Hizzoner the Hockey Fan

Mayor Richard Daley II and the Blackhawks are raising the City’s International Sports Profile with the NHL’s Winter Classic. Which can only help for 2016

By Paul M. Banks

In Chicago, it is pretty well known that a mayor is a die-hard White Sox fan. (the President-elect as well). But as the Winter Classic draws closer, the Hawks Q rating continues moving north, as does the city of Chicago’s reputation as a sports mecca. All of this greatly helps the city’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.

Here are some highlights from Da Mare’s press conference I attended at Wrigley Field following his examination of the rink being built for the game.

Re: the Hawks

“people are watching it on tv, they’re excited about it and they’re connecting with the players”

Re: hockey

“Hockey’s a great game, a fast game and the more exposure it gets on TV the better off it will be. That has a huge impact. And we’re looking to the future to build more hockey rinks. More indoor hockey rinks. That’s one thing we eventually have to expand in Chicago. The kids want to play the sport and we’ve got more and more high school aged kids who never played hockey more involved in the sport because it’s a great sport for young people

“That’s what sports is all about, The resurgence of hockey, that is the hottest ticket, the Blackhawks for this upcoming new year….We’re very excited about the national hockey league having this game right here in I believe the greatest sports town in the country”

After the speeches, Rocky Wirtz presented Hizzoner II with a special Winter Classic jersey with “Daley 09″ stitched on the back. Later, he was probed by a reporter about how landing this game was another example conveying how Chicago was ready to host the Olympic and Paralympic games. “It brings in major TV with NBC, the Chicago Blackhawks the Chicago Cubs, it brings in the city. So it’s really combination of things, it really doesn’t matter who you’re cheering for; people love their sports in Chicago. And it really helps us {in} how we work the transportation, parking access to and from the stadium, security, outside- all that works together. And that’s what it is, it shows you we can handle large crowds as well,” Daley said.

A brief mayor Daley bio from Wikipedia…

Elected mayor in 1989 and reelected in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007. His 2007 re-election set him on the path to becoming the longest serving Mayor in the city’s history (a record currently held by his father, Richard J. Daley), should he remain in office beyond December 25, 2010.
Daley was chosen by Time in its April 25, 2005 issue as the best out of five mayors of large cities in the United States, and characterized as having “imperial” style and power he has presided over such successes as the resurgence in tourism, the modernization of the Chicago Transit Authority, the building of Millennium Park, increased environmental efforts and the rapid development of the city’s North Side, as well as the near South and West sides. He remains widely popular with city residents, taking over 70% of the mayoral vote in 1999, 2003, and 2007. Recently, he has been in the public eye for playing a significant role in forwarding Chicago as the U.S. bid city for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Prior to serving as Mayor, Daley served in the Illinois State Senate and then as the Cook County State’s Attorney. He also served as the 11th Ward Democratic committeeman after his father passed away until he passed the role on to his brother John P. Daley.