Viper Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 ...and ESPN.com's Scott Burnside thinks so.Burnside brings up what I find so infuriating about Bettman: his continuing insistence that the NHL is still a top-tier league in the U.S. sports market. I don't see why the NHL can't thrive as a niche league, if only its leadership can acknowledge that that's what the NHL is. Heck, pretty much all American sports leagues are niche leagues nowadays. But Bettman doesn't see it that way, and Burnside believes that may now finally be coming back to bite him square in the . We can always hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Does Art Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Here's me and you hoping. Hi, how are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Am A Flaming Douche Bag Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Hes the reason why a team wont come to Hamilton. I hope he loses a job so we do get a team:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrdevil Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Well Scott Burnside isn't one or the brighter writers which is saying a lot because there are a lot of joke sports writers out there. There are a few assumptions he makes. First the him and the league can't wait to get into KC. While I think a KC team has a chance at being successful I don't think Bettman and others are thrilled about KC even if it's an AEG owned building. I think they would much rather see the team stay in Nashville. I honestly don't think they want any team to move if at possible. Another thing assumed is that Balsillie would want to deal with potential legal problems that may face Del Baggio. It appears to me that possible lawsuits from Nashville to try and keep the team was one of the reason why Ballsillie was reluctant to sign a binding agreement (and that is why it fell apart). And he brushes off territory issues with Hamilton. I don't think Balsillie would get overwhelming approval. I can think off the top of my heads a few teams that would object to him maybe enough to block an application. Furthermore and this is his biggest error is he over looks the fact that Bettman recently got an extension and while all this Nashville stuff was supposedly going on one of Bettman's biggest supporter in the ownership, Jeremy Jacobs, was elected chairman of the BOG. Those reasons alone is why he isn't going anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Oh please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please Tell me this is true that the NHL's long nightmare could be over . www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred T. Jane Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 ...and ESPN.com's Scott Burnside thinks so.Burnside brings up what I find so infuriating about Bettman: his continuing insistence that the NHL is still a top-tier league in the U.S. sports market. I don't see why the NHL can't thrive as a niche league, if only its leadership can acknowledge that that's what the NHL is. Heck, pretty much all American sports leagues are niche leagues nowadays. But Bettman doesn't see it that way, and Burnside believes that may now finally be coming back to bite him square in the . We can always hope.Be careful what you wish for, as your dream will probably come true in ways you won't quite expect... [Croatia National Team Manager Slavan] Bilic then went on to explain how Croatia's success can partially be put down to his progressive man-management techniques. "Sometimes I lie in the bed with my players. I go to the room of Vedran Corluka and Luka Modric when I see they have a problem and I lie in bed with them and we talk for 10 minutes." Maybe Capello could try getting through to his players this way too? Although how far he'd get with Joe Cole jumping up and down on the mattress and Rooney demanding to be read his favourite page from The Very Hungry Caterpillar is open to question. --The Guardian's Fiver, 08 September 2008 Attention: In order to obtain maximum enjoyment from your stay at the CCSLC, the reader is advised that the above post may contain large amounts of sarcasm, dry humour, or statements which should not be taken in any true sort of seriousness. As a result, the above poster absolves himself of any and all blame in the event that a forum user responds to the aforementioned post without taking the previous notice into account. Thank you for your cooperation, and enjoy your stay at the CCSLC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Am A Flaming Douche Bag Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Tbh, Bettman thinks the NHL is an American sport when all the Canadian teams continue to sell out. If Bettman had his way, the NHL would be all American no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrdevil Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Tbh, Bettman thinks the NHL is an American sport when all the Canadian teams continue to sell out. If Bettman had his way, the NHL would be all American no doubt.Then why do Edmonton, Calgary, and Ottawa still have teams? Bettman worked very hard to keep those teams in place. In the case of Calgary and Edmonton I believe he and the league allowed large ownership groups for which the league doesn't prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Helix- Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Tbh, Bettman thinks the NHL is an American sport when all the Canadian teams continue to sell out. If Bettman had his way, the NHL would be all American no doubt.Only the past two years have all the Canadian teams sold out every game. You make it sound like it's always been the case.And it's no surprise that the Canadian teams have had more success recently; thus the 100% capacities.But on topic: Considering Bettman just got a RAISE, and the BOG seems to think he's been doing a good job, I doubt he'll get fired over something that has nothing to do with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 (1) Nashville's failure isn't Bettman's. It's the failure of the BoG. Bettman doesn't have a vote, doesn't even make a formal recommendation on franchise expansion matters. How he gets hung with the league's expansion failures is beyond me.