Winter Classic Creates Buzz For Increasingly Popular Blackhawks

Blackhawks Seeing Strong Ticket Demand For Outdoor Winter Classic Game At Wrigley Field

The Blackhawks since the start of the '06-07 NHL season have increased their season-ticket base from 3,400 to more than 10,000, and with the announcement that they will host the Red Wings January 1 at Wrigley Field in the Winter Classic, the team "might be the league's hottest ticket," according to Kevin Allen of USA TODAY. Blackhawks officials have been "inundated with calls about how to get one of the roughly 41,000 tickets" for the outdoor game. Also, Blackhawks Senior Exec Dir of Ticket & Business Development Chris Werner said that the team "enjoyed a significant bump in ticket sales" after signing D Brian Campbell on July 1 to an eight-year, $56.8M contract. Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon said, "We wanted to rebuild this franchise and make it inviting for others to come, and we are starting to get there. But we aren't where we want to be yet" (USA TODAY, 7/24).

LEADING THE CHARGE: Blackhawks President John McDonough, in a Q&A with BRANDWEEK's Mike Beirne, said of the team, "Before we became relevant we had to dissipate the anger that was there. The fan base was furious for the most part. So we had to get them curious and interested. Really, the only way we see this going forward -- and the ultimate goal -- is to win. We don't anticipate out-marketing anybody or outselling our way to prominence." McDonough said of hosting the Winter Classic at Wrigley, "We talked to everybody. We talked to U.S. Cellular Field, Soldier Field. For the Bears, Jan. 1 falls on a Thursday. They could have a playoff game potentially on Saturday and wouldn't be able to turn the field around fast enough. We understood that. We talked to the folks at U.S. Cellular and for a variety of reasons, it wouldn't work for them" (BRANDWEEK.com, 7/23).