| Revision as of 19:19, 16 February 2005 view sourceDavid Foster (talk | contribs)409 edits Reverting to TMC. As bad as it feels now that the season is cancelled, let's not sink to Bettman's level.← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:35, 16 February 2005 view source Flamurai (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users5,682 editsm remove note: it belongs in wikisource, not hereNext edit → | ||
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| During Bettman's tenure, four franchises have declared bankruptcy, two ] teams relocated to U.S. cities, the ]-] season was reduced to 48 games due to another labor dispute, and in 2004, he signed a two year television deal with ] which may not guarantee the league revenue. | During Bettman's tenure, four franchises have declared bankruptcy, two ] teams relocated to U.S. cities, the ]-] season was reduced to 48 games due to another labor dispute, and in 2004, he signed a two year television deal with ] which may not guarantee the league revenue. | ||
| On ], 2005 Gary Bettman released this memo announcing the cancellation of the 2004-05 season: | |||
| :"Every professional sports league owes its very existence to its fans. Everyone associated with the National Hockey League owes our fans an apology for being unable to accomplish what is necessary for our game and our fans. We are truly sorry. | |||
| :Five months ago, I stated that the National Hockey League could not function without an economic system that will bring our league into the 21st century. I said that our 30 clubs were united in their dedication to an economic system under which the teams and players, sharing common objectives and a commitment to our fans' satisfaction, would work together as partners. | |||
| :The time since then has been devoted to the pursuit of that goal. Today, I can tell you that our determination remains every bit as strong as it was in September to secure the partnership required to protect and ensure the future of the league . . . for the benefit of the clubs, the players, and our devoted fans. | |||
| :When I stood before you in September, I said NHL teams would not play again until our economic problems had been solved. As I stand before you today, it is my sad duty to announce that because that solution has not yet been attained, it no longer is practical to conduct even an abbreviated season. Accordingly, I have no choice but to announce the formal cancellation of play for 2004-05. | |||
| :We profoundly regret the suffering this has caused our fans, our business partners and the thousands of people who depend on our industry for their livelihoods. We will continue to explore and pursue all available options in order to achieve a successful resolution to this dispute and to get the best game in the world back where it belongs -- on the ice, in front of the best fans in the world. | |||
| :As I also said in September, what we must do now is not about the present or the short-term needs of this season. Rather, it is about the future of our league and 30 teams. | |||
| :The National Hockey League was formed in 1917, and it has played a season through to a championship in every year but 1919. Through the decades and the generations we have faced a variety of crises and challenges -- some of which seemed catastrophic at the time. The league persevered through all those adversities and the league will persevere through this one, as well -- to emerge with a framework for the future, one that is fair to everyone -- where our players are fairly paid, receiving what we can afford -- no more, no less. | |||
| :This is a sad, regrettable day that all of us wish could have been avoided." | |||
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Revision as of 23:35, 16 February 2005
Gary Bruce Bettman (born on June 2, 1952 in Queens, New York) is a former NBA executive who took office as the commissioner of the National Hockey League on February 1, 1993. He was brought in to try to give the NHL some of the same success the NBA (where Bettman served as the assistant general counsel under his mentor David Stern beginning in 1981) has had in the United States.
Bettman's policies have included the aggressive (albeit, non-traditional) expansion of the league in the southern and western United States. Soon after Bettman took office, the NHL's divisions were renamed to reflect geography (a la the NBA) rather than the league's history (i.e. the Wales & Campbell Conferences). In addition, the league adopted a two-referee system; goal lines, blue lines and defensive-zone circles were moved, and playoff formats were changed.
In 1998, Bettman, allowed NHL players to compete in the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. This marked the first time that NHL players were allowed to compete in the Olympics. To serve as a tie-in to the Olympics, the All-Star Game altered the format to become a match-up of players from North America against players from everywhere else in the world.
Bettman studied labor relations at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and graduated in 1974. After receiving a law degree from New York University in 1977, Bettman joined a large New York City law firm.
In 2004 negotiations commenced for a new collective bargaining agreement with the National Hockey League Players Association. As of August 2004, Bettman has consistently demanded what he calls cost certainty for clubs. The NHLPA however calls Bettman's "cost certainty" a euphemism for a salary cap, one the union says it will never accept. The current CBA expired on September 15, 2004 (one day after the World Cup of Hockey final in Toronto). A current lockout has cost the NHL the entire 2004-2005 season.
In January of 2005, Bettman was named one of Business Week's five worst executives. Included in the list of reason's were the NHL lockout, the league's poor television contract, and constantly declining revenues.
During Bettman's tenure, four franchises have declared bankruptcy, two Canadian teams relocated to U.S. cities, the 1994-1995 season was reduced to 48 games due to another labor dispute, and in 2004, he signed a two year television deal with NBC which may not guarantee the league revenue.
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