Time after Gary Bettman?

[ponder719]

Thought this was interesting, so for some context I looked up the immediate previous job or two of every leader of the NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL, to see where they came from.

MLB:

Kenesaw Mountain Landis - Judge
Happy Chandler - Senator from Kentucky
Ford Frick - NL President
William Eckert - General
Bowie Kuhn - Lawyer (for MLB)
Peter Ueberroth - Chair, LA Olympic Organizing Committee (Airline executive)
Bart Giamatti - NL President (formerly President, Yale University)
Fay Vincent - Deputy Commissioner (formerly EVP of Coca-Cola)
Bud Selig - Owner, Milwaukee Brewers (was car salesman)
Rob Manfred - COO, MLB (was lawyer)

NFL (since 1941):

Elmer Layden - Head Coach, Notre Dame
Bert Bell - co-owner, Pittsburgh Steelers, founder, Philadelphia Eagles
Austin Gunsel (acting) - NFL Treasurer
Pete Rozelle - General Manager, Los Angeles Rams
Paul Tagliabue - Lawyer (for NFL)
Roger Goodell - EVP and COO, NFL

NBA:

Maurice Podoloff - President, Basketball Association of America and President, American Hockey League (was lawyer)
J. Walter Kennedy - Mayor of Stamford, CT
Larry O'Brien - Chair, Democratic National Committee (formerly Postmaster General of the United States)
David Stern - General Counsel and EVP, NBA
Adam Silver - Deputy Commissioner and COO, NBA

NHL:

Frank Calder - Secretary and Treasurer, National Hockey Association (formerly editor for several Canadian newspapers)
Red Dutton - Head Coach and President, New York Americans
Clarence Campbell - Lt. Col. and Queen's Counsel, Canadian Army (formerly NHL executive and referee)
John Ziegler - lawyer
Gil Stein - General Counsel and Vice President, NHL (formerly COO and EVP, Philadelphia Flyers)
Gary Bettman - SVP and General Counsel, NBA

 

[Noldo]

I think that legal background makes lots of sense for the commissioner in the current landscape as the duties include arbitration, both in official sense under the CBA as well as more informal mediation of interest between the owners, as well as drafting and negotiating the CBA, a hybrid between a contract and a piece of legislation.

As Daly is only 60 (turning 61 this year), he should have good 5-6 years at minimum left once Bettman retires. Good for one CBA cycle so this makes him definitely heir apparent and clear favorite.

Could there be some quasi political candidate? I guess we would be looking at AGs or other high profile civil servants from (big?) Republican states or former cabinet members (like Walsh on the players’ side).

 

[Yukon Joe]

Thought this was interesting, so for some context I looked up the immediate previous job or two of every leader of the NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL, to see where they came from.

MLB:

Kenesaw Mountain Landis - Judge
Happy Chandler - Senator from Kentucky
Ford Frick - NL President
William Eckert - General
Bowie Kuhn - Lawyer (for MLB)
Peter Ueberroth - Chair, LA Olympic Organizing Committee (Airline executive)
Bart Giamatti - NL President (formerly President, Yale University)
Fay Vincent - Deputy Commissioner (formerly EVP of Coca-Cola)
Bud Selig - Owner, Milwaukee Brewers (was car salesman)
Rob Manfred - COO, MLB (was lawyer)

NFL (since 1941):

Elmer Layden - Head Coach, Notre Dame
Bert Bell - co-owner, Pittsburgh Steelers, founder, Philadelphia Eagles
Austin Gunsel (acting) - NFL Treasurer
Pete Rozelle - General Manager, Los Angeles Rams
Paul Tagliabue - Lawyer (for NFL)
Roger Goodell - EVP and COO, NFL

NBA:

Maurice Podoloff - President, Basketball Association of America and President, American Hockey League (was lawyer)
J. Walter Kennedy - Mayor of Stamford, CT
Larry O'Brien - Chair, Democratic National Committee (formerly Postmaster General of the United States)
David Stern - General Counsel and EVP, NBA
Adam Silver - Deputy Commissioner and COO, NBA

NHL:

Frank Calder - Secretary and Treasurer, National Hockey Association (formerly editor for several Canadian newspapers)
Red Dutton - Head Coach and President, New York Americans
Clarence Campbell - Lt. Col. and Queen's Counsel, Canadian Army (formerly NHL executive and referee)
John Ziegler - lawyer
Gil Stein - General Counsel and Vice President, NHL (formerly COO and EVP, Philadelphia Flyers)
Gary Bettman - SVP and General Counsel, NBA

OK, but look at their training and education (and FYI - a JD is a law degree):

MLB:
Robb Manfred - JD Harvard, worked for a law firm
Bud Selig - NAL
Fay Vincent - JD Yale, worked for a law firm

NFL:
Roger Goodell - wait my mistake - NAL
Paul Tagliabue - JD BYU, practiced law

NBA:
Adam Silver - JD Chicago, practices law at Cravath (the whitest-shoe law firm)
David Stern - JD Columbia, was GC for the NBA

NHL:
Gary Bettman - JD BYU, worked for a law firm
Gil Stein - JD Boston, worked in a law firm and as a prosecutor


I will concede that earlier in time being a lawyer didn't seem to be as much of a requirement

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Once we’re.

