Economist Says Blackhawks' Success Having Negligible Effect On Chicago's Economy
(CBS) -- Fans are celebrating the Blackhawks' third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in six years, but, WBBM's Regine Schlesinger reports a sports economist says the team's success isn't having any effect on Chicago's economy.
Professor Allen Sanderson of the University of Chicago says while the Hawks are a feel-good story for the city, their economic impact on the city is negligible.
"Most of the fans are local and any jersey sales they buy and trade down Michigan Avenue is just largely coming out of some other purchase they didn't make," he said. "So the net economic impact is zero."
In fact, he says, of all of Chicago's pro teams, the only one that boosts the economy is the Cubs.
"Because they draw from outside," Sanderson says. "A significant number of fans inside Wrigley Field are not from Chicago where for a Bulls game, a Bears game, a Blackhawks game, a White Sox game, virtually they're all locals."
That's added to the fact that hockey lags well behind football, baseball and basketball in popularity in America.