NHL’s Gary Bettman earned more than $8 million for 2011-12 season

After leading the NHL into three lockouts, Commissioner Gary Bettman won’t win any popularity contests among hockey fans. But his bosses — team owners — continue to compensate him well.

According to the Sports Business Journal, Bettman earned more than $8 million in salary and benefits for the 2011-12 season, up slightly from the previous year and a considerable chunk of change by any standard.

Bettman, who a few months later would impose the third lockout during his 20-year tenure, earned $8.3 million for the 2011-12 season, according to figures obtained by SBJ through the NHL’s tax filings.

Though it’s not in the salary bracket of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who earned $29.49 million for the year that ended March 31, 2012, it’s still a healthy amount given the NHL’s lesser status in terms of TV money and other revenue when compared with the NFL.

The information on Goodell’s salary also came from tax filings.

Training camps for the 2013-14 season will open next week.

ALSO:

Brian Urlacher: Johnny Manziel isn’t a punk ... he just acts like one

Rookie cut after declaring, ‘You can’t arrest me, I’m a Colts player’

Dennis Rodman back in North Korea with basketball, not Bae, on agenda