The most hated man in hockey.
But why? How could a balding, middle-aged lawyer who stands no taller than a solid 5'6" draw the ire of so many for so long. Why do we boo this man when he steps up to any mic in front of a crowd? Why is everything the fault of Bettman? Why are there constant cries of "Fire Bettman!" and statements like "He's the most hated man in hockey." or "he's the worst Commish in the history of the game"?
This coming season will mark the 21st season in which Gary Bettman has been at the head of the NHL, the third longest tenure of the six men who have been NHL commissioners. Just to name a few things, he's dealt with three labor disputes, expanded the league from 24 to 30 teams, and has signed a couple of monstrous TV deals.
It's not entirely fair to compare Bettman to former NHL Commissioners, because each commissioner has had their own set of unique problems that no other has had to deal with.
Quite frankly, it's the most difficult job in the league. And that goes for any sport.
What got me thinking about the job of Gary Bettman and other pro sports is the recent retirement of MLB commissioner Bud Selig. One thing I've been hearing since on both radio and twitter is the question, "What is the legacy of Bud Selig going to be?"
He has likewise dealt with labor strife in his tenure, not to mention a few far more high profile issues than the NHL has had to deal with. The explosion of PEDs and the subsequent lack of policing them even when it was fairly obvious will be a major talking point of his legacy. The failing imposition of a salary cap is also something that didn't sit well with the players union. Nowadays the league is getting into a tiny bit of hot water with the clarity and enforcement of certain rule changes. There are just now starting to enter an era where technology is playing a part in games and even that has ruffled some feathers.
Despite all the controversies, baseball has come away as a very successful sport with a ridiculous amount of revenue and a product on the field that is of high quality. Not to mention there is pretty solid parity amongst MLB these days despite being a sport where a hard salary cap doesn't exist.
And fans of baseball, of course, hate Bud Selig. He ruins the game. He's the devil. He's the worst.
What about Basketball and Football? The other "majors".
The NBA and David Stern had a unique run as well, branching from labor strife (Of course), off-court incidents, on-court brawls, questionable officiating, and trying to "clean up" the image of the game and its representatives aka the players. They unsuccessfully tried to change balls, he vetoed a few seemingly legal blockbuster trades here and there, and has been accused of fixing the draft lottery.
Despite this, he too has seen some great revenue numbers for his sport, the game has cleaned up its image a considerable amount, and has tons of stars peppered across the league. It may not be as equal in terms of parity when you compare it to MLB, NHL, or the NFL, but it still has a number of competitive teams.
Oh yea, everyone hates David Stern. And everyone is probably going to hate Adam Silver, his replacement.
See a trend?
Even the shortest tenured of the majors, Roger Goodell, is taking heat for his decisions with the NFL. Get used to it Roger, you think these last 7 years have been rough? Try doing it for as long as Stern, Selig, and Bettman have. It doesn't matter if you do things for the betterment of the game, the safety of the players, or the overall revenue and viewership. You will be hated. You will be hated often, and unreasonably.
Actually, I take that back. There will be reasons. But they will pale in comparison to the many good things that you bring forth in the game.
The NHL fans and Gary Bettman have a similar love hate relationship. When I say that I mean that the fans love the game and hate Gary Bettman. The irony in it is that Bettman, along with the many departments, the PA, and the owners, have crafted the NHL in a way that makes fans love it even more than they already do. Now I'm not saying that if Bettman wasn't the commissioner we'd love the sport less, but the man has done plenty for the game that goes unrecognized in a sea of boo's and calls for his head.
Is there a logical reason to dislike Bettman? Sure, labor strife caused us to lose an entire year of hockey and half of two seasons. But how much of that has to do with Gary "the devil" Bettman? He is simply the figurehead in a giant machine that has too many parts to even consider. Too many divisions and decisions to even consider taking a vacation from for too long. There is the media side of it, the officiating side, the advertising, the on-ice stuff, the off-ice stuff, the community service, the money, etc. etc. etc.
There is a board of governors, owners, a players association, and not to mention a personal life.
And at the end of the day, when all is said and done, after a very successful season or a long and progressive tenure, what is the reward?
"Gary Bettman hates hockey."
"Bud Selig ruined baseball."
"Roger Goodell is trying to ruin football."
It's a rather thankless job, and instead of being celebrated many fans revert to unexplained distaste for the authority figure. I guess it's natural.
When you look at hockey in general, we've are coming off an incredible year. A year that was much needed. After a lockout shortened seasons where we were told the changes were for the good of the game, we saw perhaps the most competitive and exciting year in the NHL ever. We are seeing more care taken with injuries and the wellness of players. We are seeing the expansion of replays and better officiating. Despite not always being 100-percent correct, it is still the model of many other sports currently. The T.V. deals we have seen from Roger's and NBC/Comcast are incredible. It feels like the NHL is really starting to turn the corner and take aim at being the top sport in North America.
We take for granted the good things that the authority figures like the Commissioner, the board of governors, and the NHLPA bring to the game, because we rarely see it in action with them directly involved. We only see the end product with the players and the game. What an end product it is. With more and more potential markets like Quebec, Hamilton, Portland, Seattle, and Las Vegas popping up and showing interest in teams it seems like the sport is at an all-time high.
Are these perfect entities? No. Is Gary Bettman the sole reason the NHL is great? No. But are they trying to ruin the sports and do they hate us all? Doesn't it seem like a ridiculous question to ask when you look at all that has happened?
Pro sports commissioners don't get nearly as much respect as they deserve in my opinion.
Oh well though, I feel that that is the nature of the beast. These guys probably expect to be boo'd and hated rather than hailed as the intelligent and calculated men they are. Like Bettman has said countless times, these guys are also fans of the game. They want to see it grow just as much as we fans do. Despite all the controversies I'd say they do a pretty fine job.
But maybe hating the commissioner is just what you do. Just like hating the officials and arguing with your parents. I shouldn't be interfering with the regularly scheduled programming. Sorry.
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NOTE: I will be on vacation for the next 9 days. If the posts are somewhat infrequent it's not because I have been killed by Bettman Henchmen. Only hibernating in lovely Maryland for a few.