Forgiveness of Balsillie Is a Symbol of Hockey's Status in the United States

Viewers of the Stanley Cup Final in both Canada and the United States may have noted that some of the commercials that are paying for the television broadcasts are those which aim to sell more Blackberry products.

This wouldn't be noteworthy except that the owner of Blackberry, Jim Balsillie, has three times unsuccessfully tried to buy a NHL franchise (the Penguins, Predators, Coyotes) and in the latter case, engaged the NHL in a drawn out legal battle that embarrassed the league, costing millions of dollars and still has produced no satisfactory solution to the Phoenix problem.

In the latter case, according to the NHL, Balsillie attempted to sneak in through the back door by violating NHL constitutional rules and had to be stopped at all costs.

By the end of the legal drama, even the name "Balsillie" must have cast an odor of repugnance to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and all the Board of Governors.

Not only was he attempting to bash his way into the league, but he was trying to move the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario, which is stuck in the middle of the richest hockey market in the world, and is regarded as the monopoly territory of the two existing NHL franchises, Toronto and Buffalo.

Yet, less than two years since Bettman and the NHL owners were congratulating themselves on their successful defense against the Balsillie virus, the league is now accepting his money and sponsorship for their broadcasts, and reportedly Bettman and Balsillie have been reconciled, with the Commissioner telling him to be patient and he will get his long coveted NHL team.

Admittedly, Balsillie is the kind of investor, every sports league would want, with a vast fortune that is increasing faster than anyone can count.

But it still is a startling turn of events, that a man who cost the league millions of dollars, embarrassed the NHL and who's court saga was used by those elements who want to prove the NHL is anti-Canadian, to be forgiven so quickly.

While the cliche "money talks" is first and foremost in this matter, the rehabilitation of  Balsillie is also due to the status of hockey in the United States.

While a billionaire like Balsillie is always a desirable investor, the NHL found it could not continue to say, "Go to hell!"

When Bettman became commissioner, his mission, set forth by the Board of Governors, was to make NHL hockey an American "national sport," and get an American television contract on the level of the NBA, MLB and the NHL.

Hockey has grown in the United States and the recent television contract is the best yet (though hardly comparable to the other three major sports), but the NHL is still the poor sister sports league in America and is now stuck in an embarrassing awkward dilemma.

Bettman's solution to increasing the NHL's popularity in the United States was to place new franchises in non-traditional hockey markets, and ignore "natural" markets in Canada and the northern United States.

The results are decidedly mixed. Some of the new franchises have been unqualified successes, others have taken time to develop, and others are still in the doldrums. 

It has been reported that as many as 10 franchises were losing money in one year.

Bettman and the NHL have been pursuing this policy for as long as possible, but events have recently led to a change in policy.

Two factors have been most responsible for this shift in direction: the disproportionately high amount of revenue the Canadian franchises are generating for the NHL; and that no owner wants to operate an NHL franchise any more in a risky American market.

Atlanta was the first casualty, and was recently sold off to Canadian billionaire Dave Thomson and his partner, Mark Chipman who resuscitated the Winnipeg franchise.

The NHL may have got rid of Balsillie, but it still cannot find an owner to operate a team in Phoenix. After Balsillie, three potential owners failed to reach a settlement in Phoenix.

Other potential trouble spots may be Columbus, Florida and Long Island, if they fail to build a new arena.

The hungriest cities for NHL hockey are Quebec, Hamilton (and a second Toronto franchise), Hartford, and possibly Seattle.

No one speaks of placing teams in non traditional markets like Kansas City, Houston, and Las Vegas any more.

The hungriest potential owners are Canadians; Balsillie, Quebecor and Ice Edge, who want teams in Hamilton, Quebec and Saskatoon.

Because there are no American investors lining up to take a franchise off the NHL's hands and operate it in a non-traditional American hockey market, the NHL can no longer give the back of the hand to Balsillie and the other Canadian investors.

Instead, these days, Gary Bettman now makes tours of the three cities, whose franchises he removed in the 1990s, tells them that the NHL now wants to right the wrong and reverse "something that should never have happened". 

He claims that a 15,000 seat arena in Winnipeg (which is 1,500 seats smaller than the unacceptable too small arena on Long Island) is NHL worthy.

He tells the mayors of Quebec and Hartford that if they build a modern NHL size arena, they will get their teams back.

He is now willing to consider shunned areas like Seattle and (horrors!) Hamilton.

It's an admission that the NHL's recent 20 year long term strategy has failed. Hockey is still not an American national sport.

Now even once hated NHL investors like Balsillie are welcomed.