(1952-06-02) June 2, 1952 (age 71) Queens, New York, U.S.
Spouse
Shelli Bettman
(m. 1976)
[1]
Children
3
Relatives
Jeffrey Pollack (half-brother)
Alma mater
Cornell University (BA)
New York University (JD)
Awards
Hockey Hall of Fame (2018)
Gary Bruce Bettman (born June 2, 1952) is an American sports executive who serves as the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice president and general counsel to the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bettman is a graduate of Cornell University and New York University School of Law. Bettman was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
He oversaw the expansion of the NHL's footprint across the United States, with eight new teams added during his tenure, bringing the NHL to 32 teams as of the start of the 2021–22 season. In May 2014, Bettman was named "sports executive of the year" by the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily.[2] In 2016, Bettman was inducted as a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[3]
Bettman's tenure in the NHL has been controversial. He has often been criticized for attempting to give the game a mass appeal, and for expanding the league into non-traditional hockey markets such as the Sun Belt at the expense of the more traditional markets in Canada and the Northern United States.[4][5] Bettman has also been a central figure of three labor stoppages, including the 2004–05 NHL lockout that saw the entire season canceled.[6] These controversies have made him unpopular with many fans around the league.[7]
^"Bettman's 30 years as NHL Commissioner built on family, loyalty | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
^Peters, Chris (22 May 2014). "Sports Executive of the Year: Gary Bettman, NHL". sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
^Gary Bettman's page on the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame website.
^"In-depth: NHL Labour Strife – Gary Bettman". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
^Wetzel, Dan (2004-04-26). "Woe Canada". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2010-06-12.
^Allen, Kevin; Brehm, Mike (2005-02-21). "Black ice: NHL season canceled". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
^Keating, Steve (2013-01-31). "After 20 years of booing, Gary Bettman still standing". Reuters. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
Gary Bruce Bettman (born June 2, 1952) is an American sports executive who serves as the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has...
the National Hockey League (NHL). The position was created in 1993; GaryBettman was named the first commissioner and remains the only person to fill...
the team began play in the 2021–22 season as the Kraken; commissioner GaryBettman then stated the league would not expand any further for the foreseeable...
for possible expansion teams, and on June 22, 2016, NHL Commissioner GaryBettman announced the addition of a 31st franchise, based in Las Vegas and later...
following day, Tocchet requested a leave of absence from NHL Commissioner GaryBettman, which was granted with a number of conditions including that Tocchet...
ultimately did not participate in the Olympics. When NHL Commissioner GaryBettman tested positive for COVID-19, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly took...
Bettman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Alfred Bettman (1873–1945), American urban planner GaryBettman (born 1952), American sports...
and resides in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas. His half-brother is GaryBettman, the Commissioner of the National Hockey League. In 2011, Pollack launched...
Jersey. After the failed attempt to land the Devils, NHL Commissioner GaryBettman stated Nashville would probably be considered in upcoming expansion....
the NHL for the remainder of the 2021 calendar year. NHL Commissioner GaryBettman cited "conduct detrimental to the league and game", and further ruled...
Quenneville was summoned to a meeting the following day with NHL Commissioner GaryBettman to discuss his role in the incident. Within hours of that meeting, Quenneville...
After the official announcement of the Utah NHL team, league commisioner GaryBettman announced that the Delta Center will undergo further renovations within...
of assault and domestic violence. On March 27, 2023, NHL commissioner GaryBettman announced that Barroway was suspended indefinitely from the league pending...
team to reach the Finals until 2021. On June 1, 2011, NHL commissioner GaryBettman made an announcement that Colin Campbell would be stepping down as the...
his bid to buy the team after receiving a notice from NHL commissioner GaryBettman that the league would negotiate the arena deal on his behalf and the...
for six games and fined the Canucks $25,000, while NHL Commissioner GaryBettman called Engquist to apologize and offered him dinner and tickets to another...
also has a "clean" feed, with no digital modification to the boards. GaryBettman, the NHL's commissioner, predicted that the DED would increase revenue...
that other locations remain under consideration, and NHL commissioner GaryBettman acknowledged that the decision process is ongoing even after the preliminary...
Wings sought and received special dispensation from the NHL Commissioner GaryBettman to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup after they won the 1998...
commissioner in 1993 (long after merging with the WHA) when incumbent GaryBettman assumed office. Major League Soccer appointed a commissioner upon its...
format, with teams convening via videoconferencing, and Commissioner GaryBettman announcing the selections in the opening round and deputy commissioner...
Global Information