abstract
| - Gary Bruce Bettman (born June 2, 1952) is the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice-president and general counsel to the National Basketball Association (NBA). Under Bettman, the NHL has seen rapid growth of league revenues, from $400 million when he was hired to over $2.2 billion in 2006–07. Bettman oversaw the expansion the NHL's footprint across the United States, with six new teams added during his tenure, bringing the NHL to 30. Bettman has also been at the middle of much controversy. Bettman has often been criticized for attempting to "Americanize" the game, and has been a central figure of two labor stoppages, including the 2004–05 NHL lockout that saw the entire season canceled.
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