John McDonough fired

[Spunky Porkstacker]

They didn't air all home games until McD took over -- fairly certain of it. Before he took over, the Hawks were slowly (and I mean, slowly) televising a couple home games one season, a couple the next. I remember it being big news: "Whoa, the Hawks are televising ELEVEN home games this year instead of the seven they aired last year!!!" etc.

That's the way I remember it as well with a few more games being aired at the beginning of the run and the following season all games were on. But that was pretty much a no brainer McD deserves no credit for that, Rocky talked about that as soon as Dollar Bill passed, RIP. McD does deserve credit for maximizing profits from sponsorships etc, getting the Winter classic, convention. Having Foley back seems like a probable no brainer as well.

 

[LordKOTL]

They didn't air all home games until McD took over -- fairly certain of it. Before he took over, the Hawks were slowly (and I mean, slowly) televising a couple home games one season, a couple the next. I remember it being big news: "Whoa, the Hawks are televising ELEVEN home games this year instead of the seven they aired last year!!!" etc.

I should have been clearer. They didn't air *all* home games before McD came on board, but they started airing them as soon as $Bill died...I remember the commercials (Kaner, Soda), but I was a bit hazy on whether or not McD was pulled in when they did so--I thought he wasn't.

But as @Spunky Porkstacker mentions, I don't think that's a McD credit for the home games being televised...that already was happening. McD does deserve credit for other things, but not that.

 

[Granada]

That's the way I remember it as well with a few more games being aired at the beginning of the run and the following season all games were on. But that was pretty much a no brainer McD deserves no credit for that, Rocky talked about that as soon as Dollar Bill passed, RIP. McD does deserve credit for maximizing profits from sponsorships etc, getting the Winter classic, convention. Having Foley back seems like a probable no brainer as well.

Gotta disagree -- yeah, perhaps no-brainers, but nevertheless, you got to give him credit where it is due. These were necessary moves and at the end of the day, he got them done. I'm sure it wasn't easy righting all the spite that Bill created.

 

[Granada]

I should have been clearer. They didn't air *all* home games before McD came on board, but they started airing them as soon as $Bill died...I remember the commercials (Kaner, Soda), but I was a bit hazy on whether or not McD was pulled in when they did so--I thought he wasn't.

But as @Spunky Porkstacker mentions, I don't think that's a McD credit for the home games being televised...that already was happening. McD does deserve credit for other things, but not that.

Well, he completed the task, pretty much immediately. I think it's extreme to say he deserves absolutely no credit for it, but that's me.

 

[anotheridiot]

really cant give credit for Mc Donuts getting the games on TV, that had more to do with the titles and more cable networks needing material.

 

[Granada]

really cant give credit for Mc Donuts getting the games on TV, that had more to do with the titles and more cable networks needing material.

I highly doubt networks were just dying to get a team that had pretty much been wiped off the face of the earth and ranked light-years behind the other big 3 sports teams in terms of ratings.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Gotta disagree -- yeah, perhaps no-brainers, but nevertheless, you got to give him credit where it is due. These were necessary moves and at the end of the day, he got them done. I'm sure it wasn't easy righting all the spite that Bill created.

I'm sure most of whatever spite it is you're talking about left with $Bill's passing and having an exciting, talented young team on the ice. People were excited and ready for a winner.

 

[Granada]

I'm sure most of whatever spite it is you're talking about left with $Bill's passing and having an exciting, talented young team on the ice. People were excited and ready for a winner.

I meant the spite understandably held by people like Mikita, Hull, Tony-O, Foley, etc. There had to be overtures to them, and by McDonough himself, to bring them back into the fold. Foley himself has gone on record stating that he wouldn't be back if it wasn't for McDonough.

I don't want to die on this hill -- for all I know, all those stories about McD being a prick are true, who knows -- but I do think he accomplished some good things during his tenure. Sure, people can try to downplay them now with speculation, claiming it was "easy" (no one knows either way) or that they were no-brainers, but at the end of the day, the undeniable fact is that McDonough wasted no time and got them done; and that he had more than a full plate when he was hired. Will I miss him? No, but I do give him some kudos.

 

[hawkinmontreal]

McDo changed the landscape for the Hawks, took them from a joke of a franchise to one of the best franchises in all of sports. What was he like behind closed doors or in the office or how he treated his employees was the job of Rocky to oversee not the fans of the hockey team.
Did he orchestrate the departure of Tallon, maybe, did help send Q packing possibly but let’s cut to the chase here. 5 years no playoff wins, 3 years no playoffs, a bloated salary, and a GM he oversees that has done nothing in the last 5 years but sink this team further into the ground.
Wirtz finally opened his eyes and after deep thought made the right choice to move on and change the mindset of this team.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

McDo changed the landscape for the Hawks, took them from a joke of a franchise to one of the best franchises in all of sports. What was he like behind closed doors or in the office or how he treated his employees was the job of Rocky to oversee not the fans of the hockey team.
Did he orchestrate the departure of Tallon, maybe, did help send Q packing possibly but let’s cut to the chase here. 5 years no playoff wins, 3 years no playoffs, a bloated salary, and a GM he oversees that has done nothing in the last 5 years but sink this team further into the ground.
Wirtz finally opened his eyes and after deep thought made the right choice to move on and change the mindset of this team.

