Bettman claims Flames' financial situation deteriorating amid arena dispute

Gary Bettman made it clear he wasn't trying to directly threaten the Calgary Flames on Friday, but he continued to insist the club's apparent financial woes are only getting worse.

The NHL commissioner once again said during a visit to Calgary that he believes the Flames require a new arena above all else, even though neither the team nor the city has shown a desire to resume negotiations.

"I'm not here to issue any threats," Bettman said, via TSN. "It's clear that this is the oldest building in the league. It's clear that the team needs a new building. Calgary's a great market, (there are) great fans here, but the building is as important a factor as anything else."

The Flames will remain at the Scotiabank Saddledome, which is indeed the NHL's oldest unrenovated building, for the foreseeable future after the team decided to stop pursuing a new arena last September.

Nothing has apparently changed on that front.

"We completely concur with the position that the Flames have assumed because I don't see any point either in there being any talks," Bettman said.

The commissioner also reiterated a familiar refrain that Calgary was once a team with a surplus of revenue but is now a revenue-sharing recipient.

"(It) used to write a cheque for revenue sharing, but for the last couple of years, they have been receiving cheques," he said. "The cheques are getting bigger, which means the situation financially continues to deteriorate, and that will affect ultimately the competitiveness of the organization, but they have said they're going to do the best they can for as long as they can."

Both the club and the city traded barbs last year over the various proposals made during the discussions, which ended after months of negotiating both privately and through the media.

In September, Bettman said, "At some point, I envision without a new building there will be consequences that everybody is going to have to deal with."

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