No talk of the Winnipeg Jets relocating: Bettman ‘If we weren’t invested in the Jets being here long term, the Jets wouldn’t have been here to begin with’ By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 4:45 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024

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This article was published 27/02/2024 (905 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Gary Bettman was not here to sound the alarm or raise any red flags. Nor did the NHL commissioner make his way to Winnipeg on Tuesday morning to make a bunch of threats, to point fingers or to play the role of a villain.

Before meeting with members of the media in the afternoon, Bettman sat down for a one-on-one chat with the Free Press and one of the main topics of conversation was the long-term health of the Winnipeg Jets franchise.

Thanks to the role he played in facilitating the Atlanta Thrashers sale to Mark Chipman and its rebirth as the Winnipeg Jets in 2011, Bettman has been viewed mostly in a positive light in the community. But memories of the Jets leaving for Arizona in 1996 mean there is an underlying fear among a segment of the population of history repeating itself.

Bettman was quick to shoot down a question about the potential threat of relocation.

“No. Not at all. It’s never been discussed, it’s never been considered,” Bettman said during a conversation that lasted nearly 12 minutes. “It’s talk like that, that is so destructive and unfair to everything that this organization and ownership has stood for.”

Some folks have gone so far as to suggest that Bettman doesn’t care about what happens with the Jets over the long term, intimating he would prefer to replace the small market with a larger U.S. city that could boost TV ratings and raise revenues.

“If we weren’t invested in the Jets being here long term, the Jets wouldn’t have been here to begin with. That’s just a silly narrative,” said Bettman.

“This is a franchise in a place where hockey matters, where the Jets matter and the fact that there may be a blip on attendance for a whole variety of factors, the factors don’t matter. It’s how we move forward. And I believe in the strength of this market as an NHL market and I think it will correct itself — and I know that the Jets are working hard to make that a reality.”

Those declining attendance numbers are an issue that has generated headlines in this market and others. After 332 consecutive sellouts, the Jets found themselves operating at 87.4 per cent capacity heading into Tuesday’s game with the St. Louis Blues, averaging 13,140 fans per game, though those numbers have increased since the team returned from the Christmas break.

“I don’t think it’s a league-level concern. As I said in 2011, it’s important for this building to be full and people can focus on a bunch of reasons why it’s not,” said Bettman, noting his Winnipeg visit was part of his annual tour around the 32 markets.

“I know that the organization and ownership is committed to making sure that this franchise is strong and competitive and I believe that the community will step up.”

When it was relayed to him that some folks in the community are curious why the Jets are under the spotlight when the Coyotes are in the second season of playing in a college rink on the campus of Arizona State University, Bettman was blunt.

“Nobody is picking on you. Stating the reality that for the health and well-being and competitive success of a franchise that the team needs a full building isn’t picking on anybody, it’s stating an obvious fact,” said Bettman.

“Nobody is making any threats. It’s really more about we’re having a candid conversation about what needs to evolve to help make this franchise succeed.”

“If we weren’t invested in the Jets being here long term, the Jets wouldn’t have been here to begin with. That’s just a silly narrative.”–NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman

One of the issues the Jets are working on is trying to further appeal to the business community, which currently represents only about 15 per cent of a season ticket base that has dropped from 13,000 to around 9,500.

“The answer is it will be a work in progress,” said Bettman, who met with some business leaders and held a fireside chat with season-ticket holders on Tuesday.

“The initial creation of the season ticket base, which was done in 17 minutes, worked well for 10 years but there’s a reason why corporate support is important for any franchise. What’s happening is that over the last decade, there’s a need for the season ticket base to readjust. Groups that were together, people got old, moved away. I know the organization is working really hard to help the fan base adjust to the ticket needs that are more suited individually.

“This is a place where the Jets can and will be strong. But for the long term, to be competitive and successful and healthy, it needs to be a collaborative effort.”

“This is a place where the Jets can and will be strong. But for the long term, to be competitive and successful and healthy, it needs to be a collaborative effort.”–Gary Bettman

Bettman noted that the Jets making identical seven-year contract extensions to homegrown stars Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck in October was the latest example of the commitment the organization has made.

“It tells you that this is a place that, in terms of quality of life, quality of organization, quality of ownership, quality of team, this is a place where players want to be,” said Bettman, who also mentioned the arena improvements and downtown revitalization efforts.

“I don’t think anybody should doubt their commitment. What people should focus on is what’s important for the long term health and success of the franchise. The stronger the franchise is, the more competitive it will be and an element of strength is how well the building gets filled.”

As for the road forward for the Jets, Bettman doubled down on his belief.

“I think every market is different and everybody gets to this point in different ways and for different reasons. But when you look at the club’s success, particularly on the ice this season, and you look at the fact that this season will be the sixth out of the last seven season where they made the playoffs. When you look at the commitment that they made to their free agents last summer, all of the vital signs are good. So, what needs to happen is that hopefully the community and the fan base will recognize that for this to be the success we all know it can be for the long haul, it’s a joint effort.

“The team doesn’t sit in a vacuum. It’s not that the fans are in one place and the team is in another place. This works — and will work — successfully going forward if everybody is in this together.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld