By comparison, the salary of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is close to $30 million, according to that league’s most recent tax return. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, whose salary is no longer publicly available through tax filings, is believed to make more than $20 million annually. NBA Commissioner David Stern’s salary has never been made public.

Bettman’s base salary for the 2011-12 season was $6,395,521. Payment defined as other compensation was $1,816,628. He also received $65,795 in deferred compensation and $28,800 in benefits.

Bettman’s salary has more than doubled over a period that has seen the league’s total revenue increase from $2.1 billion in 2003-04 to $3.2 billion for the season of this latest tax filing. In the lockout-canceled season of 2004-05, Bettman made $3.7 million.

In March, the league projected $2.4 billion in revenue for last season, which was shortened to 48 regular-season games for each team because of another lockout.

Botta continues and outlines other league executives' paychecks (and the league reported revenues of about $3.3 billion during the 2011-2012 season)...