The Jets are the NHL’s hottest team. So why can’t they fill their arena?

Winnipeg got off to a record-setting start to the season. But balancing corporate demands and human passion is a tough task

“From our standpoint, the game has never been healthier,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told CNBC in November. He had stopped into the network’s Times Square studio to talk about the latest team valuations and the league’s future TV and streaming deals. The outlook for both is broadly good. “Our competitive balance, how good the game is, is what’s fuelling ratings, attendance, partnership growth in terms of sponsorships – the whole package is working together,” Bettman continued. All of which is mostly true, except for when it comes to the NHL’s best team, the Winnipeg Jets.

To be clear, the Jets – valued at just over $1bn – are excellent where it should really count: on the ice. Winnipeg have surprised most with their hot start this season. The Jets went 18-6-0 through the end of November and sit atop the Western Conference and the league. The 2024-25 Jets are the fastest team to reach 15 wins in a season and also the first team in NHL history to win 14 of their first 15 games. A solid team for many seasons on defence and in goal, the Jets have now found their scoring touch, outscoring opponents 94 to 63. It’s an exciting time to be a Jets fan, with seemingly few reasons not to watch each game day.

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