NHL suit doesn't scare Rangers owner
Posted: Friday July 18, 2008 06:59AM ET
That threat by the NHL to take the Rangers away from Jim Dolan? It apparently did not frighten the Cablevision CEO. While Dolan concedes that everything he dislikes about the NHL's New Media Policy was agreed to by a vast majority of the clubs at the Board of Governors level, he still views the mandated uniformity of team Web sites and restrictions on individual clubs' Internet sales and broadcasts as illegal restraints of trade. The Garden filed its response Thursday night to that June 18 counterclaim in which the league asked the U.S. District Court for Southern New York to not only dismiss the Garden's original lawsuit from last September but also permit the commencement of in-house disciplinary action that could result in the Rangers franchise being stripped from MSG's ownership. In its response, the Garden argued again that specific league policies were illegal - even if ratified by a vote of clubs - and that the NHL rule prohibiting a member club from suing it (under penalty of franchise forfeiture) also was illegal.






Comments (30)
Hopefully this might spread to a full-blown rebellion against the Little General. This isn't some weak team like the Nashville Predators of Atlanta Thrashers Bettman is going after.
PopKing | 07/18/08, 07:30 AM
Report Offensive CommentYep! Buttman will take the team away from Jim Dolan and then move them to a new, promising and untapped hockey market! Get ready for the New Mexico Iguanas!
DCruiser | 07/18/08, 08:25 AM
Report Offensive CommentAnd where would the Rangers play being that MSG owns them? Idiots...
OtherOne81 | 07/18/08, 09:24 AM
Report Offensive CommentGo Rangers!!
Good luck stupid midget commissioner! You s**k!
cmh_phx | 07/18/08, 10:20 AM
Report Offensive CommentNew Mexico Iguanas!!!
Hilarious, DC!
What about the Arkansas Farmers?
cmh_phx | 07/18/08, 10:21 AM
Report Offensive CommentSouth Dakota, call them the Rush and make the logo the presidents faces.
DurkDiggler | 07/18/08, 10:29 AM
Report Offensive CommentThis does smell a little like comunist russia in the 50's when it comes to the NHL controll but i am sure it is just to keep teams from having crappy websites!!
Chumming not Slumming | 07/18/08, 11:18 AM
Report Offensive CommentNew Mexico Gila Monsters would be better.
Hank Kingsley | 07/18/08, 11:43 AM
Report Offensive CommentI think the team ownership has a valid point. Just because league membership votes for something, if it is illegal it is still illegal.
This may be the problem with the little general not knowing the laws of both countries the league plays in.
chapmaja@yahoo.com | 07/18/08, 12:32 PM
Report Offensive CommentHow about Des Moines Dandelion's. Hey Bettman you SUCK!!!!!!! LEAVE THE BLUE SHIRTS ALONE!!!!!
djman809 | 07/18/08, 12:53 PM
Report Offensive CommentYo Bettman you suck. Talk about a Napoleon complex!
djman809 | 07/18/08, 12:54 PM
Report Offensive CommentI hate to say it (I hate Dolan), but legally speaking, the league is acting recklessly here. He's right, and they really are wrong. It's sad.
Moondizzle...The Original. | 07/18/08, 01:00 PM
Report Offensive CommentThis does smell a little like comunist russia in the 50's when it comes to the NHL controll but i am sure it is just to keep teams from having crappy websites!!
Chumming not Slumming | 07/18/08, 11:18 AM
Whether a team has a rubbish website or not is irrelevant. The teams are separate entities and should have control over the way they portray themselves. Bettman's megalomania seems to be spiralling out of control.
Oilers - NHI | 07/18/08, 01:15 PM
Report Offensive CommentSouth Dakota Rush or Des Moines Dandelions sound fine. The only problen I see is that these prime hockey markets aren't far enough south to qualify in the most hated midget's universe! How about .... Las Vegas Gamblers! Or ... Utah Salties!
DCruiser | 07/18/08, 01:19 PM
Report Offensive CommentIn communist NHL, Hockey plays YOU!
Jables and Rage | 07/18/08, 02:24 PM
Report Offensive CommentSo when this blows up in Betteman's face will the people in the NHL that think he's a tool (I'm sure it has to be alot of them considering he's done everything since the lockout to try and keep the NHL irrelevant ) finally sack him?
cjewart | 07/18/08, 02:27 PM
Report Offensive CommentTake the Knicks from him too while you are at it.
That said the league is behaving badly.
AllStarz | 07/18/08, 02:31 PM
Report Offensive CommentTake Matt Millen also - - he actually sucks more than Mini Me.
BTD20 | 07/18/08, 03:25 PM
Report Offensive CommentThe league will lose this fight if it goes to court, then i wont be able to get those delicous breakfast sandwiches i love cuz bettman will have all the eggs in the world in his face after this latest failure.
He Rock | 07/18/08, 03:27 PM
Report Offensive CommentThe Rangers are bigger than Bettman; does he not realize this or is he intent on being the biggest dimwit ? I hope this blows up in his midget face.
This isn't even communist Russia this is straight up fascism. MSG owns the Rangers, so they should be allowed to sell their merchandise. Like if I owned 2 cows and wanted to sell them. But the government takes the cows and gives me the milk. FASCISM.
Their website now looks like every other gimmiky NHL webiste so Bettman should back off.
OtherOne81 | 07/18/08, 04:46 PM
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