The NHL is tracking to bring in more than $5B in "revenue this year," which are “up from pre-pandemic levels,” according to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.com. The league's expansion with the Kraken as well as broadcasting rights deals with Disney and Turner Sports have “helped fuel the recovery from the revenue hit the league took during its pandemic-shortened seasons.” The NHL salary cap “will increase to $82.5 million” for the ‘22-23 season, as the league “remains under a ‘flat cap.’” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that he believes “it will take ‘three more seasons, including this one’” before the NHL is “fully repaid under escrow and will have the salary cap rise with linkage to revenue” (ESPN.com, 12/10). Bettman said, “The business of the game has come back strong.” Bettman: “The ’19-’20 season where we took the pause and then went into the bubble without fans, our revenues, I don’t know, were probably off about a billion dollars. And last season somewhere between $2.5 billion and $3 billion that we were off in revenues.’’ Meanwhile, Bettman announced a "yes vote" by owners on forking over $7M in total to the Hockey HOF’s "development and prevention fund" (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/10).
ON THE COYOTES: Bettman said that there is "no issue” with the Coyotes and that the team is "not a threat to relocate.” Bettman said Coyotes Owner Alex Meruelo is "committed to Arizona and is working on a plan for a new arena, which is probably what's agitating the city of Glendale." Bettman: "It's clear that the city of Glendale has either an agenda or an edge with how they're dealing with the Coyotes” (ESPN.com, 12/10).
