I think there needs some attention to be paid to what sport is going to represent to young people: should it be viewed in the competitive, team-oriented sense that it is now, or does it become a vehicle for betting, which may, in effect, change the atmosphere in the stadiums and the arenas?
— Gary Bettman
I believe that the Greater Phoenix Area is a terrific sports market; it's a terrific hockey market.
What we have tried to instill across the league through ownership and management is that we stand for inclusiveness and to judge somebody on the merits.
I think it's very difficult to generalize as to why, in a particular league or a particular industry, somebody has or has not come out. We certainly don't want a player to come out for our sake. It should be what's right for him and something that he has to be comfortable with.
Whatever you do needs to be sustainable over time, and taking the money in the short term and taking it in a bubble - like buying an Internet stock in 2000 - may not be sustainable.
A good fan base has developed around the Hurricanes, and I see the opportunity for continued growth for this franchise in the future.
NHL clubs don't like having to shut down at a critical part of the season and disrupt our season for anything, let alone a situation where we're not given an opportunity to promote our presence.
From as early as I can remember, I was focused on becoming a lawyer.
The relationship between concussions and the asserted clinical symptoms of C.T.E. remains unknown.
I don't feel that it's either necessary or appropriate for me to comment on what the NFL either says or does.
I don't weigh into politics.
There are lots of come-from-behind wins, games getting tied in the last period, teams going on to win. That, I think, tells the best story. Whether or not some teams have more grit, better chemistry, or more luck or more skill, it's still within the parameters. I think that makes for great storytelling and great interest for our fans.
It takes two sides to make a deal, two sides to negotiate and two sides to make it go bad.
If you want to know how I feel, I'll summarize it in one word - terrible.
We are not giving up on the Coyotes in the Greater Phoenix Area... The team has got a number of options and is going to pursue them, so nobody should think that team is moving other than out of Glendale.
The issue of how the game is played is something that's constantly being reviewed internally with the Players' Association, with the general managers, and it's something that we continue to monitor on a daily basis.
I believe, certainly in the NHL, a player who can help a team win because he can contribute on the ice is going to be coveted whatever his beliefs may be or whoever he may be. That goes to national origin, religious beliefs, or sexuality.
What you want to do, particularly when you're dealing with a professional sports league and franchises and people's passionate commitment to the game and for the team they root for is, it has to be sustainable.
Sports, as a media property, is increasingly valuable because it's something you have to have live. As a result, we're a better touch point for sponsors and advertisers because our commercials typically don't get zapped out.
If the IOC would move the Olympic hockey tournament to the summer, that would be great. We'd be thrilled to have our players participate because then it doesn't affect our season.
NHL clubs have not wanted to go to the Olympics, and we have been saying that for months if not years.
My rooting interest these days is first and foremost competitive hockey, and secondly in officials not making a mistake.
Eliminating fighting would mean eliminating the jobs of the 'fighters,' meaning these guys would not have NHL careers.
The Olympics are very proprietary about letting others promote and market what's going on, so we shut down for 17 days, and they don't let us do a whole lot in return for giving our players to them. We don't get compensated, and we've never looked for compensation.
You can have the biggest markets in the world, but if the game isn't exciting, compelling, and competitive, it's not going to generate a lot of interest.
There's no question that the Kings have been, are, and can be great hosts for any major events.
Our economics are not baseball's economics. Our game is not baseball's game. Our owners are not baseball's owners, with one or two exceptions. Our union is not baseball's union. What we do has to be crafted and suited to address hockey, to address the NHL, to address our 30 teams and our 700-plus players.
To be the organization that we want to be, we have to have a place to play.
Doing jersey advertising for the World Cup is not in the same universe as putting advertising on NHL sweaters.
I think it's our job to create a culture and an environment where a gay player knows he is safe and welcome. If and when that happens, believe me - that person will have the full support of the commissioner's office.
Because of the way my words get scrutinized, I have to use a level of precision so people don't accuse me of misleading them.
I don't see the Hurricanes relocating, period. I think the Triangle is a terrific market.
At least two or three of the leagues in Europe over the last few months have said to us, 'We hope you go to the Olympics,' and I looked at them, and I said, 'Why?' and they go, 'Because if you don't send NHL players, we have to send our players, and that's way too disruptive to our season.'
I don't really think about having a retrospective on my high-school years. It's not something that, from a positive or a negative standpoint, is a driving force in my life.
Let's put it this way: I would consider my skiing ability to be far superior to my skating ability. And, in fact, my 10-year-old grandson, who's a AAA squirt, can skate circles around me.
I think it's fairly clear that playing hockey isn't the same as playing football.
Fighting is one of those things that gets tons of attention, far more than it deserves.
Market size, particularly when you're dealing with major media markets, has an impact in terms of gathering attention.
The Canadian franchises and Canada as a market for NHL hockey has always been a priority for us.
My message to the kids and our fans is hockey's a great game. There's a lot of hockey being played at all levels. Get involved, do it. We will be back and we will be back better than ever and hopefully as soon as possible. Don't give up on the game. It's too good.
