The Commissioner of the National Hockey League was watching Sunday's U.S. vs. Canada men's hockey game with a close eye.
The U.S. men's team topped Canada, 2-1, in overtime on Sunday. The Winter Olympics featured NHL players for the first time in several Olympics. NHL players had last competed at the Winter Olympics in 2014, when the Games were held in Sochi, Russia. They returned to the Winter Games in 2026.
The American team, led by 24-year-old Jack Hughes, won gold for the first time since 1980. More than 20 million people tuned in on NBC on Sunday morning, despite the 8 a.m. E.T start time.
But NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has a problem with the game.
© James Lang-Imagn Images.
Bettman, 73, was born in the U.S. He had a problem with the U.S. vs. Canada game on Sunday morning, though.
The NHL commissioner was unhappy with the start time.
Bettman sounds off on gold medal game
While more than 20 million people tuned in on NBC, Bettman believes the figure could have been much higher.
“While we did a terrific rating, I’ve been told by reliable sources in the broadcasting business that the rating could’ve been twice as high,” Bettman said at the Sports Business Journal’s National Sports Forum in St. Louis.
Bettman isn't wrong, either.
An 8 a.m. E.T. start time is incredibly unideal. That's a 5 a.m. E.T. start time for those on the West Coast, including in places like Vancouver, Canada, where millions are wanting to watch the game.
The 2:30 p.m. E.T. start time for the Closing Ceremony is what caused the 8 a.m. E.T. start time. The game had to finish by the Closing Ceremony.
Hopefully, we can avoid that in the future.