There are two teams that call the United Center home.
Both are at the start of a long 82-game season. Both have lost their leading scorer from last year (Ben Gordon and Martin Havlat) to a rival (the Pistons and the Wild). Both have stars who recently earned a Rookie of the Year win or nomination (Derrick Rose, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Kris Versteeg).
Both teams were ousted from last year's playoffs by their league's defending champion and both are widely considered just a few steps away from being their league's next champion. The two teams that share the United Center have a remarkable amount in common.
So why is one team getting all the buzz?
For years, the Bulls were the darlings of the Windy City. They weren't just a great sports team, they were Chicago. From coast-to-coast and end-to-end, the world was transfixed by the undeniable magic that was Michael Jordan.
The Bulls had some very lean years before they exploded onto the scene for six NBA titles in eight years, including records of 28-54 and 27-55 in the two seasons leading up to MJ's arrival. The club made the playoffs just once in the eight years before Jordan's rookie season, but when fans caught a glimpse of the young superstar in action, Bulls fever swept the city.
A few forgettable playoff appearances and a slew of forgettable lineups later, the NBA had turned into an afterthought in Chicago. That is, until the arrival of the 2008 No. 1 overall draft pick Derrick Rose. And anyone who watched the Bulls last April saw a star in the making as Rose led his team against the Celtics in one of the greatest playoff series in NBA history.
Just like the pre-Jordan Bulls of the late '80s, the Hawks are coming off a long stretch of disappointing seasons. In 2005-06, the Hawks went 26-43-13, second-to-last in their division. In 2006-07, they finished dead last in the Central with a mark of 31-42-9.
When Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane made their debuts with the Hawks in 2007, the team had made the postseason just once in the last decade and hadn't won the Stanley Cup since 1961. In fact, in 2004, ESPN named the Blackhawks the worst franchise in sports.
When things are so bad for so long, it's easy to lose hope. Then again, the slightest sign of improvement may be all a fan base needs to fall back in love with a team. The way things are shaping up, both the Bulls and the Blackhawks should be experiencing epic revivals, right?
Well, two years ago the Blackhawks were 29th in the NHL in attendance with an average of 12,727 fans per game, last season they led the league in attendance, averaging 22,247 fans. Two years ago their season ticket base was just 3,400, last year it jumped to 14,000. This year, there's a waiting list.
Magazines, TV shows, newspapers and blogs have fallen in love with the Blackhawks and their remarkable return to relevance. Hawks tickets are the hottest in town and television ratings for the team's games have skyrocketed.
Attendance-wise, the Bulls do remarkably well, finishing in the top two in the league for five years running. But as of today, a week and a half from the Bulls' season opener, there are still season tickets available.
Rose gets his fair share of magazine covers and Joakim Noah always manages to find his way onto blogs, but the Bulls just aren't as visible as their icy counterparts.
So what gives? If both teams have exciting young players and both are poised to join their league's elite, then why aren't fans embracing the Bulls with the same fervor as they are the Blackhawks?
A lot of reasons.
Expectations. Just 11 years after the Bulls last won a title, the team is still living in the shadow of His Airness. The promise of success in the next few years isn't enough for fans spoiled by the Jordan years. Not enough time has passed for fans to forget how great they had it when MJ was in town. Meanwhile, a large percentage of Hawks fans weren't even alive when they last won it all.
The offseason. The Bulls let go of their leading scorer in Ben Gordon without getting so much as a player or a penny in return. Rather than worry about the 2009 season, all eyes are on 2010, when players like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire and Chris Bosh become free agents. When the focus is on next season, it's hard to create buzz for a team that will just be biding its time 'til next year.
While the Bulls stayed quiet in the offseason, the Blackhawks made a splash by signing the biggest free agent on the market, Marian Hossa. The move made it clear to Hawks fans that the organization was willing to go out and get the talent needed to be the best this season.
Marketing & Accessibility. New Hawks president John McDonough took over before the 2008-09 season and immediately put his unique marketing talents to work. The former Cubs president brought the Hawks games back to television, launched a catchy "One Goal" ad campaign and began looking for partnerships in the community.
For two years running the Hawks have kicked off their season with the Blackhawks Convention, where fans can attend Q & A sessions, get pictures and autographs and more. Blackhawk legends make regular appearances at games as part of their roles as team ambassadors, alums return to be honored during "Heritage Nights" and current players from the team make appearances at events all over the city.
The team has partnered up with everyone from the popular Chicago band Wilco to the crosstown Chicago Bears and funny video clips on Blackhawks TV, a section of the Hawks' website, allow fans to get to know the personalities behind the players. All this in an attempt to get some publicity and buzz for a team (and a sport) that have taken a backseat to the Big Three for years.
Bulls players are far less involved in team-sponsored events and promotions. While they occasionally drop by Blackhawks games to drop the puck or participate in the "Shoot The Puck" promotion, rarely do fans see players from other teams get involved at Bulls games. While the Hawks take pains to allow fans behind the scenes on the road and off the ice, the Bulls and their fans are forced to part ways after practices and games.
Fan favorites like Scottie Pippen may return every once in awhile for major events, like last year's ceremony honoring Johnny "Red" Kerr, but the Bulls haven't established an alumni community the way the Hawks have.
Some may argue that a team shouldn't need lots of bells and whistles. Some diehard Hawks fans think McDonough has gone overboard with marketing campaigns and promotional events. The truth is, a true fan wants a good team, and a good team needs money. The newfound popularity of the Blackhawks can only benefit the team and the organization going forward.
Years ago, the Bulls were the kings of Chicago and the Hawks could barely draw a crowd. Now it seems as though the Bulls might want to take some tips from their roommates at the UC.