Even if you know who Gary Bettman is, you’re probably confused by the headline. But if you think about it, the NHL commissioner may very well have ensured more Division III basketball coverage on ESPN next season.

Blame the NHL players, blame the owners — it doesn’t matter. There was no hockey this past season and the lockout depressed the television contract’s value so much that ESPN not only didn’t pick up its $60 million broadcast contract option for 2005-06, it ended negotiations on a new contract altogether, according to Toronto’s The Globe and Mail newspaper.

“If the NHL decides it wants to come back with us, and propose a new offer, given our history, we’ll listen,” ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and production, Mark Shaprio, told the newspaper. “But anything in the neighborhood of $60 million is a conversation we’re not willing to have.”

Without hockey in the way, you can expect ESPN to add more college basketball, and the cable network should consider a WIAC game or a CCIW game for next year’s schedule.

If that happens, you know who to thank.