What can be done to save the NHL?

Question

I think it's pretty obvious that the vast majority of NHL fans think that Bettman is a joke. I'm 99.5% sure that fans do not boo the commissioner of any other big sport (correct me if I am wrong). Everyone I've met that is a hockey fan agrees that the league is a joke - the hockey is wonderful, and I love it, but the way the rules are enforced (or the lack thereof) is absolutely ridiculous. Bettman is just wrong for the NHL. I know a lot of people who are better suited to run this league than he is.
So my question is, what can be done about it? Is there anything that we, as fans, can do about it? And please don't say stop watching/going to games - that simply isn't an option - I love the sport and my team too much :)

Answer 1

I wasn't aware it needed to be saved...



I consider the lack of appreciation from the US to be a perk... If it ever does become popular there, we're only a stones throw away from glowing pucks once more...



They're already meddling with the game, doing whatever they can to increase scoring, just to increase US viewers... who apparently need to see someone score in their sports every few minutes or they change the channel...

Answer 2

Ok I'll start off first by saying that the NHL doesn't really need to be saved. It's prospering more now then it has anytime before. Infact if you compare attendance figures (in % numbers) to the NBA, the NHL has 10 teams that have 100% or more (Chicago has 115% attendance) in attendance and another 7 with 95% or above. That means the NHL has 17 teams with attendance of 95% or above. Comparing this to the NBA....The NBA has 5 teams with 100% or above attendance, and 9 with 95% or above (i.e. the NHL has sold out way more games.) The teams at the lower end of the attendance figures is what is a little bit shocking. The NHL worst attendance team is Atlanta at 77% and The NBA's is Memphis at 69%. Comparing the two leagues, the NHL has no team below 77% whereas the NBA has 7 teams below this line. My basic point here is that the NHL is probably a more popular spectator sport than the NBA right now (I'm comparing to the NBA because these two leagues are the best to do comparison on)

Also Gary Bettman is not the only booed commissioner, I would say the only comissioner that is not booed is Roger Goodell.

Right now there is nothing thst can be done about this, but what I can say is the NHL has been better now than it's been in a long time. The finishing touch would be getting the NHL back on ESPN.

Answer 3

I'm not sure exactly what your issue with Bettman is. To the best of my knowledge he has never played the game and would be the first to admit that. He also has never been asked to put a team together nor direct an established team, so any on ice product is not his doing.

In recent years he has used his influence to see some rule changes in an attempt to better the on ice product such as eliminating the 2 line pass off-side calls which was intended to speed up the game by lowering the effectiveness of the trap defencive scheme. IMO this has been the biggest improvement the NHL has made in decades, including any rule changes initiated by his predecessor, John Ziegler, or those before him.

Most people who jumped on the "Dump Bettman" bandwagon have no idea what Bettman actually does, and to be totally honest, I'm not 100% sure which duties his job includes. I do know this much, though. If you don't like the way your team plays, it's not Bettman's fault. I like our tough, physical game much more than the hack and slash European game.

In short, the best way to save the NHL is to educate those who want to complain about politics, in the politics of the NHL.

Answer 4

The NHL doesn't need saving. The owners and players are extremely happy with what Bettman has done for them (increased revenues, increased profits, increased exposure).



The NHL has outpaced both the NBA and MLB in revenue growth and television audience in the past 15 years.



Bettman (like Selig and Stern) is pretty much the league's spokesperson. He is the talking head for 30 other men who would rather not get booed out of their own arenas. He doesn't set the rules, nor does he get to vote on them (unless there's a tie).



He wanted the league to accept the ESPN contract, the 30 owners said no.



People get on him because he was the commissioner during the lockouts, well guess what, if you were the commissioner, there still would have been a lockout......or else you would be out of a job. The league is a business and needs to be run like a business, and not all customers are going to get what they want.



I've met the guy, and I don't really like him all that much (he's very condescending in my opinion) but I also understand how the system works, and how little power he has (and I know who has the power).



So, what can you do about it? Buy a hockey team, and convince the other 29 owners that the 430% revenue increases they have seen since 1993 are all wrong and that there are others who could do a better job.



Between 1986 and 1993, Gary Bettman increased NBA revenues by 211% (revenue growth has slowed since he left)e, their TV audience by 361% (it's fallen since he left), and was named Street and Smith's Sports Businessman of the year 3x. Since 1993, Gary Bettman has increased NHL revenues by 430%, he's increased player salaries by 246%, television revenue has doubled since Ziegler left office, and the television audience has increased 3.6% in the US, and 13.5% in Canada. He was also named Street and Smith's Sports businessman of the year twice more (including the year after the lockout).



He's done what the owners have asked him to do. And as long as he does what THEY want, his job security is pretty good.







