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Reacts: Despite the boos, Gary Bettman voted best major league commissioner

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NHL. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Florida Panthers fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

As if the year 2020 wasn’t zany enough, the seemingly impossible has now happened – hockey fans are keen on NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

In the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, fans were asked if they were confident in Bettman. Despite being booed for doing just about anything, including breathing, fans actually gave Bettman a literal vote of confidence. More than 50%, 56% to be exact, of fans trust the commissioner.

Taking things even further, fans responded that they would rather have Bettman at the helm than any other commissioner among the four major leagues.

Fans were asked if Bettman was a better commissioner than his three counterparts – NBA commissioner Adam Silver, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. In each instance, NHL fans selected Bettman, although it was really a close call between he and Silver.

The questions come as all four commissioners deal with the fallout and how their sport will return from the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHL, NBA and MLB are all expected to return in late July, while the NFL is on roughly its usual schedule.

To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.