You just reinforced my position. Thank you.

You’re not bringing any new facts to this dialogue that would help you convince anyone that this is a good idea. Our chat has run its course.

Putting the Canadian teams together in one division would serve to intensify the the rivalries between the Canadian teams, thus giving Canadian TV partners more games between 2 Canadian teams every year, which would be good for ratings.

Likewise, grouping the American teams into 4 divisions based around the four main regions of the country would serve to intensify those rivalries.

 

[New Jersey Devil]

That’s one opinion. However if you think one big division of Canadian teams is some sort of solution to what you believe is a problem, I encourage you to employ some logic and think again.

I highly doubt any Canadian team owners want a division like this. It would span 4 time zones (Pacific, Mtn, Central And Eastern) making broadcasting games a challenge for viewership in a prime time window. Intra-divisional flight distances (and costs) for most teams would increase. Van, Calgary and Edmonton can fly to Seattle, SJS, LA & Anaheim faster than they can fly to TO, Ottawa or Montreal.

Again, no thanks. This is just creating a problem where their currently isn’t one.

I don't think that the players want this either.

Putting the Canadian teams together in one division would serve to intensify the the rivalries between the Canadian teams, thus giving Canadian TV partners more games between 2 Canadian teams every year, which would be good for ratings.

Likewise, grouping the American teams into 4 divisions based around the four main regions of the country would serve to intensify those rivalries.

The players would probably never go for this.

 

[Yukon Joe]

The broadcasters would love an All-Canadian division. There's a reason Sportsnet/CBC slobbers all over Hockey Day in Canada, when it's all-Canadian matchups.

Western Canadian markets would love an all-Canadian division. There's not much difference between an Edmonton-LA flight and an Edmonton-Toronto flight, but Canadian matchups always draw better.

Eastern Canadian markets do not want an all-Canadian division. There's a huge difference in travel lengths. As well while western Canadian teams draw well, so do eastern teams like NYR or Boston.

Snowbird markets like Florida, or Vegas do not want to lose Canadian dates because again those teams draw well.

Plus now that it's a 32 team league the math no longer works out - you'd need an 8th team, or have to go with unequal divisions. The NHL can obviously do whatever they want (like an Atlantic division with Canadian teams plus Florida teams), but it would be awkward.

 

[brentashton]

The broadcasters would love an All-Canadian division. There's a reason Sportsnet/CBC slobbers all over Hockey Day in Canada, when it's all-Canadian matchups.

Western Canadian markets would love an all-Canadian division. There's not much difference between an Edmonton-LA flight and an Edmonton-Toronto flight, but Canadian matchups always draw better.

Eastern Canadian markets do not want an all-Canadian division. There's a huge difference in travel lengths. As well while western Canadian teams draw well, so do eastern teams like NYR or Boston.

Snowbird markets like Florida, or Vegas do not want to lose Canadian dates because again those teams draw well.

Plus now that it's a 32 team league the math no longer works out - you'd need an 8th team, or have to go with unequal divisions. The NHL can obviously do whatever they want (like an Atlantic division with Canadian teams plus Florida teams), but it would be awkward.

Canadian broadcasters also don’t want to lose dates with the likes of Boston, Chicago (Bedard), SJ (Cellebrini), DRW, etc., as these teams and others also draw very well in western Canada . There is zero allure/magic in having an all Canadian division. It would get highly stale fast. Fans and players said so after the mandated bubble matchup of the great societal reset.

Eastern, like western teams, as you state do not want to increase costs and travel expenses with a silly division stretching across Canada.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Canadian broadcasters also don’t want to lose dates with the likes of Boston, Chicago (Bedard), SJ (Cellebrini), DRW, etc., as these teams and others also draw very well in western Canada . There is zero allure/magic in having an all Canadian division. It would get highly stale fast. Fans and players said so after the mandated bubble matchup of the great societal reset.

Eastern, like western teams, as you state do not want to increase costs and travel expenses with a silly division stretching across Canada.

The North Division got old during the pandemic because you only played within the division. So your team ONLY played 6 other teams that year.

In a regular season though you'd still be playing the rest of the league - you'd just be playing Canadian matchups more often.

