Thursday, June 19, 2008

Gary Bettman vs. New York Rangers

So the New York Rangers and Gary Bettman are butting heads over the Rangers' website. The group that owns the Rangers, Madison Square Garden L.P. does not like that the NHL wants to take full control of their website, and I don't blame them. Bettman and the NHL have responded with a threat to remove them from ownership if they don't comply with the NHL on this issue. Bettman has asked a judge to declare that the ownership has breached their contract by challenging the rules of the NHL, while the Garden has said that they will not put up with Bettman's "bullying tactics". MSG ownership took the case to court the day before the NHL began pressing $100,000 a day fines for the Rangers' lack of compliance.

On one hand, I'd love to see the Rangers' ownership forced out because I personally can't stand the Rangers and it's always nice to see a rival go down in flames. On the other hand, I operate under the belief that Bettman knows nothing about managing the NHL and needs to go move to some remote island so the sport can be fixed. So I have to side with the Rangers on this one, Bettman needs to back off. Besides, if Bettman and the NHL win this battle and removes the Rangers ownership, it sets a scary precedent: Comply with all of the NHL's wishes or you're gone. It gives too much power to the NHL to enact new rules and get rid of the people that cross them. Today the Rangers... tomorrow the Flyers? You never know, so I hope Bettman gets his hand slapped by a judge and the Rangers are allowed to continue as normal.

Read the article here.

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