Rangers website squabble with NHL may lead to suspension or termination of MSG ownership of team
Remember way back in September 2007 when the Rangers sued the NHL over the website?
At the time, the Rangers were outraged when the NHL insisted that MSG transfer control over the Rangers independently produced website, “newyorkrangers.com”, so that the league could convert it into one of 30 “cookie-cutter” club websites at “rangers.nhl.com.”
Well, a judge ruled in favor of the NHL, and the Rangers website is now one of those dreaded cookie-cutter sites.
Now, Gary Bettman (current commissioner of the NHL——former lowly associate at a NY Big Law shop), has filed a letter in court threatening to kick the owners of the Rangers out of the league.
Yup, you read that right. Bettman’s letter threatened to suspend or terminate MSG’s ownership as punishment for accusing league officials of violating antitrust laws. (see ESPN article)
Now, I’m not a lawyer or anything (just 2/3 of a lawyer). But, just to get this straight, here’s a summary:
- The private owners of a business (the Rangers) involved in a joint venture (the NHL) sue to preserve their rights to an independent website.
- They lose, and give in to the joint venture’s demands.
- Now, the joint venture threatens to kick them out solely because they had the gall to say, “we want to run our own website.”
Seems a little excessive to me. You be the judge.
Tell Gary Bettman what you think of his letter: gbettman@nhl.com
About the author: Marc is a Long Island native and a hockey goalie. He has been a Rangers fan for as long as he can remember, although, in the interest of full disclosure, there was a time during the 1993 playoffs when he vaguely remembers cheering for Pierre Turgeon and the Islanders after the Dale Hunter cheap shot. His favorite Ranger of all time is Mike Richter. Related posts:
