Betting on an Underdog Can Pay Off Big
With the streets (and buildings) of Chicago lined with fans, the Chicago Blackhawks paraded east on Washington, north on Michigan and came to a halt at Michigan & Wacker where a rally of an estimated 2 million people were waiting for them; a number that Chicago officials say is the largest celebration the city has ever hosted. But this celebration was not just for the first Stanley Cup Championship in 49 years. It was far more. It was the culmination of the resurgence that started three years ago. Friday was just as much a “welcome back” party as it was a championship celebration. It was the fans showing their appreciation to the entire organization for “committing to the Indian”* and making hockey relevant again in Chicago; something that just five short years ago seemed impossible.
Looking back at the 2005-2006 season, the Blackhawks were a lousy 26-43-13 with 65 total points. Good enough for fourth place in the Central division, ahead of only the perennial basement dwelling St. Louis Blues. The team was being run by Bill Wirtz, zero games were televised, and the average attendance was 5,000. That was all about to change.
In the summer before the 2007 season, Bill Wirtz passed away and team control was given to his son Rocky. Long-time Chicago Cubs executive John McDonough, was brought in as team President and Patrick Kane was selected with the first overall pick (one year after they had selected Jonathan Toews third overall). There was a sense in Chicago that things were starting to change, but it was still a very young team in a very difficult division. Expectations were low and attendance wasn’t much better. But it was at this time that a handful of major sponsors made the choice to take a chance and connect with the team and bank on potential. McDonough’s reputation with sponsors, along with that of marketing executive Jay Blunk, also brought in from the Cubs, gave potential sponsors a good feeling about the direction the Hawks were heading. One of those sponsors was Chicago-based, Harris bank.
In sports , we all know nothing is guaranteed, so partnering with the Hawks was far from a sure thing. But at DEEP, we applaud Harris and the rest of the sponsors who took a chance and aligned with a partner that they felt best helped them reach their objectives. While partnering with a property that is successful in terms of wins and losses is a plus and should be considered in the decision, we contend it is not the only factor that should be looked at. Harris recognized that a sponsorship with the Hawks, in conjunction with their Bulls and United Center deals, was the right move because it allowed them to reach a demographic that they otherwise wouldn’t have. (follow this link to see the Harris Bank ads) And if it turned out that the Hawks fulfilled their potential… that would be icing on the cake.
Well, we all know that the Hawks did fulfill that potential, and riding in their own float at the head of the parade line was Harris Bank. A proud sponsor of the Chicago Blackhawks, who took a chance on a team that paid off big.
*”Commit to the Indian” was an informal expression sometimes used internally by the Blackhawks organization to express a commitment to the organization using the iconish Native American image featured on the club’s jerseys to represent the overall organization.
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Tags: Blackhawks, Harris Bank, sponsorship, sports marketing, Stanley Cup