NHL’s Gary Bettman honored for league’s growth, basks in ‘newer markets’ making Stanley Cup runs
Fans cheer as the Vegas Golden Knights scored against the Dallas Stars during the second period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals Friday, May 19, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Sam Morris)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Sam Morris]
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is receiving a lifetime achievement award from Sports Business Journal for the league’s growth during his 30 years in charge. It fittingly comes at a time when the four teams left vying for the Stanley Cup play in Dallas, Las Vegas, South Florida and North Carolina. Expanding hockey’s footprint into the U.S. Sun Belt has been a critical part of lifting league revenue from $437 million when he took over in the early 1990s to nearly $6 billion now.
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FILE - NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during a news conference before an NHL hockey game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena, Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Seattle. Bettman was honored by the Sports Business Journal on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, with a lifetime achievement award for the NHL's growth during his 30 years as commissioner, from a business that generated $437 million in revenue before he took over to nearly $6 billion now. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond, File0
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jason Redmond