After 15 years, Bettman deserves his due; and more

Having weathered stormy times like the 2004-05 lockout, Bettman has presided over successes like Winter Classic outdoor game. Icon SMI

The last time I wrote an overview of Gary Bettman, I mentioned that I thought that he'd shown himself to be the best commissioner the NHL has had, but there'd been a few bumps in the road -- bumps that had been closer and closer together. That seemingly fair-minded analysis landed me in my publisher's office with my editor, the managing editor, Commissioner Bettman and Jeremy Jacobs, who was then the head of the NHL's powerful audit and finance committee (he's now Chairman of the Board of Governors).

The purpose of the meeting: to explain to me how I might have misunderstood Bettman, his value to the NHL and what a genuinely nice guy he is. Now, I don't work for that company anymore and it's been my experience that the man who is about to mark his 15th year at the top of the NHL's corporate flow chart has grown tougher skin since he flew in on a red eye for that little "get to know me" session.

After all, there are still bumps on and off the ice, but in terms of why commissioners are hired and retained -- which is and always will be money -- GB has done one heck of a job. Costs, for the most part, are capped. Revenue is up. Attendance is stable though lower than annually reported since the NHL came off the second of Bettman's forced lockouts. And -- this is most important and dear to every owner's heart -- the value of franchises has risen dramatically on his watch

Example: the expected sale of the Edmonton Oilers. The struggling franchise in what is arguably the NHL's smallest city is expected to change hands for upwards of $200 million. Compare that to the $50 million cost of an expansion franchise (Ottawa and Anaheim) the day before Bettman was anointed in Palm Beach, Fla. in February 1993. Even with inflation, the increase is staggering -- not nearly the value of an NFL or Major League franchise or even one in the NBA (which is hard to gauge because there haven't been nearly as many in bankruptcy or for sale), but in the NHL, it's a noteworthy achievement.

In addition, Bettman won a to-the-death battle with his nemesis, former NHL Players Association boss Bob Goodenow, who was dumped in favor of the more league-friendly Ted Saskin, who has been dumped by the PA and replaced by Paul Kelly. But the overall impact of Goodenow's departure has been a huge advantage for the NHL. The owners recognize and respect that.

Bettman has also guided four franchises -- Buffalo, Ottawa, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles -- through bankruptcies and back to seeming fiscal health. He's boosted overall revenue to a reported $2.5 billion and though there's still no national TV contract of merit regarding over-the-air networks in the U.S., regional cable income -- the lifeblood of many franchises -- is doing well in both fees and viewers.

Bettman has presided over a major revamping of the rules of the game, an initiative that has its critics, but it has opened the flow somewhat. His changes have reestablished the fact that speed and execution are what make the game enjoyable to watch. He even changed the layout of the ice in an attempt to alter the culture of obstruction, defense-first hockey and domination by goaltenders.

It hasn't all worked, and there is a reasonable hue and cry for more change, but the changes, including the shootout, have had enough impact to bring loyal fans back into arenas at even higher ticket prices, and to create at least a buzz that attracts new ones.

"I think the Commissioner has done an excellent job," noted Anaheim Ducks general manger Brian Burke, once Bettman's right-hand man in the league office in New York and now an occasional mouthpiece for even more change.

Not everyone agrees, nor is everyone is happy with 30 teams and revenue-sharing for small markets, or the way offense seems to again be on the slide. There's no universal agreement on what to do about it, but that's always been the case in the NHL. The most lasting accomplishment of Bettman's tenure may be is his ability to suppress dissent while consolidating and using power. He has what amounts to near complete control over every aspect of the game and its business. Say what you want about the merits of parity, but it exists in the NHL because of his fiscal strategy. Going into the final third of the season, there is arguably only one team -- the Red Wings -- that can be characterized as an elite club. After Detroit, there a few notables and then a bulk-rate package in both conferences that can be viewed as anything from also-rans to playoff contenders.

Fans of super teams might not like it, but in terms of situations that create hope for playoff opportunity, the NHL is starting to rival the NFL. Competitive teams and games tend to produce and sustain fan interest (read: good for the gate) through the regular season. It's something Bettman has long worked for and we can expect more of it as the cap rules take hold, more players reach the free-agent market, and GMs figure how to best manage their budgets.

It would be wrong to say Bettman has fulfilled all his mandates. The 30-team NHL has not created the national TV footprint it desires in the U.S. He hasn't moved hockey to a place in the American sporting consciousness that football, baseball, basketball and perhaps even golf and auto racing have achieved. One could argue that the lockout cost market share and media coverage in America.

But in Bettman's mind it's all good, a phrase he's offered up to me on several occasions. If you're an owner, it's true. If you're a fan, well, the game is a little better, but tickets are a little pricey. Some GMs are grumbling about how hard it is to keep and develop talent. Not everyone is convinced that the economic structure Bettman created can sustain growth over time. Still, looking back, he has been at the helm of substantial change, much of it good and nearly all of it hard won through the use of stern and, at times, downright vicious methods.

It's how Bettman does business and, over the 15 years of his tenure, the owners have largely embraced it; bumps and all.

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