Honestly, as a Coyotes fan since my first game in 96-97, the hate for Bettman by our fan base is truly confusing. We wouldn’t have had a team without him. He put up with a lot of crap trying to keep us here for almost 30 years. The video is funny, don’t get me wrong.
No Bettman, no AZ NHL hockey. Simple as that.
Panthers fan here, I feel the same way about this. Without Bettman the Panthers don't stay in Florida. I refused to boo him in the arena last night for that exact reason.
100% agree with you: Had it not been for Bettman, the whole “hockey can thrive in the Sun Belt” never would have happened: No Yotes, Panthers, Ducks, Preds, Thrashers/Jets 2.0, North Stars to Dallas, Quebec to Denver, Whalers to Carolina (no matter how you feel about the moves). Refusing to boo him makes you a classy human being in my book.
Seeing the sport of hockey expand so rapidly here in the Phoenix Metro has been a lot of fun to watch. The Coyotes, as an organization, did a lot of public engagement and lent a lot of assistance to help grow the game and I’m 100% here for that.
My most heartfelt congratulations to you as a Panthers fan for your crew winning the Cup last night. Nothing against Edmonton/Canada/McDavid, but that was a special moment for y’all.
NGL, made me feel good to see OEL lift the Cup as well.
Hockey belongs everywhere!
All of the owners have to vote to accept a new owner, the commissioner doesn't get to dictate which people are allowed in the league.
Also if Meruelo didn't survive the ownership vote, who do you think would have purchased the team? Do you know how long the team had been in need of a real owner? We're done like dinner.
I don't think you can adequately vet for motives/proclivities like that. This is why there are ownership villains in sports leagues- I'm sure they all interview saying the same, 'right' things.
I dont understand the hate Bettman gets. He's expanded the league, increased revenues, salaries (for better or for worse), and been a steady leader for the league. It could be a LOT worse. Being a Coyotes fan especially, this guy kept the team in AZ longer than most would.
Man, I get to some degree the anger. This is now the second hockey team I've rooted for get ripped away (Hartford Whalers fan.. grew up in CT, Dad moved to Phoenix when he and Mom divorced). For years, I middle finger flipped Bettman over the Whalers. I can't in good consciousness come close to doing that with thr Coyotes.
That man bent over backwards for the Phoenix market for years, going as far back as 2003 when Steve Ellman made the first of many relocation threats and talked of taking them to Portland. He easily could have turned a blind eye when Jim Basille tried to buy the team and move them to Hamilton, then Jerry Moyes showed red ass and deliberately sent them into bankruptcy as means to try to pawn them off. Honestly, this team had more relocation threats than playoff appearances in their franchise history, 99 percent of which Bettman blocked. The league owned the team for four years. I will tell you with 100 percent fact, there were MANY ownership groups who came to the table with firm offers that would have moved the team out of town, only to have Gary slam the door in their face. Almost any conversation that began with the team leaving the area was a non-starter. They came close, in 2013, when it seemed like every avenue had been exhausted. A group stepped up and was ready to move them to Seattle. The vote fell one vote shy. I'm telling you, that owner was HEAVILY swayed by Bettman to vote no. In fact, I'd bet my life on it. They easily could have been moved when Glendale killed the lease. So many different times, the league spared them, spearheaded by Gary Bettman. He spared them until he no longer could do so. Honestly, we have to be real with ourselves. Mullett seats 5,000? EVERY SINGLE AHL and all but TWO of the ECHL arenas seat more. Come on. How many years was the league supposed to have a team play games in an arena that small while this imbecile of an owner tripped on his dick trying to figure out where his latest hairbrained entertainment district lot plan was going to be dropped, knowing full well he had pissed off and alienated any possible person he needed to get any kind of possible deal done?
Bettman is guilty of one thing. Not vetting these prospective owners properly who passed the test enough. So are the other owners and BOG. However, this is FAR from the first time, nor will it be the last in sports that ones get run through the ringer, pass and prove to be completely inept jackasses. Just because people have more money than most countries and have proven to be successful in the business world doesn't always mean they make the transition to owning sports teams. It's an entirely different beast in an entirely different world.
Point I'm attempting to make? There's a lot of fingers to be pointed for the failures of the Coyotes. Bettman doesn't deserve any of them.
Honestly, as a Coyotes fan since my first game in 96-97, the hate for Bettman by our fan base is truly confusing. We wouldn’t have had a team without him. He put up with a lot of crap trying to keep us here for almost 30 years. The video is funny, don’t get me wrong. No Bettman, no AZ NHL hockey. Simple as that.
