The status of Roger Goodell and Gary Bettman tells you all you want to know about owners of major sports leagues.
They don’t care about you. They don’t care what you think about Bettman’s continued stubbornness to make hockey work in non-hockey markets, or allow attendance woes in Florida or Arizona continue to look bad.
They don’t care about domestic violence blunders by Goodell, or the continued decline of attendance, or awful suspensions or lack thereof for player safety.
Goodell’s 5-year, $200-million extension says exactly what the owners think of all the problems in the NFL.
Don’t care, they’re still making money thanks to a great TV deal and Goodell is the leader of that business.
And with Bettman and Goodell, they clearly don’t mind getting the flack for what ails these leagues. They are the front man, the bad guy, the villain and that is exactly the way the owners want it.
They don’t mind Goodell getting kicked around and Goodell doesn’t mind being ridiculously overpaid to be their puppet.