Two decades of lockouts, soaring ticket prices, and on-ice tinkering have convinced many hard-core fans that the NHL’s long-time commissioner Gary Bettman is the devil in disguise, but this book examines his motivations, peels back his often prickly demeanor, and explains how he manages to lead, confound, and keep order. It details the unlikely ascension of a fatherless Jewish kid from Long Island—who never played hockey and can barely skate—to the sport’s biggest job. The seven-fold increase in gross revenue during Bettman’s 20-year tenure as NHL commissioner makes him a business success story, and on his watch, professional hockey has also expanded far beyond its regional strongholds. By taming the NHL’s famously fractious owners, all but busting its players’ union, and enforcing a lawyerly discipline even on trash talk, Bettman has become a figure of almost unrivaled power in the business of sports, and this biography delves into how his influence shapes rival leagues in other countries, dictates the schedule of the Olympic Winter Games, and spills onto the ice itself.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"A must-read for any fan that's seen the NHL reshaped during Bettman's reign" and a "treasure trove of anecdotes." —Puck Daddy
"An excellent biography." —Globe and Mail
"I enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was absolute quality." —Mile High Hockey, the Colorado Avalanche blog on SB Nation
About the Author
Jonathon Gatehouse is a senior correspondent for Maclean’s weekly magazine and was formerly a reporter for the National Post and Montreal’s Gazette. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By NYC Reader
Format:Hardcover
Let me start by saying there is a lot of information in this book. It is VERY poorly organized. I was expecting this book to be about how Gary Bettman remade the NHL. Instead it seemed like a collection of short stories about things that happened in the league (that mostly had nothing to do with Bettman). Expectedly, most of them are pats on the back. The rest are stories about how he pitted sponsors against each other, handled the lockouts, and pretty much blackmailed cities by moving franchises.
If you are a huge hockey fan and follow the business side of it, it's worth a skim. Otherwise, skip it.
If you are a huge hockey fan and follow the business side of it, it's worth a skim. Otherwise, skip it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Cameron
Format:Hardcover
This was a pretty informative account of Gary Bettman and his tenure of the league. If you're into hockey and whatnot this should do the trick -- once again very informative -- unlike this review.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By jim
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
if you want to understand why the NHL has more locked out
games than any sport in history or why a foolish strategy to expand into markets that have no connection to hockey has failed look no further than this book. bettman is by all accounts a dedicated and smart leader but he has failed to bring peace to the industry because he suffers from intellectual arrogance. he will not admit that he has ever been wrong and therefore holds the game hostage with his total control over the owners. the last lock out was a total victory for the owners as they got everything they wanted. they now trust bettman to extract more concessions but this could all backfire as the fans simply may have had enough of being treated like mindless fools. perhaps this time the fans will not come back, that is the message we all need to send to the instigator........ j. mitchell
games than any sport in history or why a foolish strategy to expand into markets that have no connection to hockey has failed look no further than this book. bettman is by all accounts a dedicated and smart leader but he has failed to bring peace to the industry because he suffers from intellectual arrogance. he will not admit that he has ever been wrong and therefore holds the game hostage with his total control over the owners. the last lock out was a total victory for the owners as they got everything they wanted. they now trust bettman to extract more concessions but this could all backfire as the fans simply may have had enough of being treated like mindless fools. perhaps this time the fans will not come back, that is the message we all need to send to the instigator........ j. mitchell
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gary Bettman, hockey savior or pariah?
I used my review of Bettman's history as NHL Commissioner for my Leadership Theories class. I found Jonathon Gatehouse's bio to be fair and informative. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Steven F. Kowalski
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Book!
If you enjoy the business side of hockey, this is a must read. Love him or hate him, by the end of the book you will have a better understanding of who Gary Bettman really is.
Published 3 months ago by Ute Hockey
4.0 out of 5 stars
quick, informative read. Make up your own mind
Gatehouses' book is a quick, must read for all hockey fans. It is a fairly neutral historical depiction of Gary Bettman and his tenure in the NHL. Read more
Published 3 months ago by TR
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very Informative, But Poorly Written
The Instigator is a rare chance to take a behind the scenes look at Gary Bettman, the man who has run the game for over two decades. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gary Bettman has GOT to go. He is ruining the NHL.
The title of the book is misleading but it is a great book on the subject of the last 20 years of the NHL, how it's been run in the past, how Bettman changed all of that, and how... Read more
Published 5 months ago by J. Lemke
5.0 out of 5 stars
in response to j. mitchelle
This book was fantastic. Gary bettman is by far the best commissioner in sports. J's review was completely arrogant as under bettmans watch the nhl has grown to record revenue and... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Matt Michaels
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