Whatever fans think, and it seems a very vocal segment of them can't stand him, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman continues to be recognized as one of the best in professional sports. Sports Business Journal has given the 70-year-old their Lifetime Achievement Award. As you can likely imagine, reaction from fans is almost entirely negative.

The Recognition

SBJ said Bettman has used his talent to turn the NHL into a business powerhouse.

"The longest-serving commissioner in sports history, Bettman has spent 30 years atop the NHL using his many talents and his forceful powers of persuasion to build the league into a modern business powerhouse"

The Reaction

Several fans responding to the announcement pointed to Bettman's preference for profit over everything else, including traditional aspects of the game.

If anyone thinks the NHL might be looking to make a change, Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs, who pre-dates Bettman in the NHL, made it clear in the article that he has a lot of support, and it's because he prioritized profits.

"The game today is a business. The game when he came in was not. That's the biggest thing I can say for him. We had problems that would have closed us down. And the game today is very viable and the [franchise] values have gone up many, many fold. We have a going business today. We did not have one then."

POLL
MAY 16 |351 ANSWERS
Fans Stunned after Gary Bettman Wins Major Accolade

Will Gary Bettman retire at 75?

He'll never go away
240
68.4 %
Yes, he'll live it up
59
16.8 %
I'm not sure
52
14.8 %

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