Lightning and NHL Have Both Excelled Under Gary Bettman

In 1992, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” ruled the airwaves and Michael Keaton donned the Bat suit. Also, at the NHL owners’ meeting in the middle of December, Gary Bettman was announced as the first commissioner of the league, taking over from Gil Stein who had served as league president.

By December 1992, the Tampa Bay Lightning were two months into their inaugural season and on their way to winning three Stanley Cups. With both Bettman and the Lightning celebrating 30 years, it’s a perfect time to examine how each has grown and to recognize their hard-fought achievements.

First NHL Commissioner

Although five men had served as the president of the NHL, Gary Bettman was hired to be the first commissioner of the league. He is the longest-serving active commissioner in professional sports. However, he has weathered his share of criticism regarding the changes to how the game is played and the three lockout seasons under his watch. His stance on players participating in the Olympics has also been polarizing – depending on what side of the debate you sit on.

However, let’s not dwell on the negatives while there are so many positives that Bettman brings to the game. The highest among his achievements is the fact that NHL revenues were only $400 million when he took over as commissioner. For the 2018-19 season, before COVID-19 put game attendance in a free-fall, revenue hit $5.09 billion. Last season, the league generated $6.1 billion. He also instituted a salary cap that created parity among all 32 teams and keeps smaller market teams afloat.

In recognition of Bettman’s 25^th anniversary, Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star wrote, “The NHL was essentially a mom-and-pop shop from the time of the Original Six through its early expansion years in the late 1960s. Owners of the teams relied on the teams themselves for income.” Bettman created additional ways to earn income and grow the game beyond Canada and the northeastern U.S.

Although the Lightning had been granted a franchise before Bettman became commissioner, his commitment to expanding into non-traditional markets ensures a broader appeal for the game and establishes a future fanbase. When he arrived in 1993, there were 24 teams. Since then, the NHL has expanded/moved to non-traditional hockey cities such as Anaheim, Columbus, Dallas, Miami, Nashville, and Raleigh. His determination…