By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman talked with Golden Knights owner Bill Foley Wednesday morning about staging an outdoor winter VGK game at West Point’s Michie Stadium.
But winterizing the West Point Black Cadets’ football stadium in the shadow of the Hudson Highlands at the U.S. Military Academy 65 miles north of New York City is an issue, Bettman said after he was part of a G2E sports betting forum at Sheldon Adelson’s convention center in Las Vegas. The NHL stages outdoor games in open-air stadiums. The Colorado Avalanche will face the Los Angeles Kings in the 2020 NHL Stadium Series at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium Feb. 15.
Foley is a 1967 West Point graduate who wanted the Las Vegas hockey team to have the Black Knights name — the name of the West Point sports teams. Foley could not get Black Knights and settled for Golden Knights. He still has strong feelings for the U.S. Military Academy, which is why Foley would like to have a Golden Knights game played at West Point’s football stadium.
Bettman said the Golden Knights-Las Vegas connection has “been nothing short of phenomenal.” And the Golden Knights’ game presentation and fan experience at home games at T-Mobile Arena can help other teams around the 31-club league.
The 55-minute sports betting discussion involved William Hill CEO Joe Asher, FanDuel CEO Matt King and Rush Street CEO/co-founder Greg Carlin who were joined by Bettman. CNBC reporter Contessa Brewer moderated the session.
Not exactly known as Mr. Charisma, Bettman seemed like he was in a chipper mood. Brewer told Bettman that he was once against the NHL getting involved in legalized sports betting, but now he had embraced it.
“Is it a criticism to evolve,?” Bettman asked the moderator and the audience of sports betting reporters and enthusiasts.
Asher, a Golden Knights fan, received recent attention for having William Hill cut a partnership deal with Washington Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis to have a sports book open at the Wizards/Capitals arena in downtown Washington, D.C.
The foursome didn’t break news during the discussion as they said the impacts of the legalization of sports betting after the Supreme Court decision are still in their early stages. About $11 billion in sports bets have been waged legally since the Supreme Court ruling.
Bettman said the NHL is spending millions of dollars on the data technology surrounding player and puck tracking — and that the outgrowth of the tracking technology could help increase viewership, which would drive broadcast rights fees.
He mentioned the NHL was the first league to approve a franchise in Las Vegas, so the league was able to get a head start on the effects, issues and concerns of sports gambling. That’s why Bettman mentioned the NHL has a “comfort zone” with sports gambling.
Bettman also mentioned NHL fans are more educated and tech-savvy than fans of other leagues, which could help as sports betting becomes more and more mainstream.
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