The other thing people need to look at is that John Ziegler did a lousy job, but because people only saw him once a year (Cup Presentation), nobody really knew what was going on. Bettman goes out of his way to make sure the fans know what is going on. Good or Bad.

Answer 5

Being the commissioner of any professional league is largely a thankless job and generally speaking they all get booed. I am not a Bettman fan at all but I also think he gets some things placed at his feet unfairly, Selig on the other hand is a horrible puppet commissioner for baseball and makes Bettman look like a saint. I agree that Bettman stepping down would be very good for hockey, he caters too much to certain owners (but that is his job in a sense) and tries far too hard to impress the non hockey fan. As us real fans know, this is a complicated sport and far more difficult to understand than the other 3 major sports, Bettman needs to realize this and cater to the real fans who stay dedicated to the sport. We will do our part to promote hockey, the NHL owners need to consider someone who doesnt throw out reckless idea's like bigger nets or tries to make this great game a non contact sport.

What can be done about it...honestly as fans all we can do is voice our opinions as loud as the haters do and keep supporting and promoting our game to our friends. It isnt neccisary for all to love hockey, it is still a great sport and the thing about hockey is other than a couple cities there is very little bandwagonning in hockey as compared to the other sports (not knocking them or the fans, I love football and baseball...basketball I can do without but not a hater). Just keep doing what you do...love your team!

Answer 6

The league has a better product with better ratings, higher attendances than it has had in quite some time.



Baseball fans hate Selig, and Stern...despised on many fronts (plus the integrity of his game has been correctly questioned).



Bettman has 30 bosses...the owners (BOG). If they didn't like what he was doing he wouldn't bounce twice until he hit pavement.



The officials...better conditioned and more scrutinized than any other team sport (you have NBA refs serving jail time for gambling on games they work, NFL refs that are part-time old geezers, and MLB umpires who are morbidly obese).



Could it be better? Sure. But it's improved.

Answer 7

There is no need for saving as there would be no benefit to the fans. Whether the league does well or not they increase ticket prices as much as the public will bear. A successful league translates into more television revenue that goes into the owners & players pockets on top of ticket increases when demand rises.

Answer 8

The value of your opinion was completely lost when you grossly over-estimated that you were 99.5% sure other commissioners of big sports do not get booed by fans (thanks to Bob for the evidence).



You present nothing to support your opinion other than vague comments. I won't say stop watching, etc but I would refer you to LITYs post and also Bob's references to see who you really should be turning a head to (rather than Bettman)... put yourself in his or any other commissioner's shoes, and understand the structure of the NHL before we tear the guy apart and look to oust him.

Answer 9

Bettman is an ***. The "new" NHL is rediculus, the majority of players would be ecstatic if the NHL was still like it was 15 years ago, and if Bettman was not the commissioner. He is in the NHL for money, not the love of the sport. Look at how many penalties are called, THIS IS HOCKEY, not figure skating!

Answer 10

Blow up the NFL.

I don't know, i'm a huge hockey fan but most people

seem to like to refer to hockey as a "niche sport" which I don't believe.

I think one reason hockey doesn't play as well in America is

becuase it's not an American sport and the league is mostly

dominated by Europeans and Canadians.

Although that doesn't bother me at all.

Who knows? As long as there's hockey i'll watch it.

Answer 11

Some of the rule changes he made really bite.Defensemen can't play defense in front of the opponents net any more,Offense knows it's easy to get an "interference" call around the net and in offensive zones.

Yes, this makes higher scoring games but are they true goals or just garbage goals?

Answer 12

First of all, unless your name is Roger Goddell, all commissioners get booed (some more than others). Second, the league is not a joke (though some of the rules are). Third, rules do get enforced (and as Mr. Loblaw said, please elaborate more on that point).

Answer 13

Three words: Winter Classic

Answer 14

if you know someone else that is better, have them talk to the owners and players association and get bettman thrown out. ain't gonna happen, but try.

Answer 15

Most parents would not bring their kids to a sport that will have 800 brawls this season. Not exactly a family sport. There are only so many creeps that enjoy bare knuckle brawls out there. Hockey will always be behind, football, baseball, basketball, NASCAR, college football, college basketball, etc.

Answer 16

The thing that pisses me off the most is the dumbass officials.



The Capitals have gotten the WORST calls on them these last four games. My dad and I are like "where is the call?" or "that was a stupid call" the whole game.

Answer 17

Bud Selig and David Stern get booed heavily....especially Selig.



The rules are not enforced? Please expand on what rules you mean.

Answer 18

gary betteman or "batman" as i call him is a fart ,

but can u blame him as most americans are filty pigs and

dont even care for the sport , heck i know some gm's dont

even give a rats asss for the cup , to change the nhl we would

have to change the american values which is impossible.

Answer 19

click the "save" on nhl 09 or wat ever game you have

Henry