The Green Zone: Riders' Jeremy O'Day preparing for 2025
1h ago
O'Day discusses Trevor Harris and changes to be made to get the Riders back to the Grey Cup.
I’m ready to bet Gary Bettman is soon walking off into the sunset as commissioner of the NHL.
Let’s look at the body of work over the last few seasons as he’s increased the expansion fee to buy into the NHL to over $500 million.
He’s increased the league to 32 teams, with Las Vegas and Seattle now on board.
And now he’s just landed a television deal with ESPN and Turner Broadcasting that will see the league earn three times the amount it did previously under the national pact with NBC Sports.
Bettman turns 69 this summer and when he hands the Stanley Cup out for the 28th time, you wonder if it’ll be his last or at least close to it.
Fans may want to boo him still but I’m starting to wonder why.
The players have never made more money, the owners will be extremely happy with the new TV deal and there is labour peace for another five years.
The league is as healthy as ever, and for that, shouldn’t hockey fans be cheering the man who has led the way?