The Bettman Effect

With the NHL in the midst of its third lockout during Gary Bettman’s tenure as Commissioner, his legion of detractors has only grown in size. Whether he’s viewed as a lackey for the owners, a quietly egotistical businessman or, as some may so eloquently put it, an idiot, it’s apparent that fans of the league have found solidarity in their dislike of the game’s head honcho.

So why exactly is Bettman reviled in some corners of the hockey world? His business vision and acumen has certainly served the NHL well in some respects – he has grown the game in financial terms and overseen the expansion of the league to 30 teams – but what will forever resonate with fans are the three work stoppages that have occurred on his watch.

For the casual fans, a hockey lockout might be met with indifference. However, for the hardcore, diehard fans, a hockey lockout is a near-apocalyptic event. Yet, for all Bettman’s perceived faults on the part of hockey fans, the fact remains that the game of hockey continues to grow with a record $3.28 billion in revenue during the 2011-12 season.

Ironically enough, this is where “The Bettman Effect” takes hold, and subsequently works against him with respect to how fans around the league view him.

While Bettman’s Ivy League education and law degree are clearly assets for a man at the helm of a major sports league in North America, the manner in which he goes about conducting business leaves him out of touch with many consumers of the game.

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His smug and smarmy disposition adds an aura of elitism and pretentiousness that doesn’t resonate with the “regular Joe” who isn’t afforded the luxury of box seats courtesy of his employer. Bettman’s condescending tone and overuse of the word “obviously” when conducting interviews, especially his latest conference on December 7 after CBA negotiations broke down yet again, help to tarnish his image as well.

It’s not that CBA negotiations are simple and easy to understand, indeed they are complex and rife with nuances and intricacies that only few have the skills to navigate, but Bettman’s ability to deflect and avoid questions on the process only adds fuel to the fire.

At times it seems he’s exhausted when taking questions about the process and would simply love to say critical fans don’t understand it, but that would be a PR nightmare. And while it wouldn’t be prudent to negotiate in public and give the most intimate details away, better explanations in terms of what exactly is going on from Bettman would help alleviate some of the distrust he’s managed to accumulate over the years.

The Commissioner’s insisting on “respecting the process” and deftly handing out cliché after cliché has alienated a large part of the NHL fan base. The fact that Bettman and NHLPA boss Donald Fehr have resorted to a trivial “he said-he said” style of disclosure in press conferences makes it apparent that talks haven’t been as productive, which only increases the disdain amongst consumers.

All of these things play a role in the manner in which Bettman is viewed by fans, and as Matt Horner noted, booing Gary Bettman as he presents the Stanley Cup is now as much a tradition as the presentation of the trophy itself.

As much as the league has grown in terms of pure financial numbers, Bettman will always be maligned by the blue-collar fan and middle class families who spend hard-earned money on a product that can’t figure out labor stability. That demographic isn’t interested in the business of the sport anyway. That demographic is interested in the game, the product itself that is lost in all the number crunching and negotiations. These fans watch the game because it’s a joy to revel in the abilities on display when they take in a game. In a sense, they watch simply to experience the essence of the game, the one they likely played growing up on frozen ponds and backyard rinks.

The suit and tie Commissioner has lost touch with a large percentage of the league’s fans and the disparity is only growing as this lockout drags on. Even if the NHL manages to have a shortened season, much of the damage has already been done. While the NHL relies on corporate sales to drive revenues, the little guy gets squeezed out, because those spending hard-earned money on nosebleed seats don’t make enough of an impact on the game’s bottom line if they choose to refrain from spending another penny on the NHL game.

Gary Bettman has built an elitist culture around the business side of the game. His guard is constantly up when questioned on some of the league’s most pressing issues, and his unwillingness to open up and let fans in serves to aggravate them even more. The league has become a case study in social stratification thanks to the way Bettman carries himself.

Some might call it confidence; others may label it cockiness, but whatever title one ascribes to it, “The Bettman Effect” has been detrimental in regard to relations with fans.

Just listen during the next Stanley Cup presentation for proof.

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