Ten years ago, the Chicago Blackhawks had trouble attracting fans to the United Center. Years of mediocrity coupled with poor ownership decisions led to the Blackhawks being less than an afterthought to most Chicagoans. Last week, the team drew more fans to Soldier Field for the celebration of winning the Stanley Cup than they drew in some seasons!

The Blackhawks were very outdated in their philosophies. The old school of thought was televising home games would translate to empty arenas. This might have been true in the 1950s, but because of this strategy, two generations of potential fans grew up barely knowing anything about the Blackhawks.

The old guard gave way to the new guard several years back, and things started to change. Games started to be televised. The culture started to change. Chicagoans started to discover the team. The Hawks won their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. Previously, they had not won a Stanley Cup since 1961.Last Thursday, there was a citywide celebration like no other. It all started with a two-mile parade through downtown Chicago that ended at Soldier Field, where 70,000-plus fans greeted the champs.

This is as much a business success story as it is a sports story. The Blackhawks turned around their franchise, but they also gave renewed life to so many businesses near the United Center. Suddenly, Chicago’s West Loop was a happening place. The true moral is to listen to your customers and watch your competition. Time had passed the Blackhawks. Now they are setting the pace and the standard.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor