Come Together: White Sox Host Blackhawks Night At U.S. Cellular

The White Sox last night during the second game of a doubleheader against the Blue Jays hosted Chicago Blackhawks Night at U.S. Cellular Field as part of their ongoing partnership with the NHL team. CSN's Ken Harrelson and Darrin Jackson called the game from the centerfield “Fan Deck,” and both were wearing a customized Blackhawks hockey jersey, hat and hockey gloves at the start of the broadcast. Blackhawks Chair Rocky Wirtz said before the start of the game, "A thousand (Blackhawks) fans are out here tonight ... excited to support the Hawks and the White Sox.” Wirtz added he did not think the Blackhawks are "going to have a ... game without a sellout the whole year.” Blackhawks President John McDonough appeared in the broadcast booth during the third inning and said of the United Center, "We’ve got to fill that building every night. We’ve got to reinvigorate this franchise.” McDonough later talked about the NHL Winter Classic game being played between the Blackhawks and Red Wings on January 1 at Wrigley Field. McDonough called the game the "Blackhawk Bowl" and said, "It could have gone to a number of other cities. We’re thrilled to be hosting it here and we’re going to be great hosts, but more importantly we want to win that game. It’s going to be a defining moment in our franchise” (“Blue Jays-White Sox,” CSN, 9/9).

COMBINING FORCES: Blackhawks Senior VP/Business Operations Jay Blunk and White Sox VP & CMO Brooks Boyer appeared on CSN’s “Chicago Tribune Live” prior to the game from U.S. Cellular Field. Boyer said of the partnership between the Blackhawks and White Sox, “To be able to combine our two brands … seemed to sync up really, really well.” Blunk said, “To drop our brand right in the middle of a pennant race has been a great opportunity for us.” Blunk: “With the Blackhawks brand, we’ve got this great fan base but we’ve got to be bold, we’ve got to try things that haven’t been done before" (“Chicago Tribune Live,” CSN, 9/9).

CONTROL DECKS: In Chicago, Fred Mitchell reported "discussions are under way to determine whether the NHL will have control over the rooftop decks overlooking Wrigley Field" during the Red Wings-Blackhawks game on January 1 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/9).

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