News Article: Blackhawks' biggest loss since '15 Stanley Cup? Almost half their local TV audience

[Fenway]

Not shocking - Chicagoland supports winning teams - The Bears are another universe.

Blackhawks' biggest loss since '15 Stanley Cup? Almost half their local TV audience

What’s the most significant loss for the Blackhawks in the three seasons since their last Stanley Cup championship?

Forget about players and playoff series, or even the postseason berth they failed to earn this year for the first time in a decade.

It’s local TV viewers, who have bailed on the team in droves.

The Blackhawks’ cable TV ratings on their home outlet have plummeted 45 percent in those three seasons, from a 4.3 average household rating in the Chicago area in 2014-15 to 2.36.

Combined with there being fewer TV homes in this market, that represents a loss of 71,708 local homes, per Nielsen estimates.

The Blackhawks averaged 149,521 households watching their games on what was then called CSN in 2014-15, but just 77,873 had the games on the rechristened NBCSCH this season.

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[DisgruntledHawkFan]

They were playing awful, lazy hockey for large stretches. I'm not surprised.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Also there was decent # of games after Crawford went down in which games were trainwrecks from start especially late in year when our ECHL level goaltending and AHL level D was on full display

 

[CallMeShaft]

Problem is, the team's play dropped these last couple years and those damn cubbie bears took over the city. Hopefully the Hawks can get their shit back together next season and the Cubs go back to being a laughing stock.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Cubs/Hawks barely compete for TV viewers as only Oct and April do they overlap

 

[CallMeShaft]

Cubs/Hawks barely compete for TV viewers as only Oct and April do they overlap

It might only be in Oct and April, but them having the success they did made the Hawks lose a lot of viewers for those months.

Not to mention that the Hawks aren't the fan favorite in Chicago anymore. Some people, mostly evil bastards, traded in their red Hawks merch for their cubby blue crap. I'm talking flags, hats, shirts, signs, you name it. A lot less free advertisement for the Hawks.

 

[Blackhawks]

It might only be in Oct and April, but them having the success they did made the Hawks lose a lot of viewers for those months.

Not to mention that the Hawks aren't the fan favorite in Chicago anymore. Some people, mostly evil bastards, traded in their red Hawks merch for their cubby blue crap. I'm talking flags, hats, shirts, signs, you name it. A lot less free advertisement for the Hawks.

That makes no sense, the only reason the Hawks lost viewership is because they sucked and played like absolute garbage, the games were boring to death to watch, golf was more entertaining. It has nothing to do with the Bears, it would only be related if the games overlapped...

 

[CallMeShaft]

That makes no sense, the only reason the Hawks lost viewership is because they sucked and played like absolute garbage, the games were boring to death to watch, golf was more entertaining. It has nothing to do with the Bears, it would only be related if the games overlapped...

If you're not entertained, you could always watch one of the other 30 teams in the league. Please?

And I was obviously talking about the Cubs, not Bears. Do you even know Chicago sports?

 

[Central PA Hawk Fan]

Also there was decent # of games after Crawford went down in which games were trainwrecks from start especially late in year when our ECHL level goaltending and AHL level D was on full display

I lost count of how many times I would tune in and they were already down by multiple goals and we're still hemmed in their own zone. Forget the losing, this team was awful to watch...especially compared to what we witnessed this decade.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I post regularly on a Blackhawks message board and I didn't watch a good amount of games during the death march down the stretch. This isn't surprising. #casualfan

 

[Robsker]

The Hawks, nationally, were down 29% in viewership this past year relative to the previous season. .

Time tends to be rather precious for most people and the Hawks simply were not worthy of watching this past year. the antiquated system Q employs and the team being so down made for some really bad hockey. Being that my local team is the VGN, I stopped by and watched some of their games --- and wow --- the level of hockey was so much more entertaining than the Hawks --- it was an amazing difference. 50+ years of watching the hawks and i found myself navigating towards another team... Sad.

Now, I really hope things drastically change for the Hawks --- but with Q back, that seems unlikely. Money speaks though, as the Hawks continue to spiral down and they are no longer watched, the team will have to make moves. they should have made that move now. Maybe they will this summer.

 

[ColdSteel2]

I don’t care how many Cups you win in how many years, you can’t salt the Earth like they did for 10 years and expect to grow a strong fanbase in the same amount of time. It takes double or triple the time to put that behind you.

The bond is a lot stronger when it is made in people’s younger years. They’ll put up with a lot more. Now, our fans are flaky, they’ll pour money into a winner but completely check out on a loser. We should strive to be one or the other, in between isn’t going to cut it, not at that level yet.

 

[Blue Liner]

I don’t care how many Cups you win in how many years, you can’t salt the Earth like they did for 10 years and expect to grow a strong fanbase in the same amount of time. It takes double or triple the time to put that behind you.

The bond is a lot stronger when it is made in people’s younger years. They’ll put up with a lot more. Now, our fans are flaky, they’ll pour money into a winner but completely check out on a loser. We should strive to be one or the other, in between isn’t going to cut it, not at that level yet.

And this happened. They reached an entirely new generation of kids the past decade. Kids who have grown up Blackhawks fans the same way many of us did in the 80s and 90s (or earlier for some), though probably even greater numbers this time around. Those kids won't stop being fans, and soon they're the ones who will be buying tickets and watching games on tv on their own. Some adults may flake out, but you have a whole generation of kids and youth hockey players who got sucked into all things Blackhawks the past 10 years and I don't think they're going away.

