Blackhawks Sticking With Rockford Thru 2022
According to the Rockford Register Star, the agency that governs the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Blackhawks that runs through the 2021-22 season.
The report also states that IceHogs attendance has grown in seven of its last eight seasons and 31 percent overall since the team joined the AHL in 2007-08. The city of Rockford owns the IceHogs; the contract extension increases the city’s $900,000 annual fee to $925,000 a year in beginning July 1, 2019, and to $950,000 a year beginning July 1, 2020.
I don’t want to start a whole thing. But why does a city own a professional sports team? I can kind of see why they’d own an arena. I know that’s somewhat common, but doesn’t even that go beyond what should be the reaches of governments intended purpose?
Doubt this starts a ‘whole thing’ unless you can find a way to work one of Shaw or TT into it…
Always good to have stability on the farm ,Hawks have committed ,great staff on the Rock.
Lets hope this equates to solid kids coming through the pipe line. Hell knows we need a couple young bucks to push for a role with the Hawks.
Nice Yoda!
Very good question Ernie.
The city owns the team so that it can maintain an anchor tenant (guaranteed revenue generation) for the 40 or so dates throughout the six-month hockey season. Since the IceHogs and the building are owned by the city, the city gets first crack at the gate money.
Wow what a great point Andy.
Ernie…. In regards to your first post, my opinion is yes.