(2) Bettman does get involved in franchise sales, perhaps to an extent more than he should. However, it appears that he's doing so in the interests of making the best business deal on behalf of the league - which is exactly what they pay him for.(3) Say what you want about him, but even with the lost season Bettman has done more good for the NHL than anyone who came before him in the President's chair. In many ways he's the Pete Rozelle of hockey - tremendous financial growth, increased franchise stability (yeah some teams may be in trouble, but have any folded or had to merge during his watch?), increased fan support, and expanding the overall fan base.I'm not defending Bettman, but merely providing some objective analysis. Fact is that Bettman's legacy is already written - and its one that's by and large positive if looked at from the standpoint of his actual job responsibilities - growing a business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfwabel Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 1-If you want him to be fired so bad, then who is your legitimate replacement? Bueller? Bueller? Frye? Frye? By just saying, "Anybody" proves that you know less than Bettman does. Plus, as John Ziegler was revolutionary. He took you to SportsChannel America and had a one paragraph drug policy!Others have rightfully said that he's gotten a raise since the BOG knows that they won during the lockout. If they save money overall, they proved that fans in seats or on TV don't really matter to them. Just ask Tom Hicks (Dallas Stars). He has to think he is still top-tier as the moment he thinks otherwise, he loses even more importance then advertisers. They will become poker without the ability to edit.2-Let's say that Bettman tells the mdia that they are not a major league. How much ill will would he get from admitting that? Tons. Then there would be even more spin to see of NASCAR, the PGA Tour, or MMA would fulfill that said 4th major sport. The NFL is NOT a niche since nearly everyone in North America knows when it's on and a large perentage watch like clockwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee. Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Others have rightfully said that he's gotten a raise since the BOG knows that they won during the lockout. Given the way that Canadian revenues have increased, American attendance and revenues have decreased/plateaued, and that the salary cap keeps going up, I wouldn't be so sure that the owners "won" that whole lockout thing. Welcome to DrunjFlix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydogisgomez Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Bettman should be canned for two reasons: He allowed the lockout to happen and lost many "fence sitter" type fans during the year off, and He failed to work a deal with ESPN and signed a deal with Versus, a channel many don't get, making impossible for many people who would watch, impossible for them to watch. Totally unnacepptable. He may as well televise the games on local cable access channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEAD! Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 We tend to forget Bettman works FOR the owners. If anything, a lot the things that have gone "wrong" for the NHL can be blamed on the OWNERS. You can blame Bettman for a lot of things, but he is far from being THE problem. We tend to praise Paul Tagliabue or even David Stern for a lot what they have done, but key decisions on franchise transfers, movements are not made by the commissioner. Isn't the commissioner more of a disiciplinary figure, anyways? I saw, I came, I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Bettman should be canned for two reasons: He allowed the lockout to happen and lost many "fence sitter" type fans during the year off, and He failed to work a deal with ESPN and signed a deal with Versus, a channel many don't get, making impossible for many people who would watch, impossible for them to watch. Totally unnacepptable. He may as well televise the games on local cable access channels.Totally unacceptable to you, that is. You're a fan, and I hate to say it, but your opinion (like mine) is meaningless. In this case the only opinion that means anything is that of the owners, and they seem happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rams80 Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 We tend to forget Bettman works FOR the owners. If anything, a lot the things that have gone "wrong" for the NHL can be blamed on the OWNERS. You can blame Bettman for a lot of things, but he is far from being THE problem. We tend to praise Paul Tagliabue or even David Stern for a lot