Report: Gary Bettman makes $7.5M

[number9 3,297]

The difference is I'm commenting on a thread I find interesting, and you're just complaining. Nobody made you look at this thread or for that matter comment on it.

? uve been complaing on this thread just as much anyone lol there is no difference. *sigh* people.

[eva unit zero 271]

Then you simply do not remember the early-90s.

The NHL on ESPN on the early 90s was a matter of "it's the only national network" so what you see is what you get. Hockey was never a priority for ESPN, and never will be. It is more to the NHL's interest that Versus develops into a major competitor for ESPN, because that would produce better media deals for the NHL as the (current) main client of Versus.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

He's done an okay job with the league. He has a tough job, like dealing with some of these idiot owners who argue about not being able to make money but then go out and offer some of the stupidest contracts in pro sports. And I'm sure he also has to fight against a climate of "good ol boys" that can hold hockey back and make it look like a lower-tier sport. Guys like Colin Campbell who behave as if this was his kids pee wee league and not a multi-billion dollar sports operation.

My main problems with Bettman are that he was a major component of both lockouts that cost a season and a half of hockey, and someone with more diplomatic and management skills likely could've salvaged at least some of those seasons. In particular the tone he set from the very start of this last lockout pretty much guaranteed we'd lose a season of hockey. He has increased the popularity of the league, but part of that progress has just been recovering from what was lost in the lockouts.

Second, he comes off as a condescending ******. I get so tired of Bettman telling me what I think about the game. He's often full of s*** whenever he talks about what fans think. Pre-lockout, he was incessantly denying there were any problem with clutching and grabbing and would go on and on about the fans and players loving the game just as it is. Then there's the lockout and what do you know, major changes to reduce clutching and grabbing.

Beyond that, I would bet that were he not commissioner of the league, he'd never even watch a hockey game, on tv or in person.

[number9 3,297]

He's done an okay job with the league. He has a tough job, like dealing with some of these idiot owners who argue about not being able to make money but then go out and offer some of the stupidest contracts in pro sports. And I'm sure he also has to fight against a climate of "good ol boys" that can hold hockey back and make it look like a lower-tier sport. Guys like Colin Campbell who behave as if this was his kids pee wee league and not a multi-billion dollar sports operation.

My main problems with Bettman are that he was a major component of both lockouts that cost a season and a half of hockey, and someone with more diplomatic and management skills likely could've salvaged at least some of those seasons. In particular the tone he set from the very start of this last lockout pretty much guaranteed we'd lose a season of hockey. He has increased the popularity of the league, but part of that progress has just been recovering from what was lost in the lockouts.

Second, he comes off as a condescending ******. I get so tired of Bettman telling me what I think about the game. He's often full of s*** whenever he talks about what fans think. Pre-lockout, he was incessantly denying there were any problem with clutching and grabbing and would go on and on about the fans and players loving the game just as it is. Then there's the lockout and what do you know, major changes to reduce clutching and grabbing.

Beyond that, I would bet that were he not commissioner of the league, he'd never even watch a hockey game, on tv or in person.

bingo

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Who caused the lockout?

[wings87 1,290]

? uve been complaing on this thread just as much anyone lol there is no difference. *sigh* people.

There actually is a difference the only reason Konnan511 entered this thread is to complain about people complaining. That was his sole purpose at first, if he posted his second comment the first time I wouldn't have said a word.

And furthermore you have to be insane to think Bettman is doing anything but runningthe sport into the ground, and I'm not necessarily talking about financially.

Just look at all the penalties called during games especially when a team is behind. Those type of blatent calls have to have come from some directive from the top. You can also include the

shootout as another asinine Bettman idea. Why can't hockey have a real overtime like other sports?

Edited August 2, 2011 by wings87

[Guest echos myron]

moron

[number9 3,297]

There actually is a difference the only reason Konnan511 entered this thread is to complain about people complaining. That was his sole purpose at first, if he posted his second comment the first time I wouldn't have said a word.

And furthermore you have to be insane to think Bettman is doing anything but runningthe sport into the ground, and I'm not necessarily talking about financially.

