“If I didn’t have faith in places like Winnipeg, I never would have brought the Jets here. »
Gary Bettman assures him: Winnipeg is for him “a solid NHL market” which will “adjust”. There is no question for the commissioner, therefore, of talking about a potential move.
This is what emerged from a 15-minute press conference on Tuesday in the Manitoba capital. Bettman, accompanied by his assistant Bill Daly, displayed an air of disbelief, and almost rebelliousness, when asked by the Winnipeg media gathered at the Canada Life Centre.
“I’m a little mystified by the tension that seems to have developed here,” he said at one point.
The current topic in Winnipeg is the issue of crowds in the stands. An article from The Athletic, released last Friday, reported a 27% drop in season tickets over the past three years at the Canada Life Centre. The team would have gone from 13,000 to 9,500 in this regard, while the enclosure can accommodate 15,225 fans for a hockey match.
“The situation we find ourselves in will not be sustainable in the long term,” said team president Mark Chipman, according to comments reported by journalist Chris Johnston.
One of the striking elements of the story told by The Athletic : Chipman himself is currently making calls to former subscribers, in particular to understand the reasons for their disinterest. We’re a far cry from 2011, when the Jets sold all their season tickets in 17 minutes on the first day they went on sale.
“Obviously, attendance needs to improve,” he agreed. But it’s going to happen. I have confidence in this organization and its community. »
Bettman nevertheless asserts that there is no “sword of Damocles” over the organization.
“Teams go through ups and downs,” Bettman added. I think the subscriber base and attendance will return to what they were. In 2011, I said, ‘For it to work here, the arena has to be full.’ It’s true. I know that Mark Chipman and David Thomson [le propriétaire] don’t just want to survive in the NHL, they want to thrive in it. It will be resolved. I don’t see this as a crisis. »
The commissioner notes that the team is heading towards a playoff spot this year – this would be the sixth time in seven years that they have qualified. That training is close to the salary cap, which is a good financial sign. That the star players who had the opportunity to jump ship stayed.
“These are elements that send the message” that there is no real cause for concern for the Jets, underlines Bettman.
“This team is generally seen as a model franchise across the league,” says Bill Daly. A well-managed organization from top to bottom, which puts a competitive team on the ice, and which invests in its community. We would like to have 32 of these teams. »