“We’re in very strong shape – our franchises have never been stronger, we have the most extraordinary competitive balance of all the major sports, and viewership and attendance are stronger than ever.”
Those are the words of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who joined Craig Carton on WFAN Thursday as part of Craig’s day full of commissioners.
The NHL, like every league, suffered a bit financially due to all the changes from COVID protocols over the last two seasons, but they’ve found ways to “bridge the gap” by bringing in such changes as advertising on helmets, and they may soon add jerseys to that list.
“It ultimately seems inevitable, because the NBA is doing it and my guess is other sports will do it,” Bettman said. “With this revenue opportunity, and the tremendous interest our clubs are getting from potential business partners, we figured why not try it? Aesthetics and tradition are important, but sometimes you have to change with the times.”
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One of the things that is changing with the times is something Craig wants to make sure is done responsibly: partnership with sports gambling/betting and daily fantasy. Similarly to how Craig discussed Pete Rose with Rob Manfred earlier in the day, he noted how the NHL is currently investigating Evander Kane after allegations that he wagered on games, and Bettman was adamant that protecting the shield – for the players and the fans – is job number one.
“Whether or not gambling is legal or illegal, nothing is more important than the integrity of our games. That’s a covenant we make with our fans,” Bettman said. “Where gambling is legal, there are rules and regulations with that, and we monitor all of our games, our lines, and statistics, and make sure we don’t see things that give us concerns – and if we do we investigate them.”
That was music to Craig’s ears, given his past.
“As a guy who is a compulsive gambler, I think it is to the benefit of people like me, because having leagues like yours embrace legal gambling, but be part of the message about responsible gambling, it makes people like me more inclined to come forward for help if they have a problem, and does a lot more food than bad,” Craig said.
“That’s extremely articulate, and I agree; particularly, with your experience, it resonates,” Bettman said. “The relationships we have with the betting industry, we have nothing to do with the book or whether one outcome is more desirable. These are advertising promotion and branding partnerships, like all leagues have in a variety of categories. It’s all part of the business. We have to make sure our fans understand what the right messaging is, and what appropriate conduct is – and the players as well.”
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So what’s up with the Evander Kane issue?
“In Kane’s case, his wife made some allegations, and we have to treat them seriously, which is why we’re investigating. Gambling or not, people will root because they’re invested in our games, and it’s paramount for us to maintain the integrity of that,” Bettman said. “We believe our players are the consummate pros who love the game and would never do anything to damage that. I’m not worried about them fixing games, but we do monitor, and when allegations are made, we investigate. This is somewhere we can use our platform to deliver the right messaging.”
Follow WFAN's afternoon team on Twitter: @CartonRoberts, @EvanRobertsWFAN, @TommyLugauer, and @CMacWFAN
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