Like I said above - there's pluses and minuses. But to pretend there's no pluses to an all-Canadian division is just ignorant.

 

[rojac]

The North Division got old during the pandemic because you only played within the division. So your team ONLY played 6 other teams that year.

In a regular season though you'd still be playing the rest of the league - you'd just be playing Canadian matchups more often.

Like I said above - there's pluses and minuses. But to pretend there's no pluses to an all-Canadian division is just ignorant.

Sorry, I see no pluses. I personally have zero interest in seeing Canadian teams more than American ones. From my point of view, it just increases the number of games at weird times for viewers.

I'm also not terribly big on anything that separates Canadian teams from American ones.

That being said there is a part of me that likes the idea of maximizing the number of Canadian teams that can make the playoff#, so i'd kind of like to see one of Edmonton or Calgary moved to the Central and one of the Leafs, Sens, or Habs moved to the Metropolitan with the idea that if Hamilton or Quebec somehow does manage to get a franchise, that team would also to in the Metro.

 

[Voight]

Pete Rozelle is arguably the greatest commissioner in NA sports history and he was able to negotiate massive TV deals, multiple CBA's without having any legal background.

I know it's not a coincidence the current commissioners are all lawyers, but the NHL has plenty of those in house already. Not to mention the money to hire the best firms in the business if need be.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Pete Rozelle is arguably the greatest commissioner in NA sports history and he was able to negotiate massive TV deals, multiple CBA's without having any legal background.

I know it's not a coincidence the current commissioners are all lawyers, but the NHL has plenty of those in house already. Not to mention the money to hire the best firms in the business if need be.

Pete Rozelle was born in 1926 - 99 years ago. He was made commissioner in 1959 at age 33. He is not a modern example.

I'm not trying to say that lawyers have some magical powers when given their JD (or LL.B!) that makes them automatically more qualified to be Commissioners.

I'm just trying to say that if you want to handicap who the next Commissioner might be - whether they are a lawyer or not is a key consideration.

 

[brentashton]

But to pretend there's no pluses to an all-Canadian division is just ignorant.

I’m not pretending. I don’t see the aspects the same as you do. You see them as positive (for a small segment of viewers and fans) and I believe overall it wouldn’t be anything close to being positive for just the Canadian teams, fans or the larger league itself.

I think we’re allowed to respectfully have different opinions and should be able to do so without resorting to vilification.

If you think it’s ignorant, that’s on you only.

 

[aqib]

Pete Rozelle was born in 1926 - 99 years ago. He was made commissioner in 1959 at age 33. He is not a modern example.

I'm not trying to say that lawyers have some magical powers when given their JD (or LL.B!) that makes them automatically more qualified to be Commissioners.

I'm just trying to say that if you want to handicap who the next Commissioner might be - whether they are a lawyer or not is a key consideration.

The leagues all have big legal departments. The commissioners don't get bogged down in the wording of contracts. Like Fortune 500 CEOs make deals all the time and only 15 out of 500 have law degrees.

 

[Yukon Joe]

The leagues all have big legal departments. The commissioners don't get bogged down in the wording of contracts. Like Fortune 500 CEOs make deals all the time and only 15 out of 500 have law degrees.

I'll accept your figure without checking.

But then how do you explain how 3 out of the 4 major league commissioners are lawyers, and even for the NFL (the only one who isn't) - Goodell's predecessor Tagliabue was a lawyer?

This is more a matter of figuring out the gambling odds, not trying to make some kind of value judgment.

Whether or not someone is a lawyer seems to make a big difference on whether or not someone becomes a major sport commissioner.

Does the next commissioner have to be a lawyer? No. Of course not.

Are the odds high the next commissioner will be a lawyer? Yes, yes they are.

By the way - Bill Daly? The deputy commissioner? Graduated from NYU Law, and started his career at white shoe law firm Skadden Arps.

 

[LadyStanley]

Check out this Podcast: Handing Over The Keys | The Chris Johnston Show Handing Over The Keys | The Chris Johnston Show

CJ speculates about Shanahan being next commissioner.

From January...thinking about retiring in a couple of years.

Breaking: NHL has begun preparation for Gary Bettman retirement in ‘couple years’

Bettman says he hasn't given the Board of Governors a timeline, but the executive committee is in a formal process of finding a successor.

www.nytimes.com

 

[jkrdevil]

Given the main job of the commissioner is to negotiate CBA’s and rights deals, Bettman’s replacement is going to be someone with that experience and likely a legal background.

