HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill – Not too long ago, the Chicago Blackhawks organization was judged to be the worst in sports. A few years later, more than half of Chicago-area households watched their team defeat the Flyers to win the 2010 Stanley Cup.
How did the quick turnaround occur?
That question was answered in spades as the Chicago Blackhawks executive team appeared recently at the Chicago Daily Herald Newsmaker’s Forum – Business of Sports. Speakers included John McDonough – President and CEO…JayBlunk – Executive VP…Stan Bowman – VP & general manager…Al MacIsaac – VP/Assistant to the President…Marc Bergevin – Assistant general manager.
From day one, Blackhawks’ CEO John McDonough has admitted that his job features a great deal of stress.
“Fear is a great motivator. You never want to be labeled as mediocre. Set high standards. It’s also important to embrace challenges. Try new things. In our business, the hiring process is greatly underrated,” McDonough said.
In that regard, McDonough said, “Signing Brian Campbell (now with Florida) was key. That opened the door. That signing helped make Chicago a top destination for the best players in the NHL. Bringing the Winter Classic to Chicago was also key. Jay Blunk and I bugged NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman for weeks. I don’t think Gary will take our phone calls anymore.”
Surprisingly, play-by-play sportscaster Pat Foley’s return to the Blackhawks was also key.
McDonough added, “Originally, Pat refused to return to the Blackhawks. We had to convince him that dramatic changes within the organization were in the offing.”
The fact that the Blackhawks now air all home and away games had to help.
According to Blunk, modernizing the Blackhawk’s business model was also crucial.
Blunk said, “Credibility is important when attracting sponsors. Many of our sponsors had never gone to the United Center to watch a Blackhawks game. Plus, Chicago is a major sports town. We’re battling other area pro sports teams and colleges for sponsorship dollars.”
He added, “Branding is also important. Our organization is fortunate to have many young, talented Canadian players who are awed by Chicago’s greatness. Our players love to get involved with community activities. This has helped turn our players into celebrities. We’ve now established Blackhawk hockey as an entertainment destination.”
Of course, the level of on-ice talent is also a very important cog within a successful hockey organization.
GM Bowman indicated, “When judging players, character is as important as talent. Note that most players only play one-third of a game. Players must accept their role. The ability to fit into a team is important.”
Bowman has implemented a team benefit that’s relatively new to the NHL. The Blackhawks team doctor travels to all road games.
As Bowman put it, “It makes sense. Our players feel comfortable wherever they play. Our entire organization tries to be innovative in that way.”
Bowman also credited the coaching of Joel Quennville.
Assistant GM Bergevin discussed the challenges of scouting.
“When I played, only 15 of 200 kids aged 17 had agents. Today, almost all kids aged 17 have agents, some even younger. It’s a more involved process. You now deal with the player’s family and agent. And the key is to try and determine what each 17-year-old will be like in the next few years.”
Blackhawks VP MacIsaac described how important synergy is to their success.
“We listen to our fans. To each other. And to Blackhawk players from the past. Our on-ice staff communicates with the off-ice staff. We exchange ideas. We needed to respect our history, while creating a new day for the Blackhawks organization,” MacIsaac said.
The “new day” has certainly been a success for the Chicago Blackhawks organization.
Contact Tom.Miller@prohockeynews.com
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