…are now on sale, so you better hurry and buy some before they are all gone. Because the team would love you to buy into all the hype.
Two years back, the Blackhawks put their convention passes up for sale in March, if I recall correctly. Last year, the passes went on sale around February. For the 2010 convention, they started hawking (ha!) convention passes back in December 2009. Why so soon? What’s the rush?
“Well, they gotta pay Marian Hossa somehow, right?” suggested my girlfriend Shellie.
Good point. $12 million a season doesn’t raise itself.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the previous two Blackhawks Conventions. But three things about it irritate me:
1. The convention pass prices have gone up, from $50 to $55 to $60. But it’s more or less the same show, with more or less the same number of players signing autographs and pretty much the same number of panel discussions. But in 2008, you could probably get an autograph from a Hall of Fame player like Stan Mikita if you waited in line long enough. In 2009, you could only get such a player’s autograph through a lottery.
2. More people were at the show in 2009 than in 2008. Substantially more-perhaps twice as many. So, we pay more money to wait in line twice as long. You know you’re in trouble when the line for Ben Eager is practically out the door.
3. The passes go on sale sooner each year. Why do I have to pay for something in December if it won’t even happen until the end of July? Sure, I could have held off for a few months, but I decided to buy into the hype instead.
Actually, what prompted me to pay for the passes in December, instead of waiting a bit, was that if I bought them at the Blackhawks Store, then I would not have to pay Tickemaster “convenience fees.” But they only allot so many to the Store, with the rest being sold online via Ticketmaster.I’d rather buy something in December than in April and have to fork over an extra $8 or so per ticket in bullshit “fees.”
So far, the following active and retired players are scheduled to appear:
- Tony Esposito
- Bobby Hull
- Patrick Kane
- Duncan Keith
- Stan Mikita
- Ed Olczyk
- Joel Quenneville
- Denis Savard
- Jonathan Toews
More information about the convention can be found here.
Related Posts:
I was at the first convention and Tony Esposito was escorted from his table while a lot of his fans were still in line waiting for their 30 seconds and an auto from him. I will not blame him though since he wanted to stick around and sign for everyone, but the Hawks forced him to leave, so that he could attend one of the panels.
Bobby Hull, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews all stayed (at least) an hour and a half after the convention closed to sign for every person that waited in line for them. Very classy. But after waiting in line for 6 hours to get Hulls auto, I decided I'd rather hang on to my money and catch them somewhere else that is less crowded and I might be able to spend more than 30 seconds talking with them.
For instance, the winter after the first convention, Bobby Hull just showed up at the Chicago Showcase to sign and I was able to hear a couple good stories from him while just waiting in line. Something that you're not able to get while standing in line at the convention because they keep the folks that are still waiting so far back from where the players are sitting.
Very true. At the first convention in 2008, Stan Mikita stayed well over an hour past his time.
It isn't fair to the players. Of course they want to make all of the fans happy. But six hours is ridiculous.
At least with the lottery system, you either know that you are or are not going to get a 'graph from a VIP player. No waiting in line and hoping that it will happen.
On the other hand, if 1,000 people wait in line for Bobby Hull, that frees up some of the lines for other players. Some of the wait times for both active and retired players were ridiculous.
I'm going to the convention this year. I really want to meet Patrick Kane, u think I will get the chance even if the line is really long?
There is a chance you could meet Kane. Especially if he is signing at the end of the day. Just like they did the first year.
Good luck and have fun.
PatsCards (it won't let me sign in.)
VIP signers like Kane will require you to win one of those "scratch off" lottery cards. I think everyone will get one, and if it's a winner then you will get an auto from either Bobby Hull, Mikita, Esposito, Kane, Toews or Hossa.