Editorial Debating Championships
New found love for the Chicago Blackhawks
Issue date: 3/2/10 Section: Opinion
Elizabeth Skarr vs. Benjamin Harley
Referee: Matt Libs
Round 1
Skarr: Why is everyone a hockey fan lately? Really, I feel like the whole city of Chicago has jumped the bandwagon for the Blackhawks for the past couple of years, but this year especially. I do love the fact that hockey has returned to Chicago, but people are just annoying with their "die-hard" attitude, when they cannot name any player on the actual team. There is a fan loyalty that needs to be addressed. The Blackhawk Corporation is, in my opinion, forgetting the true fans that have been with the team during the struggles in the past. Nowadays, it is far too expensive for anyone to go to a game. The prices of tickets have soared right with the popularity of the team lately. It is just obnoxious.
Harley: We live in a capitalist society, which means when you have a product that people want, you can charge more for it. The Blackhawks are popular now because they are the only winning team in Chicago. People like to support winners. Teams that are being supported like to charge the most they can for tickets. It's the American way, Liz.
Libs: It's no lie that winning usually equals an increased fan base for any team. While some fans may be upset by the scarcity of tickets and increased prices, there's really nothing the team can do - it's supply
and demand. Winner: Harley.
Round 2
Skarr: It may be the American way, but it is easy to believe that people will stop attending the games once the buzz dies. What about the devoted fans that showed up before the popularity came back? Why should they be punished just because people like a team that wins and it is "en-vogue" to be a fan? It makes me sick.
Harley: If it makes you sick, why don't you move to Massachusetts you pink, communist scum? The regular devoted fans will have all the opportunity to buy cheap Blackhawk's tickets once the team starts to play poorly again. And don't worry; they are a Chicago team, so that will be pretty soon.
Skarr: It is the respect that every team wants; the respect that there will be fans devoted to them whatever happens. I remember the times when I was able to walk up to the ticket booth at the United Center slap down my student ID and get a reasonably priced 300 section ticket for $8 - and that was only three years ago. Now you have to purchase tickets months in advanced and the cheapest tickets are around $57 for "Standing Room Only!" And as we speak, every game is sold out from now to the end of the season!
Harley: They do deserve the respect that fans like you pay them, but they also deserve the money that fly-by-nighters will give them. You have to look at all the angles here.
Libs: It would be nice if someone's fan-ness determined how many home games someone was able to see, but that's not the case. Although, don't expect the Hawks to be bad all that soon either. They have a talented group of young players that don't seem to have plans to split up as of right now. This problem of lifelong fans getting ousted from their seats by new fans isn't going to go away in a year, or even, in two years. It's the age-old dillema of who is more important to the team - fans with big pockets or with big hearts? Let the money decide. Winner: Harley.
Round 3
Skarr: It is crucial that a team has a strong fan base to do well in the season. The league needs money to operate. Back in the day hockey games were hardly broadcast on television. However, after Wirtz passed away two years ago, the corporation was in agreement and decided to broadcast all home games on television, it added to the love of hockey in Chicago. I get it, more publicity, more fans-- just they shouldn't forget about the rest of us.
Harley: That's a beautiful thought, but I want you to think about this before you go judging all of the new Blackhawk fans out there: maybe they will stay loyal to the team. Maybe these people are just getting into hockey now, but will stay fans for the rest of their lives. Don't be so quick to dismiss them just because they haven't been fans as long.
Skarr: I am not saying that I am the Blackhawks biggest fan, but I don't proclaim how much I am crazy about them either. It is upsetting that it is becoming a fad in many aspects and it is almost impossible to find a ticket for a game now. But you can't have everything I guess, and they better be as true as you are saying Harley!
Libs: There are just those kind of people out there, but you're right, Liz, they are pretty damn annoying. Anyone who has been a lifelong fan of a team hates hearing someone speaking publically about how much they love the team that they know very little about.
Part of this problem could be from the fact that players seem to change teams so rapidly that it's tough to know what to root for - the player or the team. When someone decides to be a "fan" their thoughts and feelings run parallel to the team or player they like. If a team is great one year but bad the next, not as many people will want to come out because they don't want to pay money to be able to share the losses with the team.
But I digress. The matter at hand here is Blackhawks fans that have jumped on the bandwagon this season. There are a lot of them. I don't think we should discourage those who are new to hockey from calling themselves a "Blackhawks fan," but at the same time, if you don't know all that much about the sport besides scoring goals and skating on ice, don't try and pretend like you do. I'm sure there are thousands more who feel exactly the same way you do about these fans, and while I don't think it should determine how many games they are able to go to, I agree that it can be extremely annoying. Winner: Skarr.
Final Verdict
Libs: This is America, and while we may have stolen hockey from our northern neighbors, the NHL lives and breathes in the USA. Money fuels sports teams and unfortunately, hockey games aren't cheap to go see anymore. While Blackhawks fans may not like the increased bandwagon the team's play has sparked, it's good for the overall picture. Go Hawks! Winner: Harley.
