Introduction to Blackhawks’ Attendance
Thanksgiving week was lucrative for the Blackhawks at the box office. The Hawks sold out three times on their four-game home stand, announcing attendances of 20,411 against the Avalanche (Nov. 23), 18,933 against the Wild (Wednesday), 19,755 against the Predators (Friday) and 19,912 against the Ducks (Sunday).
Attendance Trends
Those big crowds to wrap up November boosted the Hawks’ season attendance average up to 18,094 through their first 14 home games, which is lower than their average at this point during each of the last two seasons — 18,567 and 18,662, respectively — but a lot higher than it was in October. The Hawks have climbed up to 11th in the NHL in attendance, and they’ll likely continue that ascent in December. They have only five home games this month, but the first two are against Original Six opponents (the Rangers and Red Wings) and the latter three are scheduled during the Christmas/New Year’s holiday stretch.
Comparison to Previous Seasons
This narrative looks different than it did a month ago. The Hawks struggled considerably at the gate in October, averaging only 16,806 fans per game — well below league average. They failed to sell out the Oct. 11 home opener and then drew fewer than 17,000 fans for four of their next five games — something that happened only four times all of last season. That included a crowd of 15,100 on Oct. 28 against the Senators — their smallest in a span of 90 home games dating back to March 2023.
Factors Influencing Attendance
October is always the hardest month to sell tickets, and the Cubs’ playoff run — in addition to the Bears’ improvement — didn’t help. The Hawks also believe it took some time for their marketing campaigns, which include more visible advertising around the city (such as at bus stops and at O’Hare Airport) than at any other time in recent memory, to influence consumer behavior. More visibility on TV surely helps, too, as much as the lack of visibility last season hurt. Chicago Sports Network’s availability on Comcast this season had led to a 121% increase in the Hawks’ household and direct-to-consumer viewership as of mid-November.
Impact of On-Ice Performance
The Hawks actually don’t believe the team’s unexpected on-ice improvement has had a huge impact yet, but if that competitiveness continues into the new year, it could begin to. Winning leads to good times, and fans that have a good time at the United Center will be more motivated to return soon. That could boost ticket sales in January, which is heavily saturated with 11 home games. It does work in the Hawks’ favor that one of the theoretically least-appealing dates — Monday, Jan. 19 against the Jets — is a hot ticket due to Jonathan Toews’ return.
Attendance Projections
Either way, the Hawks are confident they won’t dip into the 15,000s again this season, barring something unforeseen. They finished last season averaging 18,585 fans per game, and they have plenty of runway left in 2025-26 to get back to close to that number.
League-Wide Attendance Trends
It will also be interesting to see the turnouts of Hawks fans this week at road games in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Anaheim — three warm cities with plenty of Chicago transplants. Thousands of red-clad fans descended on Tampa for the Hawks-Lightning game Oct. 23. Around the league, ticket sales remain strong — continuing a trend since the pandemic — with 15 teams selling out every or nearly every game and all 32 teams averaging more than 87% of their arena’s official capacity. The resurgent Sharks, who played in front of a sparse SAP Center too often in recent years, are a positive story with attendance up more than 2,000 fans per game compared to this point last season. The Wild, who aren’t consistently selling out for the first time in recent memory, are the biggest faller.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Blackhawks’ attendance has seen a significant improvement after a slow start in October. With a strong marketing campaign, increased visibility on TV, and a competitive team on the ice, the Hawks are confident that they will continue to attract large crowds to the United Center.
FAQs
Q: What was the attendance average for the Blackhawks in October?
A: The attendance average for the Blackhawks in October was 16,806 fans per game.
Q: How many home games do the Blackhawks have in December?
A: The Blackhawks have five home games in December.
Q: What is the average attendance for the NHL as a whole?
A: All 32 teams in the NHL are averaging more than 87% of their arena’s official capacity.
Q: Which team has seen the biggest increase in attendance?
A: The resurgent Sharks have seen an increase of more than 2,000 fans per game compared to this point last season.
