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Revision as of 06:46, 16 February 2005 by TMC1982 (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)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 has had in the United States. Bettman's policies have included the aggressive expansion of the league in the southern and western United States.
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. To the NHLPA, however, "cost certainty" is little more than a euphemism for a salary cap 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 season-threatening lockout is now underway.
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 that does not guarantee the league any revenue.
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