The beginning of February tomorrow marks the 32nd record-breaking year of Gary Bettman as NHL Commissioner.
No other pro sports leader could make that statement; nor ever will. But Bettman’s marvelous achievement did not happen by accident.
When Bettman took over on February 1, 1993, he inherited a holy mess which was neither easily nor quickly fixed. But they were and the result is an NHL that never has been healthier.
All of the Commissioner’s assorted accomplishments are too many to list here but, here but the following are a few of the notable ones:
GROWTH: There are 32 vIbrant franchises with monied groups in Atlanta, Houston, Quebec City and, yes, even Arizona clamoring to fork over a billion or more just to join the fraternity.
SAVING CANADA: Were it not for the commissioner there would be only three franchises in the Dominion – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Bettman was the enabler that preserved teams in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa.
LABOR PEACE: Relationships between the players’ union and the league are warm and getting warmer. To put it another way; the players, who accepted the Salary Cap, never had it so good.
PROMOTIONS: Outdoor games went from a gamble to an annual bonanza for the league. Ditto for international games. More televised games are available now than ever. Encouraged by the NHL, women’s hockey is growing fast if not furiously.
LOYALTY: People like working for Bettman. Exhibit A: Gary’s very able Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has almost completed three decades on the job. They fit like perfectly meshed gears.
When Bettman assumed command 32 years ago, a sports lawyer friend named Marty Blackman pulled me aside and warned: “Gary’s a basketball guy; he won’t last through the year.”
It appears that Pal Blackman was 31 years wrong! Congratulations – again – Commissioner!
