STURM UND DRANG: The Trials and Tribulations of Blackhawks Fans
Yesterday the Chicago Blackhawks put single-game tickets on sale. To our knowledge, nobody was able to score any better than Standing Room for any game. Not even Edmonton. Although, to be fair, did anyone even try for the Edmonton games?So everyone got into their virtual waiting rooms and at 10 sharp (a very handsome man) yesterday morning, everyone clicked their little asses off, all trying for Opening Night at the same time, and everyone got shut out.
A few minutes later, you could go onto StubHub, and there were blocks of up to 20 seats available, albeit at over quadruple face value. Twitter lit up with outraged Hawks fans, angry over the injustice of it all.
To them, I offer this:
Boo-fucking-hoo.
Look, I'd like to go to Opening Night as much as anyone. Hell, I'd buy a full season ticket if they'd let me. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the layout a couple years ago when they had them, so now I'm on the waiting list. Know what? Them's the breaks.
I know, the people who will be there for the banner raising won't be "real Blackhawks fans". The Hawks are using the secondary market to screw us over. Fine, i get it. But here's the thing...as much as everyone wants to canonize Rocky Wirtz, the fact is that he's not a saint, he's a businessman. And he's in this to make dough.
He hired John Mcdonough to be the President of the Blackhawks, and he did it knowing McDonough oversaw the Chicago Cubs, a franchise who managed to not let a century of futility prevent full houses every night. The Cubs also went to court to fight for their right to get top dollar for their commodity, in this case tickets.
If you want to go to the Opener bad enough, there are tickets. If you want to go bad enough, you'll forego something (rent, groceries, Grandma's insulin) in order to buy a ticket. But here's the thing...
The last time the Hawks had a banner raising, the place was packed. If you couldn't get in the building, you were completely SOL. You had Foley on the radio, and that was it, baby. At least now you can watch the festivities from the comfort of your own home, or your favorite watering hole, whatever. The fact is, you can at least watch it.
Tickets are tough to come by. That's the price you pay for the Stanley Motherfucking Cup. You wanted the Cup? You've got the Cup. Deal.
Maybe you diehards don't remember how tough Bulls tickets were to come by while Michael Jordan was in town. Hell, Cubs or Sox playoff tickets are damn near impossible, and those buildings are twice the size of the United Center.
Last night we had two Leafs fans on, and they talked about how damn near impossible Leafs tickets are to get. And that's the Toronto Maple Leafs. Imagine if that team was a playoff team, let alone the Cup champions.
So we're going to have to accept the fact that we can't get in. But here's a simple fact, one that nobody really wants to admit...
The injustice of it all, and the screwing of the fans, and the "bandwagon fans" issues would evaporate into the ether the second you got a ticket.
Spot On!
Reply to this
Great freakin' article!! I agree with every mother-lovin' word. AND there is not a single person on the planet who would not take advantage of this rare opportunity to line their pockets. God I love free markets.
Reply to this
Apparently Vladimir Putin is studying McD's business model and may hire him on as next boss of the KHL. But this rumor is unconfirmed.
Reply to this
Hey, anyone that wants to go back to the "glory days" when the Hawks were our little secret - where the fuck were you on a Tuesday in January when the Flames were in town playing the Hawks in front of 8,000 fans?
Nice work Fork.
Reply to this
Every word the truth. I got three games, blues pens and sharks. But it was pure luck. Like you said at least we have TV
Reply to this
The secondary-market bullshit aggravates me to no end. Why not just raise the face prices to reflect the actual demand?
I didn't expect to be able to get tickets to a home game this year for precisely the reasons that Fork is talking about. At the same time, I'd rather pay the inflated price to the "official" source and not have to worry about getting gypped by Stub Hub, some dude in a trenchcoat, etc.
Also, people outside the Chicago area get screwed in terms of the television rights. It's almost impossible to get Versus here in Indiana, much less WGN or Comcast. For me to get Versus, I have to buy a DirecTV package that includes the NFL network, which more than triples the price. That limits me to Versus and NBC.
Admittedly, DirecTV's predatory practices have nothing to do with the Blackhawks' organization, but there are plenty of fans getting screwed by the system, one way or another.
Reply to this
www.atdhe.net
You will not have to worry about missing a Blackhawks game or any other game for that matter.
Enjoy.
Reply to this
Thanks! I had been watching most games after the fact on Hulu.
Reply to this
Real question is how many of the tickets were bought outside by scalpers using the internet
Reply to this
I was able to get two Lexus Club tickets on October 16th against the Sabres.
Reply to this
(checks tickets) Phew. don't have that one.
But I anxiously await the 10/17 "The Hawks Need Ryan Miller" piece.
Reply to this
For the record, I think Pat Foley was about five years old when they had their last banner raising.
Reply to this
But what about us blue-collar fans?
Reply to this
Who needs a car CT?
Reply to this
Why does it say view comments (30), when it's so clear that only 15 comments have been made on this post? The shareholders of this website demand accurate reporting.
Reply to this
The shareholder's manager says for you to shut up.
Reply to this
CT was told there wouldn't be any math.
Reply to this