Does Bettman bear responsibility for Ottawa's situation?

[Sol]

Bettman can't favor EVERY team, guys..

Except the Oilers come draft time.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

How is Ottawa one of the most successful franchises in expansion history?

Having the Sens go to the third round of the playoffs in a Canadian market (of all things), and they still don't sell our their building? That is absurd in Canada and does not sound like a successful franchise at all.

Sens' attendence as a whole has been great except for the last couple of seasons because we want Melnyk out.

 

[Dr Robot]

So after one terrible season you are already casting blame on Bettman for not stepping in and taking control of the franchise? You are in for a rough ride cowboy.

 

[KCC]

Bettman is the mouth piece for the owners come a lock out but that's about it. The owners decide everything. Melnyk has been on his own and dug his own grave with everything he's said and done.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Why?

 

[cowboy82nd]

Yes, Melnyk is a piece of ****, but how do you all feel about Gary seemingly standing by idly as the tire fire grows in the nation's capital?

So, now the commish is suppose to step in and tell an owner how to run his team? Maybe Gary should have stopped the Penguins from getting Crosby and Malkin, because it's not fair to the rest of the league? I know, Uncle Gary shouldn't let Edmonton draft in the top 5 again, oh wait, maybe he should.

 

[Voight]

Look up Ted Stepien - he was a much worse owner (in the NBA tho) yet the league couldnt force him to sell his team. He only sold it after fans boycotted home games & the team started to bleed money.

 

[Caeldan]

How is Ottawa one of the most successful franchises in expansion history?

Having the Sens go to the third round of the playoffs in a Canadian market (of all things), and they still don't sell our their building? That is absurd in Canada and does not sound like a successful franchise at all.

We talking about the game where rather than at the release of the schedule for the round, they waited until it was looking that Ottawa was coming home to lose the series (as I recall, tickets went on sale after an embarrassing 5-1 or something like that loss) before putting tickets up for sale?And was short of a sellout by only 400 tickets?

Yeah, management gambled and lost on that one.


And the round 2 game 1 (which was a mid week game, competing against two Saturdays and a potential game 7 for ticket sales) non sellout was playoff fatigue coupled with the fact the areas largest employer hadn't been paying a large number of its employees correctly for the past year.

 

[Jaguar God]

Lame thread with the sole purpose of shitting on Bettman. Yawn.

 

[Drytoast]

All it f***ing needs is a more centralized arena.

I'm half tempted to purchase season tickets to sell off as mini business while it's currently cheap and in the gutter.

 

[tucker3434]

What’s Bettman supposed to do about it? Intervene anytime he thinks a club is being run poorly?

 

[Gnashville]

Canadian media mentality: When in doubt blame Bettman!

 

[Foppberg]

Clearly the OP has no idea how the league actually works.

 

[Cotton]

Canadian media mentality: When in doubt blame Bettman!

Swing and a miss.

 

[thewave]

All it ****ing needs is a more centralized arena.

I'm half tempted to purchase season tickets to sell off as mini business while it's currently cheap and in the gutter.

It's not the arena, it's the owner. He never puts down the chips to make an honest run at the cup and he has missed a few chances. He isn't a good sports owner. When you have EK, you don't start rocking the boat and nickeling and diming other players and fans. Like $20 parking in the middle of nowhere? Obvious greed, lots of transit is in place and could even be improved with better marketing, again he is too cheap and stupid. Look at his comments publicly and how they sabotage the team.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Bettman can do nothing

Being a lousy owner is not against rules

See Charles Wang for an example.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I thought this was a Mulletman thread when I first read it... Lol. No, Bettman is not to blame for Ottawa's shit-show.

 

[Barrie22]

If bettman could not do anything about wirtz in chicago for nearly 20 years then there is nothing he can do about melnyk after a handful of years.

And melnyk isn't even close yet to how bad wirtz actually was.

 

[NyQuil]

Canadian media mentality: When in doubt blame Bettman!

Your southern US victim complex is still alive and well apparently.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

How is Ottawa one of the most successful franchises in expansion history?

Having the Sens go to the third round of the playoffs in a Canadian market (of all things), and they still don't sell our their building? That is absurd in Canada and does not sound like a successful franchise at all.

We have consistently filled the rink.
We have near-consistently made the playoffs.
We have been to the Cup finals and the third round several times.
There is constant interest in the team, difficulties are owner-centric.

Zeke is correct, and we are damned lucky to have Zeke around, moreso when the season starts and his keen analytical mind will go into full expository mode.

As for Bettman, why should he take any blame? It's not his fault our owner is playing Molly's Game with a poor credit line.

 

[Butch 19]

Yes, Melnyk is a piece of ****, but how do you all feel about Gary seemingly standing by idly as the tire fire grows in the nation's capital?

what do you think Bettman should do?

(and I'm in no way implying that anything needs to be done)

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I blame Bettman for a lot of things, but this is not one of them.

 

[Gnashville]

Your southern US victim complex is still alive and well apparently.

My point:
Canadian media automatically has people blaming Bettman for everything!

 

[NyQuil]

My point:
Canadian media automatically has people blaming Bettman for everything!

Everyone is blaming Melnyk.

 

[New Jersey]

Ottawa's arena, judging by Google Maps, seems more isolated from the fan base than the Meadowlands were from Devils fans.

Impressive, really, like that's hard to do.