PHOENIX (AP) -NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says he didn’t decide to submit a bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes until “about 24 hours” before it was submitted on Aug. 25.
Bettman made the comment Friday under questioning by the attorney for Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie.
Balsillie, who wants to buy the team and move it to Hamilton, Ontario, over the league’s vehement objection, contends that it was unfair for the NHL board of governors to reject the Canadian’s bid while the league was contemplating one of its own.
Bettman did not disclose the bid when he gave a deposition on Aug. 20, four days before he made the bid.
He said he didn’t do so because the matter still was under consideration and the league remained hopeful there would be another way to keep the team in Glendale.
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