There was a time in Chicago Blackhawks history: way back in 2008, when the United Center was empty, no one wanted press credentials and home games were blacked out on local television. Seems like a long time ago doesn’t it?
Of course, that year Wirtz the Elder passed on. Wirtz the Younger inherited the team and brought John McDonough and Jay Blunk over from the Chicago Cubs. The two soulless marketing mavens teamed up with the alcohol distributor to remake the Chicago Blackhawks. They “Cubified” them if you will. (except in actual wins and losses, they never could figure that part out at 1060 W. Addison, but everything else is the same)
Cubification included jacking up ticket prices the very next season. Sixteen percent for 2008-09. Twenty percent for 2010-11, the year after winning the Stanley Cup. Eight percent this past year, coming off a lockout. And a couple days ago it was announced, yet another 16 percent. {deadspin}
Add it all up and that’s four ticket price surges in six years. 60% since 2008.
Can you imagine what would happen if all of our goods and services increased 60% in price every five years? That’s 12% annual inflation!
The whole economy would collapse. The Dow Jones, the Fed, consumer confidence, heck even the PTA would all eat themselves and perish.
No one is doubting the business acumen of Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough; or the product they’re putting on the ice. The hockey team itself is fantastic, and they’re selling the place out every night.
What we are doubting is their public relations and media relations. And eventually social capital deficiency will hit you where it really hurts.
Anyone reading this has probably already read the three posts I’ve written since Thursday night verbally assailing the business side of the Blackhawks. I blasted the Machiavellian propaganda machine, the reprehensible front office for their indefensible firing of Susannah Collins and the Blackhawks organization’s blatant sexism and hypocrisy in how they market sex to the fans. I’ve also attacked the organization for how they treat the media like garbage.
And let’s not forget about former CSN Blackhawks reporter Josh Mora.
He really knew his pucks. In my years covering the team, whenever I couldn’t identify a guy on the opposing team on sight in the locker room, I always asked Mora. He truly knew his hockey. If you have a NFL Draft, college basketball or college football question come to me. If you had a hockey question, go to him. He was an extremely nice guy too. Not enough people are talking about Mora now in the wake of what happened to Susannah Collins.
Mora met a similar fate at the hands of the Wirtz-McDonough Reign of Terror.
As I’ve learned this week, everyone is getting really sick of hearing what great people Rocky, John and Jay are. Yes, they’re great businessmen. But they’re certainly not great people. And I really hate that old narrative of “oh, Rocky is so down to Earth because he sits down in section 116 or whatever it is with the rest of us, not up in a luxury box. He’s so populist for a zillionaire.”
Really? Those are some very expensive seats he’s taking up. Especially so with the latest ticket price increases. They’re not exactly affordable by working class heroes. It reminds me of when Sarah Palin tried (and failed) to play the “I’m just an average Jane like you” with the “hockey mom” bit. When you’re a kid, hockey is really expensive. Your parents have to pay a lot of money for all that equipment. What’s so average joe about being a “hockey mom?”
The point is, all the hyper-critical stuff I’ve written the past couple of days has really brought out all the sentiment against this Blackhawks regime. They have a lot of money and power but they’re (deservedly) not well liked. And eventually it all adds up. I’m not talking about karma, I’m talking about business cycles. Teams win or lose, attendance waxes and wanes. This year, getting tickets for the Cubs vs White Sox crosstown series will be…well, somebody will break into your house just to leave you Cubs vs White Sox tickets.
The Sox had attendance issues last year and they were in first place for 114 days out of the season. For the past three years, any time I’ve attended a Cubs game it was either with a media credential, for free from somebody, or for less than $10 off the street. Never ever waste your money on face value for Cubs tickets. They’re in very low demand and you can get them in the secondary market much cheaper.
So if this can happen to the Cubs and White Sox, it can happen to the Blackhawks too. It certainly won’t happen this postseason, or next season. But it can happen again soon. You can only manipulate the message control machine for so long. You can only defecate on the media for so long. You can only raise ticket prices so much. Eventually, you will get served for having gone too far.
Remember in 2008, a Hawks game had fewer people than a nuclear missile testing range. And that was only five years ago.
Things can change fast.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. Heโs also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
Banks has appeared on Comcast SportsNet and the History Channel, as well as Clear Channel, ESPN and CBS radio all over the world. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks)
