NHL Talks About Adding a Team in Texas, But No Decision Yet

The National Hockey League's Board of Governors met on Tuesday in New York to talk about whether the league should add a new team in Texas. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the board discussed the idea but did not make any decisions. The league has been exploring expansion to either Houston or Austin since June.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly recently spoke with billionaire Dan Friedkin, whose company is called Pursuit Sports. Friedkin's group has looked at possible locations to build a new arena in both Houston and Austin. The league expects to know which city Friedkin prefers by the end of the year.

Adding a new NHL team would cost a lot of money — about $3.5 billion in total. That includes the fee paid to the league's current team owners and the cost of building a brand-new arena. Bettman said expansion is a huge deal that affects all 32 teams already in the league, so the decision cannot be rushed.

"A lot of i's have to be dotted and t's have to be crossed," Bettman said. He explained that three-quarters of the team governors would need to agree before expansion can happen. He added that making that kind of decision doesn't happen overnight.

The NHL board is scheduled to meet again in December. The agreement between the league and Friedkin's family gives them six months to explore the idea. However, Daly said there is no hard deadline by which everything must be decided.

Houston is one of the biggest media markets in the United States, which means millions of people could watch games there. Austin, on the other hand, does not currently have a team in any of the four major North American men's professional sports leagues. The league still has a lot to figure out before picking one city over the other.

Bettman also said that team owners in Atlanta and the Phoenix area have expressed interest in getting an NHL team. Those efforts are not as far along as the Texas plan. A feasibility study — a closer look at whether an idea can really work — could be a next step for those cities.

Calgary Flames owner Murray Edwards, who was voted vice chairman of the board at the meeting, said the league is always open to expansion talks. "There's always markets that are approaching the NHL, looking for expansion opportunities," he said. He added that there is no rush, and the league is simply looking at its options.

The board also got a presentation about artificial intelligence, or AI. A consultant named Shelly Palmer spoke about how AI could help teams and the league connect with fans in new ways. Bettman said it's important for the league and its clubs to understand how AI can create better experiences for fans.

Bettman, who has led the NHL since 1993, was also asked about his future. He recently turned 74 and said at the Stanley Cup Final that he was not planning to retire anytime soon. On Tuesday, he repeated that message, saying he still loves his job and feels energized every day he comes to work.