NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Hoping For NFL and NBA Lockouts

I say a little prayer every night before I go to bed hoping that the NFL gets this labor deal done and my favorite sport will be on TV come next fall (and that it will be the good NFL, not something rushed with no training time and eighteen games where all the stars will  get hurt).

Obviously, it is not as pressing now, but the NBA will be facing a similar dilemma after its 2010-2011 season is over.

If neither can be resolved, that will mean no NFL and no NBA come next fall.

For all of us who are fans of these leagues, this would be a disaster.

However, there is one man who is secretly praying that the NFL and NBA lockouts happen. That man is NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Now, he would probably never come out and say that directly, but we all know that is exactly what he is thinking.

And for good reason, too.

First, and obviously, the competition for viewers and attendance goes away. For the majority of America, if there is an NHL game on NBC on a Sunday afternoon and an NBA game on ABC at the same time, they are choosing to watch the NBA game.

This leads to the next positive for the NHL: a better TV deal.

Yes, Versus has been good to the NHL and was the only station that wanted the NHL after its lockout. Loyalty is nice, but money talks. ESPN has big TV contracts with the NBA and NFL. Those time slots would be vacant and ESPN would need something to fill those voids. Insert the NHL and there is a great opportunity to get better ratings and get back on ESPN.

With no competition and a better TV deal, teams that have been looking to relocate have the perfect opportunity.

It is no secret that the Phoenix Coyotes, Atlanta Thrashers, and Florida Panthers are in bad hockey markets and struggling to draw attendance (29th, 28th and 22nd, respectively). Places like Kansas City, Missouri, and Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada have nice facilities and good markets that have been vying for NHL teams for a long time.

As much as Phoenix, Atlanta, and Sunrise may want to keep their teams, it is probably in the best interest of the ownership to move the teams. Much like in any business, the best time to enter new markets is when the competition is low.

It is still a long way out before the NFL and NBA lockouts become truly serious scenarios, but Gary Bettman is still smiling every time he sees "Breaking News: NFL labor talks breakdown" on ESPN's bottomline.