Bettman: Kings playing major role in memorable postseason
LOS ANGELES -- Is Tinseltown becoming Hockey Town?
Not by a long shot, but the Kings are beginning to gain some footing in the Los Angeles market, an encouraging sign for the sport, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final between the Kings and New York Rangers.
Although the Chicago Blackhawks drew massive numbers in their own market by comparison, Bettman said, "I think L.A. has performed extraordinarily well on television. They're seeing record numbers...I think it was the No. 1 network in Los Angeles during the game. So that tells you as much as anything."
The Kings have played a major role in a memorable postseason for the NHL, becoming the first team in history to win three Game 7s on the road on their way to the Final against the Rangers.
Watch never-before-seen footage of the players celebrating the Game 7 OT victory - WATCH: http://t.co/D387z9JxQf
— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 4, 2014
But Bettman said the sport will win new fans as long as the hockey remains at a high level.
"Sports fans who might not necessarily be NHL fans, they will get intrigued and captivated if the hockey's good," he said. "And if what we see in the Finals is anything like what we've seen in the first three rounds, it should be captivating, it should be entertaining and it should cause people to want to tune in."