So you're saying McD changed the landscape. The product on the ice changed the landscape, he happened to get the gig at the beginning of a dynasty which the players get credit for not him, he didn't come down on the ice in any game 7s and help with a win. Sure he did all the right things as president but that wouldn't have been possible with a team of mediocre players, he'd just go down as another hockey exec.

 

[MassHavoc]

So you're saying McD changed the landscape. The product on the ice changed the landscape, he happened to get the gig at the beginning of a dynasty which the players get credit for not him, he didn't come down on the ice in any game 7s and help with a win. Sure he did all the right things as president but that wouldn't have been possible with a team of mediocre players, he'd just go down as another hockey exec.

It's actually kinda funny cause when he was hired we made a list on the boats I think it wss even the hawks board but it might have been IHN. Anyway it was a list of things he needed to do to turn it around and it wasn't rocket science. It was pretty dead on and he basically just did the obvious to appease fans. From there all he did was steal what he did at the cubs. Nothing special no real innovation. And now that the talent is running out from when he got here you have a guy with no hockey background responsible for turning it around. That just doesn't work that way and probably why this is happening is Rocky understands he can't win on Star power and marketing. That doesn't rebuild a team from the ground up because essentially even with the core intact they almost do more damage than good for the future at this point.

 

[MassHavoc]

That's the way I remember it as well with a few more games being aired at the beginning of the run and the following season all games were on. But that was pretty much a no brainer McD deserves no credit for that, Rocky talked about that as soon as Dollar Bill passed, RIP. McD does deserve credit for maximizing profits from sponsorships etc, getting the Winter classic, convention. Having Foley back seems like a probable no brainer as well.

They only aired the national games when they were at home, it was the ESPN games and VS game or whatever it was before that. And that meant playoff games as well but ummm.. I don't remember any of those at that time hah.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

They only aired the national games when they were at home, it was the ESPN games and VS game or whatever it was before that. And that meant playoff games as well but ummm.. I don't remember any of those at that time hah.

I thought I remembered WGN picking up a game or two but it may have been the 2nd year when they actually had more games over the course of the season.

 

[hawkinmontreal]

So you're saying McD changed the landscape. The product on the ice changed the landscape, he happened to get the gig at the beginning of a dynasty which the players get credit for not him, he didn't come down on the ice in any game 7s and help with a win. Sure he did all the right things as president but that wouldn't have been possible with a team of mediocre players, he'd just go down as another hockey exec.

Yes that’s what I am saying, the product on the ice obviously had a huge significance, however it wasn‘t entirely on them. Don’t feed me this Shit about game 7 victories when you damn well know the management team behind the scenes can’t exactly dictate a game by being on the ice.
After Bill this team was in shambles, the laughing stock of the damn league, the front office did not even have a receptionist, there wasn’t even an office space for employees. John brought this team back to life through media exposure, the outdoor games, marketing and advertising. He fired up the fans with the One Goal idea that rang through there minds for years to come, that slogan held water and became very catchy. What about everyone behind the scenes who help the players with there everyday schedules, employees. You may think they have zero credibility in helping this team come back to life, but Your wrong. The Chicago Blackhawks are a Business and McDo helped shape this team for the last 13 years.
In relation to your comment about him being another hockey exec, than can be said about anyone in management but don’t for a second minimize the work he had done for this team.
I am certainly happy he was released, his time was up, but I won’t discredit the hard work he put forward.

 

[MassHavoc]

I thought I remembered WGN picking up a game or two but it may have been the 2nd year when they actually had more games over the course of the season.

Maybe. But I thought they we more a Grinch thing because of the connection to the Cubs can't remember.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Maybe. But I thought they we more a Grinch thing because of the connection to the Cubs can't remember.

Probably was.

 

[LordKOTL]

Well, he completed the task, pretty much immediately. I think it's extreme to say he deserves absolutely no credit for it, but that's me.

My memory is hazy on it, but I seem to recall what happened was as soon as Rocky took over, he started putting home games on TV--some, not all. I believe it was after the season started so the feel I got was that they came so late in the scheduling game that they simply *couldn't* put them all on TV. Then McD came in and he tried to get them all on TV for the next season.

