Gary Bettman's gamble on Vegas loses?!

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Joshua Deeds
June 15, 2023 (0:27)

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The Vegas Golden Knights had an impressive journey, going from a new franchise to winning the Stanley Cup in just six years.

They made some tough decisions along the way, trading away assets and picks to build a championship team and going through multiple coaches and players.

The league took a gamble on Vegas, and it has paid off financially. However, betting on the team can also be risky, with low viewership numbers potentially hurting the league's profits.

Golden Knights' clincher is least-watched Game 5 of the #StanleyCup Final in 29 years -- since the last one to air on cable in 1994 (Canucks-Rangers).

Least-watched Cup-clincher in at least 30:

Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights had the lowest viewership in 29 years, with only 2.72 million viewers and a 1.4 rating across two networks.

This was a disappointing result considering the investment made to bring the team to the league. By comparison, the clinching game of the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning in the bubble had 2.79 million viewers.

This was the least-watched Cup finals since 2007, with only 1.8 million viewers tuning in for the Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators matchup. The game was only aired on two networks instead of three due to an MLB game on TBS.

Overall, the league's commissioner, Gary Bettman, may face criticism for this outcome.