Search is reportedly underway for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's replacement
National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman is one of the most polarizing sports executives in North America, and we could soon see him decide to call it a career.
He's one of the most polarizing sports executives in North America, but it sounds as though his tenure could eventually be coming to a close before long.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has been in his position since the mid-1990s, and while he recently said he has no immediate plans to retire, he's given a hint as to when that day could come.
During a phone call with The Athletic on Thursday, Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold said that the NHL is is preparing for Bettman's eventual retirement
The fact that Gary is going to be retiring.....but that's a couple years down the road and we're doing the planning now, and we have to make sure we get it right when he leaves.
Listen, we're like a $5, $6 billion company - the entire league is,» he said. «So we have a CEO who's going to be moving on and any transition would cause us to be concerned. And so, really, all I was saying is that we have had a commissioner now for 30 years, maybe a little more, and he has been outstanding. I mean, truly, truly, has been an incredible commissioner and has done great things.
«Now we're going to transition to somebody else, and that should make us all a little concerned that we have to be certain we get the right person. It's a concern that I have that, 'How are we going to get anybody as good as Gary?' The answer is we're not. So who's going to be the second best person, and is that going to be good enough?
«Now we're going to transition to somebody else, and that should make us all a little concerned that we have to be certain we get the right person. It's a concern that I have that, 'How are we going to get anybody as good as Gary?' The answer is we're not. So who's going to be the second best person, and is that going to be good enough?
Has the search already gotten underway for Bettman's eventual replacement? Leipold indicated that it's started.
I would say we have.
Meanwhile, Bettman recently said that he's fully aware that he can't do the job forever.
I raised the specter that at some point this is something the league is going to have to deal with because when you're dealing with a CEO who has been doing this as long as I have, it's a more complicated process.
But the only discussion that was had was with three-plus decades at this job, at some point the league is going to have to deal with the reality that I can't do this forever.
But the only discussion that was had was with three-plus decades at this job, at some point the league is going to have to deal with the reality that I can't do this forever.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 24 | 162 ANSWERS Search is reportedly underway for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's replacement Do you want to see Gary Bettman step down as NHL commissioner in the next 5 years? | ||
| Yes | 156 | 96.3 % |
| No | 6 | 3.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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