I would like to think that they would have been all on TV regardless...but it's just my guess.

I meant the spite understandably held by people like Mikita, Hull, Tony-O, Foley, etc. There had to be overtures to them, and by McDonough himself, to bring them back into the fold. Foley himself has gone on record stating that he wouldn't be back if it wasn't for McDonough.

I don't want to die on this hill -- for all I know, all those stories about McD being a prick are true, who knows -- but I do think he accomplished some good things during his tenure. Sure, people can try to downplay them now with speculation, claiming it was "easy" (no one knows either way) or that they were no-brainers, but at the end of the day, the undeniable fact is that McDonough wasted no time and got them done; and that he had more than a full plate when he was hired. Will I miss him? No, but I do give him some kudos.

For guys like Foley, Mikita, Tony-O (Not Hull for Voynov reasons), I do give McD credit...and stuff like that was in his wheelhouse as a marketer. Ditto if he was indeed the driving force behind the Hossa "splash" over Marty "I have trouble jumping over the boards" Havlat. I'll even throw in getting the Outdoor games even though our record outside is worse than the Washington Generals.

But in terms of the succession plan? Yeah, Stan, and he by proxy of not axing Stan when Stan needed to be axed, are to blame IMHO. It was like he wanted to rest on the success of the hype he built and the wins Smith/Tallon's acquistions build as opposed to moving to the next phase as the core ages.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Yes that’s what I am saying, the product on the ice obviously had a huge significance, however it wasn‘t entirely on them. Don’t feed me this Shit about game 7 victories when you damn well know the management team behind the scenes can’t exactly dictate a game by being on the ice.
After Bill this team was in shambles, the laughing stock of the damn league, the front office did not even have a receptionist, there wasn’t even an office space for employees. John brought this team back to life through media exposure, the outdoor games, marketing and advertising. He fired up the fans with the One Goal idea that rang through there minds for years to come, that slogan held water and became very catchy. What about everyone behind the scenes who help the players with there everyday schedules, employees. You may think they have zero credibility in helping this team come back to life, but Your wrong. The Chicago Blackhawks are a Business and McDo helped shape this team for the last 13 years.
In relation to your comment about him being another hockey exec, than can be said about anyone in management but don’t for a second minimize the work he had done for this team.
I am certainly happy he was released, his time was up, but I won’t discredit the hard work he put forward.

He does deserve credit for maximizing profits and getting the front office out of the dark ages. But that young core was on the way to a dynasty regardless of who the team president was. The hockey world had already began to notice before McD and would have with John Smith as team president.

 

[hawkinmontreal]

He does deserve credit for maximizing profits and getting the front office out of the dark ages. But that young core was on the way to a dynasty regardless of who the team president was. The hockey world had already began to notice before McD and would have with John Smith as team president.

Spunky I am not disagreeing with you, with the team that was being assembled in front of MCDo it was hardly difficult to **** up a Marketing campaign. All I am saying is, personal behind the scenes often are left out when the product on the ice is so superior. He did a good job, we can leave it at that.

 

[Diehardfan]

Oh, the landscape was most definitely changed......Chicago became the place to be for NHL players instead of the place to avoid. In McD's first season they sent out an incredible 43 players different players onto the UC ice.....sure they had some of the pieces like Kane, Toews, Keith and Sharp but they also played a list of some of the worst players ever to play in the NHL. In the following season they pared that down to about 30 as they cleared out the trash. In the mean time.....attendance was slowly starting to rise....fans weren't buying in just yet. The Hawks were 29th in avg attendance under the previous regime but in McD's first year they jumped up to about 15th. Putting the home games on TV was a great move to sell the product....he called it a "three hour ad for our team". By his second year they were leading the league in avg. attendance....a spot they've occupied ever since.

At the UC itself, the change was noticeable as fans were now being treated as customers instead of annoying intruders....a game in 2008 my son and I attended, they were hawking season's tickets at a concorse booth and the conversation started to go long. They asked for our seat numbers and came to us between periods....after hundreds of games at the Chicago Stadium being treated as one of the building rats, I was stunned by this.

He was never a hockey guy and will probably never be one but he sure knows how to turn around a sports franchise. I would never say having an up and coming team didn't help things along.....but I will say this....how good have the Hawks been the last the 3 years? Despite some pretty inept hockey, they have led the league in avg attendance in all three of those years. There is more to it than just having a good team.

As a far as the home game broadcasts.....before McD, the only games broadcast were games mandated by the NHL by television contract obligations. At one time, they did try a cheesy pay service called ON-TV that was a total disaster. I think that was an Einhorn/Reinsdorf enterprise as if memory serves, the Bulls and White Sox were involved. No home games on WGN till McD used his in with them from his years at Wrigley Field.