Bettman: L.A. ‘spotlight’ great for players, game

As NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the media at All-Star weekend at Staples Center, he began his remarks by raving about how the entire event in this city “is turning out to be spectacular.”

Bettman said it was fitting for Los Angeles to host 100th All-Star Game during the Kings’ 50th season celebration, saying, “where better to be than L.A. Live and the Staples Center?”

“It’s a great spotlight for our activities, a great spotlight for our players, our game, our history and I’m sure the fans here in California are enjoying it,” he said.

The city of Hollywood stars was a perfect choice, especially considering the NHL 100 show the night prior, even when other teams like the like Blues, Penguins and Flyers are celebrating their 50th seasons.

“Very competitive biding and L.A. made a compelling case,” Bettman said, noting first that the Penguins and Flyers are competing in outdoor games. “You can feel the buzz here in L.A. The situation, the set-up logistically here in L.A. Live is perfect for what we are doing and I think part of this weekend is a testament to Phil Anschutz’s vision for Staples Center and downtown L.A. Can’t make everybody happy all the time but we’re glad we’re here to be celebrating together as an NHL family.”

Bettman added: “I want to thank Phil Anschutz, David Beckerman and Luc Robitaille for all of their efforts on our behalf, turning this very complicated … undertaking into a reality. I want to recognize and thank the Kings for using this opportunity to also conduct a variety of other events throughout the community.”

This is the third All-Star Game the Kings have hosted and Bettman used that platform to also discuss the growth of the game here in the state of California since the expansion of both the Sharks in 1991 and the Ducks in 1993.

“From a hockey standpoint, this is the third All-Star Game the Kings have hosted. Since they are the tenured member of the NHL’s California community, it’s important to acknowledge the role that the Kings have had, as well as the Ducks and the Sharks, in the growth of hockey in the state,” he said.

“In 1981 when the game was played at the Forum in Inglewood, the number of registered hockey players was 3,400 in California. In 2002, when the Kings hosted the All-Star Game here at Staples, the registered players was about 17,000 and as we return here in 2017 the latest registered count for players in California stands at over 28,000. Only six states have more registered players and we have no doubt that the Kings, the Ducks and the Sharks have played an important role in building grassroots hockey throughout the state. We’ve obviously recognized the role of Wayne Gretzky, our Centennial ambassador, he was vital to that growth.”

Bettman touched on a broader range topics revolving the game including the Olympics, expansion to Las Vegas, concussions and more and a full video of the press conference can be found at sportsnet.ca.