Referee: Matt Libs
Round 1
Skarr: Why is everyone a hockey fan lately? Really, I feel like the whole city of Chicago has jumped the bandwagon for the Blackhawks for the past couple of years, but this year especially. I do love the fact that hockey has returned to Chicago, but people are just annoying with their "die-hard" attitude, when they cannot name any player on the actual team. There is a fan loyalty that needs to be addressed. The Blackhawk Corporation is, in my opinion, forgetting the true fans that have been with the team during the struggles in the past. Nowadays, it is far too expensive for anyone to go to a game. The prices of tickets have soared right with the popularity of the team lately. It is just obnoxious.
Harley: We live in a capitalist society, which means when you have a product that people want, you can charge more for it. The Blackhawks are popular now because they are the only winning team in Chicago. People like to support winners. Teams that are being supported like to charge the most they can for tickets. It's the American way, Liz.
Libs: It's no lie that winning usually equals an increased fan base for any team. While some fans may be upset by the scarcity of tickets and increased prices, there's really nothing the team can do - it's supply
and demand. Winner: Harley.
Round 2
Skarr: It may be the American way, but it is easy to believe that people will stop attending the games once the buzz dies. What about the devoted fans that showed up before the popularity came back? Why should they be punished just because people like a team that wins and it is "en-vogue" to be a fan? It makes me sick.
Harley: If it makes you sick, why don't you move to Massachusetts you pink, communist scum? The regular devoted fans will have all the opportunity to buy cheap Blackhawk's tickets once the team starts to play poorly again. And don't worry; they are a Chicago team, so that will be pretty soon.
Skarr: It is the respect that every team wants; the respect that there will be fans devoted to them whatever happens. I remember the times when I was able to walk up to the ticket booth at the United Center slap down my student ID and get a reasonably priced 300 section ticket for $8 - and that was only three years ago. Now you have to purchase tickets months in advanced and the cheapest tickets are around $57 for "Standing Room Only!" And as we speak, every game is sold out from now to the end of the season!
Harley: They do deserve the respect that fans like you pay them, but they also deserve the money that fly-by-nighters will give them. You have to look at all the angles here.
Libs: It would be nice if someone's fan-ness determined how many home games someone was able to see, but that's not the case. Although, don't expect the Hawks to be bad all that soon either. They have a talented group of young players that don't seem to have plans to split up as of right now. This problem of lifelong fans getting ousted from their seats by new fans isn't going to go away in a year, or even, in two years. It's the age-old dillema of who is more important to the team - fans with big pockets or with big hearts? Let the money decide. Winner: Harley.
Round 3
Skarr: It is crucial that a team has a strong fan base to do well in the season. The league needs money to operate. Back in the day hockey games were hardly broadcast on television. However, after Wirtz passed away two years ago, the corporation was in agreement and decided to broadcast all home games on television, it added to the love of hockey in Chicago. I get it, more publicity, more fans-- just they shouldn't forget about the rest of us.
Harley: That's a beautiful thought, but I want you to think about this before you go judging all of the new Blackhawk fans out there: maybe they will stay loyal to the team. Maybe these people are just getting into hockey now, but will stay fans for the rest of their lives. Don't be so quick to dismiss them just because they haven't been fans as long.
Skarr: I am not saying that I am the Blackhawks biggest fan, but I don't proclaim how much I am crazy about them either. It is upsetting that it is becoming a fad in many aspects and it is almost impossible to find a ticket for a game now. But you can't have everything I guess, and they better be as true as you are saying Harley!
Libs: There are just those kind of people out there, but you're right, Liz, they are pretty damn annoying. Anyone who has been a lifelong fan of a team hates hearing someone speaking publically about how much they love the team that they know very little about.
Part of this problem could be from the fact that players seem to change teams so rapidly that it's tough to know what to root for - the player or the team. When someone decides to be a "fan" their thoughts and feelings run parallel to the team or player they like. If a team is great one year but bad the next, not as many people will want to come out because they don't want to pay money to be able to share the losses with the team.
But I digress. The matter at hand here is Blackhawks fans that have jumped on the bandwagon this season. There are a lot of them. I don't think we should discourage those who are new to hockey from calling themselves a "Blackhawks fan," but at the same time, if you don't know all that much about the sport besides scoring goals and skating on ice, don't try and pretend like you do. I'm sure there are thousands more who feel exactly the same way you do about these fans, and while I don't think it should determine how many games they are able to go to, I agree that it can be extremely annoying. Winner: Skarr.
Final Verdict
Libs: This is America, and while we may have stolen hockey from our northern neighbors, the NHL lives and breathes in the USA. Money fuels sports teams and unfortunately, hockey games aren't cheap to go see anymore. While Blackhawks fans may not like the increased bandwagon the team's play has sparked, it's good for the overall picture. Go Hawks! Winner: Harley.
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