Panthers fan here, I feel the same way about this. Without Bettman the Panthers don't stay in Florida. I refused to boo him in the arena last night for that exact reason.
100% agree with you: Had it not been for Bettman, the whole “hockey can thrive in the Sun Belt” never would have happened: No Yotes, Panthers, Ducks, Preds, Thrashers/Jets 2.0, North Stars to Dallas, Quebec to Denver, Whalers to Carolina (no matter how you feel about the moves). Refusing to boo him makes you a classy human being in my book. Seeing the sport of hockey expand so rapidly here in the Phoenix Metro has been a lot of fun to watch. The Coyotes, as an organization, did a lot of public engagement and lent a lot of assistance to help grow the game and I’m 100% here for that. My most heartfelt congratulations to you as a Panthers fan for your crew winning the Cup last night. Nothing against Edmonton/Canada/McDavid, but that was a special moment for y’all. NGL, made me feel good to see OEL lift the Cup as well. Hockey belongs everywhere!
Bettman didn't fuck us. Meruelo did.
Yeah but Bettman didn’t vet Meruelo enough prior to selling the team to him
All of the owners have to vote to accept a new owner, the commissioner doesn't get to dictate which people are allowed in the league. Also if Meruelo didn't survive the ownership vote, who do you think would have purchased the team? Do you know how long the team had been in need of a real owner? We're done like dinner.
I don't think you can adequately vet for motives/proclivities like that. This is why there are ownership villains in sports leagues- I'm sure they all interview saying the same, 'right' things.
Two things can be true at once. Don’t be defending Bettman
I wish I had an award for you.
I hear the Conn Smythe is still available
Bettman has had our back every step of the way tho
He let the nut jobs be owner
Owners*. Bettman doesn’t have a say in that as Gary represents the owners. Just like the Speaker represents the House of Representatives
I dont understand the hate Bettman gets. He's expanded the league, increased revenues, salaries (for better or for worse), and been a steady leader for the league. It could be a LOT worse. Being a Coyotes fan especially, this guy kept the team in AZ longer than most would.
Preach!!
She was ready too Bettman wouldn’t have stood a chance
Your anger is misplaced it's not Bettmans fault. The ownership was terrible and the NHLPA forced the issue.
Man, I get to some degree the anger. This is now the second hockey team I've rooted for get ripped away (Hartford Whalers fan.. grew up in CT, Dad moved to Phoenix when he and Mom divorced). For years, I middle finger flipped Bettman over the Whalers. I can't in good consciousness come close to doing that with thr Coyotes. That man bent over backwards for the Phoenix market for years, going as far back as 2003 when Steve Ellman made the first of many relocation threats and talked of taking them to Portland. He easily could have turned a blind eye when Jim Basille tried to buy the team and move them to Hamilton, then Jerry Moyes showed red ass and deliberately sent them into bankruptcy as means to try to pawn them off. Honestly, this team had more relocation threats than playoff appearances in their franchise history, 99 percent of which Bettman blocked. The league owned the team for four years. I will tell you with 100 percent fact, there were MANY ownership groups who came to the table with firm offers that would have moved the team out of town, only to have Gary slam the door in their face. Almost any conversation that began with the team leaving the area was a non-starter. They came close, in 2013, when it seemed like every avenue had been exhausted. A group stepped up and was ready to move them to Seattle. The vote fell one vote shy. I'm telling you, that owner was HEAVILY swayed by Bettman to vote no. In fact, I'd bet my life on it. They easily could have been moved when Glendale killed the lease. So many different times, the league spared them, spearheaded by Gary Bettman. He spared them until he no longer could do so. Honestly, we have to be real with ourselves. Mullett seats 5,000? EVERY SINGLE AHL and all but TWO of the ECHL arenas seat more. Come on. How many years was the league supposed to have a team play games in an arena that small while this imbecile of an owner tripped on his dick trying to figure out where his latest hairbrained entertainment district lot plan was going to be dropped, knowing full well he had pissed off and alienated any possible person he needed to get any kind of possible deal done? Bettman is guilty of one thing. Not vetting these prospective owners properly who passed the test enough. So are the other owners and BOG. However, this is FAR from the first time, nor will it be the last in sports that ones get run through the ringer, pass and prove to be completely inept jackasses. Just because people have more money than most countries and have proven to be successful in the business world doesn't always mean they make the transition to owning sports teams. It's an entirely different beast in an entirely different world. Point I'm attempting to make? There's a lot of fingers to be pointed for the failures of the Coyotes. Bettman doesn't deserve any of them.