Blackhawks President of Business Operations Jaime Faulkner said the team “actually didn’t intend to get the Winter Classic this early,” but drafting rookie C Connor Bedard “has accelerated everything” for the organization, according to Phil Thompson of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Faulkner said that since taking the job in December 2020, the organization “began mapping out a 10-year plan with the NHL, trying to align signature events to when star players might retire or when the Hawks might be -- to put it bluntly -- good again.” She said the Blackhawks were talking to the NHL “about potentially getting it our centennial year (in 2026-27).” She added then the club “realized how much work it is -- after talking to Boston -- to pull off a centennial year.” Thompson noted that ever since the Cubs completed 10 years of renovations at Wrigley Field with a rededication in August 2021, execs and city officials “have been envisioning big sporting events there.” Cubs Chief Commercial Officer Colin Faulkner said the team “always had a desire” to bring the Winter Classic back to Wrigley Field. Colin Faulkner said the Cubs “renovated the entire ballpark,” including adding “heat tracing to make sure that pipes aren’t freezing.” Colin Faulkner also said the last time the event was hosted at the ballpark in 2009, the Cubs “brought in temporary video boards for the game” but this time, they “have actual video boards and club spaces.” The three parties also “had to iron out the details and hash out the revenue split.” Jamie Faulkner said Wrigley Field “didn’t come up as a potential venue until they had such success going back to Fenway” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/13).
