Case: The Chicago Blackhawks:Greatest Sports Business Turnaround Ever?

When Rocky Wirtz took over the management of the Chicago Blackhawks, he needed to turn things around quickly and implement a competitive strategy. There were many decisions made by his father and the previous management team that were not very well received by the fans. These decisions included: trading popular players and personnel, refusing to televise home games, and making poor coaching hires. These decisions resulted in alienation of fan base, decrease in attendance, and decrease in the value of the franchise. First, I would work on obtaining and retaining talented players. This would include brand marketing star players, Towes and Kane, as the future of the franchise and signing them to long-term contracts. By showing this commitment to the players, fans will rally behind the team. In addition, developing a farm system and seeking out other talented players to supplement the team would be necessary as well, which shows commitment to the fans. Next, marketing the Blackhawks both locally and nationally. Eliminating the ban on local television coverage will only help get fans excited about their team, the players and management’s decisions. These changes will help rebuild the fan base, allow for more sponsorship opportunities and ultimately grow revenues. Finally, the Blackhawks need to bring in an experienced head coach that can commit for multiple seasons. By finding a coach who is well liked by both the players and the fans will not only help grow the brand but also develop the players. This would also help the team by drawing in better players that could help in branding it as a “new look” Blackhawks with an experienced coach. These changes of retaining top talent, marketing to the fan base, and developing a winning attitude would reinvent the Chicago Blackhawks into a desirable franchise for the fans, investors and the City of