Shanahan could be a Colin Campbell replacement as head of hockey ops role.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

its impossible for me to imagine NHL after Bettman, he has
become ingrained with NHL for me, like a fatherfigure,
im not saying thats good or bad, but yeah NHL need new blood,
i hope they take someone from outside hockey, to start afresh

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Check out this Podcast: Handing Over The Keys | The Chris Johnston Show Handing Over The Keys | The Chris Johnston Show

CJ speculates about Shanahan being next commissioner.

From January...thinking about retiring in a couple of years.

Breaking: NHL has begun preparation for Gary Bettman retirement in ‘couple years’

Bettman says he hasn't given the Board of Governors a timeline, but the executive committee is in a formal process of finding a successor.

www.nytimes.com

oh no, Shanahan.... no i want someone outside of hockey, that person
will have plenty of shanahans as advisors anyway, its to much inbreeding
already, make a bold move

 

[aqib]

oh no, Shanahan.... no i want someone outside of hockey, that person
will have plenty of shanahans as advisors anyway, its to much inbreeding
already, make a bold move

Bringing in outsiders is what you do when things are going poorly. When you're growing and want to continue the trajectory with tweeks you stay internal. That's why the NFL stays in house. The NHL needed someone from the outside when they picked Bettman, although some NHL owners would have been familiar with him since they owned NBA teams as well. It will be someone in-house when it happens.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Bringing in outsiders is what you do when things are going poorly. When you're growing and want to continue the trajectory with tweeks you stay internal. That's why the NFL stays in house. The NHL needed someone from the outside when they picked Bettman, although some NHL owners would have been familiar with him since they owned NBA teams as well. It will be someone in-house when it happens.

good point

 

[edog37]

Check out this Podcast: Handing Over The Keys | The Chris Johnston Show Handing Over The Keys | The Chris Johnston Show

CJ speculates about Shanahan being next commissioner.

From January...thinking about retiring in a couple of years.

Breaking: NHL has begun preparation for Gary Bettman retirement in ‘couple years’

Bettman says he hasn't given the Board of Governors a timeline, but the executive committee is in a formal process of finding a successor.

www.nytimes.com

Because Shanahan did such a great job running the Leafs. This ranks right up there with having Gretzky as the next commissioner. The fact is, whoever is next named will have large shoes to fill. Bettman has been one of the best leaders the NHL ever had.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

Because Shanahan did such a great job running the Leafs. This ranks right up there with having Gretzky as the next commissioner. The fact is, whoever is next named will have large shoes to fill. Bettman has been one of the best leaders the NHL ever had.

Not as a proper commissioner no, but splitting some of the commissioners duties into two roles would be a great idea for life after Gary.

Things that Gary was great at:
-Fighting the PA
-Making the league more standardized and less prone to severe conflicts of interest like the Eagleson situation. Having a legal background was important for this.
-Expanding the league's operations quickly across new markets without any embarassing fiascos.

Things that Gary was anywhere from bad to dogshit at:
-Running league ops where understanding anything about hockey is required. Gary literally named Brian f***ing Burke as a DOPS head. Enough said.
-Making public appearances and generally representing the league in the media. Bettman might literally be the worst public speaker I have ever seen, and he insists on doing a cringeworthy 5 minute slog of a speech in person, before every single cup presentation, every year. He's similarly poor in everyday interviews, and he has a tendency of doing unethical things like black balling media members who ask difficult questions. It would really be better if he wasn't involved in that side of the league operations at all, but he's the commish, and nobody can stop him when he's insistent on making a fool of himself.
-Setting long-term goals and agendas for growing the league that are more ambitious than min-maxing the franchise fees at the next round of expansion. Having three prolonged lockouts, missing the worlds biggest stage at the Olympics, and letting major league issues like the DPE, the enforcers/CTE crisis wait for decades instead of years to be fixed damaged the long-term growth of the sport around the world. Gary thinks small, as in the next four financial quarters small, and it shows very clearly in the lack of growth in anything other than short term revenues.


With that in mind, having some sort of checks and balances by spliting the role of commishioner into two parts would be a great idea, something like Daly as commisioner, and Shanahan as the public face of the league with the ability to veto the worst hockey related ideas from the commisioner

 

[Golden_Jet]

Honestly, Shanahan is one I've thought of previously.

He played in the league for twenty years/knows the game, worked in the league office for a couple of years and has now run its most prominent franchise for a decade so that comes with "business" experience.

It’s will be someone with a legal background, not a high school graduate.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

Because Shanahan did such a great job running the Leafs. This ranks right up there with having Gretzky as the next commissioner. The fact is, whoever is next named will have large shoes to fill. Bettman has been one of the best leaders the NHL ever had.

unpopular opinion, but i agree

 

[DaBadGuy7]

My uninformed guess is the next commissioner is not working in hockey, likely in the NBA, NFL, or in the sports business world. I think it would smart to get an outside perspective to get the league into the modern and innovative way.