Just look at all the penalties called during games especially when a team is behind. Those type of blatent calls have to have come from some directive from the top. You can also include the

shootout as another asinine Bettman idea. Why can't hockey have a real overtime like other sports?

wait wait wait...ur complaining and now konnan is complaining about u complaining, so u started complaining some more and now im complaining about u complaining about konnan complaining about ur original complaining? got it. Im sure that most everyone no one on this thread had the "sole purpose" of complaining about bettman when they clicked on it.....lol

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Anyways, been waiting to respond in here after getting a bit of an understanding from people who are much more knowledgeable and aware than I am.

As long as the majority of owners overall are happy with Bettman, he isn't going anywhere.

He played a part in dragging this league into their most recent lockout but he's done a good job slowly/surely getting the league out of it and getting the league into some relevance again in the general population, again slowly/surely.

Shoreline and haroldsnepts pretty much state my thoughts on him more/less. I acknowledge and give him credit for doing a decent job, but he still comes off as a fuzznut to EXISTING fans/EXISTING customer base. He dodges questions masterfully and always tells people what fans "think" when a lot of the times I find what the fans "think" to not be fully accurate from him. While I think so many existing fans of this product aren't going abandon watching the sport anytime soon, in business (and professional sports is no exception), one of the most important principles if not the most important is taking care of your existing/current customers. Him getting just peppered with boos nearly every year now presenting the Stanley Cup to the winning team or Conn Smythe trophy, regardless of if it is home/away team or player, that goes to show you not a lot of current fans/customers like him.

What also helps his, and the NHL's cause right now, is the recently labor disputes in the NFL and still ongoing one in the NBA.

Edited August 2, 2011 by SouthernWingsFan

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

OLN Versus NBC SN.

[wings87 1,290]

wait wait wait...ur complaining and now konnan is complaining about u complaining, so u started complaining some more and now im complaining about u complaining about konnan complaining about ur original complaining? got it. Im sure that most everyone no one on this thread had the "sole purpose" of complaining about bettman when they clicked on it.....lol

I said his sole purpose was to complain about people complaining about Bettman. Everybody else here came to this thread to complain about Bettman. See the difference?

[egroen 384]

The NHL on ESPN on the early 90s was a matter of "it's the only national network" so what you see is what you get. Hockey was never a priority for ESPN, and never will be. It is more to the NHL's interest that Versus develops into a major competitor for ESPN, because that would produce better media deals for the NHL as the (current) main client of Versus.

Maybe now it is, maybe, now that it is owned by NBC, but certainly not when it was the Outdoor Life Network.

[number9 3,297]

I said his sole purpose was to complain about people complaining about Bettman. Everybody else here came to this thread to complain about Bettman. See the difference?

and the problem is????? u like to complain but not be complained about?

[wings87 1,290]

and the problem is????? u like to complain but not be complained about?

And once again my point goes over your head. There is a difference between commenting on a thread and complaining about the people that are commenting on the thread. I never complained I was just stating the simple fact that if you are tired of the same threads just don't comment. He wanted to sound superior and put down the people that were commenting.

[Konnan511 1,736]

There actually is a difference the only reason Konnan511 entered this thread is to complain about people complaining. That was his sole purpose at first, if he posted his second comment the first time I wouldn't have said a word.

And furthermore you have to be insane to think Bettman is doing anything but runningthe sport into the ground, and I'm not necessarily talking about financially.

Just look at all the penalties called during games especially when a team is behind. Those type of blatent calls have to have come from some directive from the top. You can also include the

shootout as another asinine Bettman idea. Why can't hockey have a real overtime like other sports?

So now you're complaining about me? My how the tables have turned....

If Bettman was running the sport into the ground, they wouldn't continually be smashing profit records every year. Stern is running his sport into the ground.

And just so you know, every rule passed or idea that has been implemented had to go through a committee vote. Bettman doesn't just say, 'I like the shootout, so let it be!'. No, it goes through serious discussions and gets voted on.

[number9 3,297]

And once again my point goes over your head. There is a difference between commenting on a thread and complaining about the people that are commenting on the thread. I never complained I was just stating the simple fact that if you are tired of the same threads just don't comment. He wanted to sound superior and put down the people that were commenting.

ur original comment was...wait for it... a complaint! lol. u complain, i complain, we all complain. dont paint urself as not guilty of it.

Edited August 3, 2011 by number9