Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

BETTMAN DISMISSES TALK OF COLLUSION; SAYS 2002 DEAL CLOSE

          While attending a meeting of league GMs in Toronto
     yesterday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman "flatly rejected
     suggestions that owners collude against free agents,"
     according to Mark Zwolinksi of the TORONTO STAR. Bettman:
     "We are not colluding. ... We don't collude" (TORONTO STAR,
     9/24).  Bettman: "The past two years' salaries have
     dramatically outpaced revenues which is not a healthy
     situation.  What we're seeing now is the pendulum swing the
     other way because it's an economic reality" (AP, 9/24). 
     Meanwhile, Zwolinksi reports that a deal between the NHL and
     the NHLPA to send players to the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake
     City is "essentially done," but Bettman "maintained" that
     talks are a "long way from ending."  Bettman: "We need only
     a couple of things to get it done.  But it has to make
     sense.  It's not about negotiation.  We understand what it
     takes to make sense to us as a league" (TORONTO STAR, 9/24).
          BURKE ISSUES A STRONG WARNING: After news of the
     Grizzlies being sold to U.S. investor Bill Laurie, see
     (#18), Canucks GM Brian Burke reiterated that Canadian teams
     will need assistance from the federal government to remain
     competitive.  Burke: "I'm curious why politicians faced with
     these same issues south of the border have concluded that it
     is a valued and useful way to spend tax dollars.  Are we
     that much smarter than they are?  Does [the Canadian
     government] have that much of a better grip on what should
     be done on public money?  I don't think so.  I don't know
     what it is going to take for people to realize these
     problems are real" (TORONTO SUN, 9/24).
          DOES THE NHLPA "GET IT"?: The HOCKEY NEWS' Stan
     Fischler notes the possible sale of NHL teams and writes
     that the NHLPA "doesn't get it."  The Mighty Ducks, Canucks,
     Islanders, Coyotes, Canadiens and Sabres could all
     eventually be sold "because the corporate folks there
     figured out they can't make a buck" (HOCKEY NEWS, 9/24).
               

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1999/09/24/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/BETTMAN-DISMISSES-TALK-OF-COLLUSION-SAYS-2002-DEAL-CLOSE.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1999/09/24/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/BETTMAN-DISMISSES-TALK-OF-COLLUSION-SAYS-2002-DEAL-CLOSE.aspx

CLOSE