what they have done, but key decisions on franchise transfers, movements are not made by the commissioner. Isn't the commissioner more of disiciplinary figure, anyways?Bravo!!!Here's why Bettman won't lose his job.1)He's a convenient target/scapegoat for what ails the league.2)If he is fired, the BOG has to hire a competent replacement.3a)If the replacement is competent, the owners may have to change things they don't want to change3b)If the replacement is competent, and the league's woes remain, it might dawn upon the average NHL fan that the problem lies with the BOG.I honestly do think the lockout did more long-term good than harm. The NHL didn't exactly have that many "fence sitters" to begin with, so losing them isn't as bad as you make it sound. Restoring the competitive balance to an extent is also important to bringing in fans. Also, the GMs do have to be saved from themselves at times. On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said: You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now. On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said: Today, we are all otaku. "The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010 The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Others have rightfully said that he's gotten a raise since the BOG knows that they won during the lockout. Given the way that Canadian revenues have increased, American attendance and revenues have decreased/plateaued, and that the salary cap keeps going up, I wouldn't be so sure that the owners "won" that whole lockout thing.There's no question the BOG won the lockout.It's just that they're right back to their ignorant ways that helped cause it in the first place. JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydogisgomez Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Bettman should be canned for two reasons: He allowed the lockout to happen and lost many "fence sitter" type fans during the year off, and He failed to work a deal with ESPN and signed a deal with Versus, a channel many don't get, making impossible for many people who would watch, impossible for them to watch. Totally unnacepptable. He may as well televise the games on local cable access channels.Totally unacceptable to you, that is. You're a fan, and I hate to say it, but your opinion (like mine) is meaningless. In this case the only opinion that means anything is that of the owners, and they seem happy.I obviously understand my opinion is "meaningless", as is every other of the million posts on this website. This website's category "Sports in General" is here to discuss opinions. I hope the owners are elated with Bettman; but I hope they also realize that a guy that used to drive to Dallas to catch 3 or 4 Stars games a year before the lockout, found other things to do during hockey season and the league these days kind of reminds me of the time ESPN used to televise beach roller hockey. But hey, it is after all, all meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted July 15, 2007 Share Posted July 15, 2007 Bettman should be canned for two reasons: He allowed the lockout to happen and lost many "fence sitter" type fans during the year off, and He failed to work a deal with ESPN and signed a deal with Versus, a channel many don't get, making impossible for many people who would watch, impossible for them to watch. Totally unnacepptable. He may as well televise the games on local cable access channels.Totally unacceptable to you, that is. You're a fan, and I hate to say it, but your opinion (like mine) is meaningless. In this case the only opinion that means anything is that of the owners, and they seem happy.I obviously understand my opinion is "meaningless", as is every other of the million posts on this website. This website's category "Sports in General" is here to discuss opinions. I hope the owners are elated with Bettman; but I hope they also realize that a guy that used to drive to Dallas to catch 3 or 4 Stars games a year before the lockout, found other things to do during hockey season and the league these days kind of reminds me of the time ESPN used to televise beach roller hockey. But hey, it is after all, all meaningless.Perhaps, but league-wide revenue is up in spite of television. Attendance - the barometer by which the bottom line is measured in the NHL - is either at or above pre-lockout levels. By any objective measuring stick, Bettman is a hero in the eyes of NHL's power brokers.Sadly the guy who buys tickets to 3-4 Stars games a year isn't who the NHL and its teams - or anyone in sports for that matter - are marketing to anymore. It's corporate America (and Canada) that has the bucks to buy the blocks of tickets, the season ticket packages for 4-6 people, the corporate suites... and these guys have figured they'd rather try to sell those, to the expense of the individual fan.STL's right in one respect: they're back to spending their way into oblivion. They fixed the immediate problem but didn't ensure hockey's long-term growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee. Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 He failed to work a deal with ESPN and signed a deal with Versus, a channel many don't get, *sigh*The NHL went with Versus because Ed Snider owns Comcast as well as the Flyers.How many NHL teams does ESPN own?Thank you. Welcome to DrunjFlix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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