in august/september some weeks before the training camps... so atleast one tournament with all the best players from every nation.

[SweWings 45]

Players will be all over this.

[EuroTwin 240]

I hate you Gary Bettman. I hope you get hit by a bus.

The Russians would be up in arms if he says no/if they aren't allowed to play.

[btweinberg 3]

Bettman is being selfish! How can you stop players from going to one of the most important events of their lives?! Hockey players are tough. They can deal with the schedule.

[Electrophile 3,554]

I hate you Gary Bettman. I hope you get hit by a bus filled with monkeys carrying syphilis that all take turns biting you in the testicles while you run away screaming.

Fixed that for you.

[Guest ToMaToToWnWinGsFaN_24]

Fixed that for you.

ha..wouldnt that be a sight to see!

[dropkickshanahans 463]

He's basically saying he doesn't want to lose money, and will be negotiating frantically in the upcoming CBA meetings to figure out a way to not lose money for the 2014 Olympics. Pity...

[EuroTwin 240]

Fixed that for you.

Perfect! I would pay money to watch that.

[Rikadyn 16]

How can you stop players from going to one of the most important events of their lives?!

I dunno, same way as before 1998?

[Bluedevils_13 0]

Gary is saying he doesn't want it for the sake of the business, and for the sake of the fans. Well Gary, most of the fans I know really don't care all that much, if we have a two week break in the season every four years. I think it should be up to the players, if they want it then give it to them. Who is Gary REALLY speaking for?

[hokike 1]

take it easy, folks. Bettman ONLY says that Vancouver Olympics was easy decision to make.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Bettman realizes this decision could affect whether or not Ovechkin (and possibly Malkin) plays in the National Hockey League.

Ovechkin:

"I'll go play the Olympic Games for my country," Ovechkin said. "If somebody says to me you can't play, see ya."

Malkin:

"I would rather pay fines and still go," Malkin told Puck Daddy. "If there is something serious like a disqualification for a couple of years in the NHL, if there is something like this I will probably still go because I can even leave to Russia to play. It is very difficult to say right now. But I can give you 100% that I will go.""

[wings1110 184]

I bet if crosby said that he wanted to go to the olympics bettman would allow it

[Electrophile 3,554]

I was initially reticent when the NHL first allowed their players to compete in the Olympics because I felt it should be for amateur athletes only. However when you see how much fun the players have, and how great the hockey is, you realize it's a smart move and a great way to expand the NHL's brand.

Why Gary doesn't see this is beyond me. The schedules can be worked out so that players who have the opportunity to play in the later rounds aren't essentially penalized by not having at least a day to recoup before rejoining the team and starting the season back up again. All this CAN be done, I don't see why there's a need to debate it.

[hockey&beer 16]

The way I interpret GB's language is he wants a cut of the profits-

"When I point out these things, it's not to say, no, we're not going to go, but we have a multi-billion dollar business that we're responsible for," he said. "We have 20-plus million fans who watch our games in person and another couple of hundred million who watch on TV. We have to try to balance all the competing interests and evaluate them moving forward to see what makes sense."

Isn't he basically saying that the NHL is "losing" money. Although this clearly isn't the case since the season is still 82 games. I have never really supported GB, but have let many of his "adjustments" slide by. If he thinks that these players won't play for their respective countries when the IIHF allows it, he's effin' crazy. Not only that, he's paving the way for players who are in contract and Olympic seasons to head to Europe to play.

Just a bit of advice for Mr. Bettman:

DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE, GIVE IT UP, THE OLYMPICS WILL HAPPEN, THE PLAYERS WILL GO AND YOU ARE NOT GETTING PAID!!!!!!!!!!

[Datsyuk2Zetterberg 1]

How would you feel if Bettman said no? I know if I was a player, I'd be pretty pissed off.

doesn't change anything, I still think he needs to go, and be replaced with somebody a little more competent, like a monkey, or a really smart rock.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

Do you honestly think Bettman is going to bar NHL players from playing in the Olympics? Bettman is simply trying to find a way to weasel in and take a cut of the profits. There will always be NHL players in the Winter Olympics. Quote me on that.

[vangvace 12]

So how can the NHL be marketed if nobody is seeing their players play on TV?

[Cern 0]

Ovechkin and a few others have already stated they're going to Olympics no matter what the NHL says.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

I don't think professional athletes should compete in the Olympics.

[jollymania 162]

RIght now everyone i know watches olympic hockey, but i think they still would even without nhlers, I prefer the nhl ot break because it is better hockey

Edited February 19, 2010 by jollymania

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

What's Bettman think he's going to do... take on the Olympics w/ a regular NHL schedule with weekend games on NBC? HA!