 

[ColdSteel2]

And this happened. They reached an entirely new generation of kids the past decade. Kids who have grown up Blackhawks fans the same way many of us did in the 80s and 90s (or earlier for some), though probably even greater numbers this time around. Those kids won't stop being fans, and soon they're the ones who will be buying tickets and watching games on tv on their own. Some adults may flake out, but you have a whole generation of kids and youth hockey players who got sucked into all things Blackhawks the past 10 years and I don't think they're going away.

I do agree with the point you and others have made about youth hockey. That is a wave that will arrive at some point and we’ll see what the full impact will be later on.

I’m talking about money though. I just read an article that said less than 8% of the population makes 6 figures and 50% of the working population make 30K or less. That’s pitiful, and everything is getting more expensive and jobs are harder to find. As bad as that sounds, we’re all going to look back in 10-20 years on this as the good ole days. IDK.

 

[Blue Liner]

I do agree with the point you and others have made about youth hockey. That is a wave that will arrive at some point and we’ll see what the full impact will be later on.

I’m talking about money though. I just read an article that said less than 8% of the population makes 6 figures and 50% of the working population make 30K or less. That’s pitiful, and everything is getting more expensive and jobs are harder to find. As bad as that sounds, we’re all going to look back in 10-20 years on this as the good ole days. IDK.

Woof, that's brutal. Man.

 

[ColdSteel2]

delete

 

[Sarava]

I would of expected a drop, though not by half. I still watch as many Hawk games as ever (and my house actually counts towards ratings).

I think next they will start to see empty seats at the UC. Who's going to want to drop $250-300 for a pair of mediocre 300 level seats too see a fading team play uninspiring hockey? A co-worker of mine was in on season tickets with a few friends and they all agreed to let their season tickets go this year. They said it was near impossible to move tickets last season.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I would of expected a drop, though not by half. I still watch as many Hawk games as ever (and my house actually counts towards ratings).

I think next they will start to see empty seats at the UC. Who's going to want to drop $250-300 for a pair of mediocre 300 level seats too see a fading team play uninspiring hockey? A co-worker of mine was in on season tickets with a few friends and they all agreed to let their season tickets go this year. They said it was near impossible to move tickets last season.

There will definitely be a step back or correction with demand for tickets, but the glory days were never going to last forever. I have a hard time having much sympathy for season ticket holders who for the 1st time in 8 years couldn't sell their tickets for a significant markup. There will always ebb and flow with the success of the team. I still think the team will be better next year, mostly because it will be hard to be much worse, but the days of selling your tickets for twice face value are probably over for the foreseeable future.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Good thing we have yet another shoehorned Winter Classic coming. Right, NBC?

 

[ColdSteel2]

There will definitely be a step back or correction with demand for tickets, but the glory days were never going to last forever. I have a hard time having much sympathy for season ticket holders who for the 1st time in 8 years couldn't sell their tickets for a significant markup. There will always ebb and flow with the success of the team. I still think the team will be better next year, mostly because it will be hard to be much worse, but the days of selling your tickets for twice face value are probably over for the foreseeable future.

I understand that people didn’t like seeing people pay for part or all of the games they went to by selling games at a markup. However, those were the glory days of people wanting to buy tickets period.

I was in on ST’s, I talked to a lot of other people that were over the years, most were selling games, if not for financial reasons, for the simple fact that they didn’t have time to go to all of the games. If you can buy tickets, that means you have a busy life.

And if there is one thing I know about people with some money, it’s that they tend to look at everything as an accountant would. They are not gamblers. If they are going to have to eat tickets or give them away, they will not renew even if the cost of the tickets is a small part of their spending. And once those spots are vacant, other people on the outside will do a cost-benefit analysis and pass on the opportunity.

 

[Game suspension]

Not really that surprising as you could see it in the secondary market for tickets since the last cup. If people aren't watching they certainly aren't going to want to pay up to go to a game. There will be empty seats next year and I wouldn't want to be holding a huge mitt of expensive tickets.

Next year is going to be a rough one too. The average sports fan in Chicago doesn't really care about hockey until around mid December. If the hawks are even an average team at that time I think you will see the ratings take another hit lower. And personally I don't see them being above average. So welcome to the downside of the slope.

 

[Sarava]

The Hawks need to win the draft lottery on Saturday to get a spike of re-interest. The Hawks haven't added a blue-blooded prospect in forever. Even winning the #2 or #3 pick would be huge.

 

[Game suspension]

And if there is one thing I know about people with some money, it’s that they tend to look at everything as an accountant would. They are not gamblers. If they are going to have to eat tickets or give them away, they will not renew even if the cost of the tickets is a small part of their spending. And once those spots are vacant, other people on the outside will do a cost-benefit analysis and pass on the opportunity.

Kinda says it all. It doesn't paint a great picture for the hawks profitably over the next few years but I am not exactly going to cry a river for Rocky or McDonough.

 

[Enyaw]

Why is this viewership drop surprising? This board has fanatical fans and I bet 1/2 or more of the people on this board didnt even watch games ... for the average person .... you win ... teams watch ... you lose ... people find other things to do

 

[ColdSteel2]

The Hawks need to win the draft lottery on Saturday to get a spike of re-interest. The Hawks haven't added a blue-blooded prospect in forever. Even winning the #2 or #3 pick would be huge.

Right, if the Hawks don’t win a top 3 pick, there is no such thing as the league influencing the draft. We are just way to ripe to win one this year.

I’m not saying I believed it anyway, but it is true that anything that has the potential to be corrupted ultimately will end up so.

Just win, like you said, the future of the franchise pretty much hinges on us winning it.