Rocky Wirtz (1952–2023), Chicago Blackhawks owner
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2 min readRocky Wirtz was the owner of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks since 2007.
- Died: July 25, 2023 (Who else died on July 25?)
- Details of death: Died at a hospital in Evanston, Illinois, after a brief illness at the age of 70.
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Rocky Wirtz’s legacy
Wirtz inherited a struggling team upon the death of his father, Bill Wirtz (1929–2007). The Chicago Blackhawks franchise had been in the family since Wirtz’s grandfather, Arthur Wirtz (1901013), acquired it in 1966, but they had not won a Stanley Cup since before the beginning of the Wirtz era. In fact, in 2004, ESPN named the Blackhawks the worst team in professional sports. When he took the reins in 2007, Wirtz would work to reverse the team’s fortunes.
Wirtz appointed a new president and brought in strong new players, building a team with the potential to win. He worked with TV networks to have all Blackhawk home games aired, bringing the home team to more new, younger fans. Wirtz catered to those fans by calling for more prerecorded music to replace the classic organ music at games, ushering in the team’s new theme song, Chelsea Dagger, played when the Blackhawks scored. And he renewed ties with former players whose relationships with his father had soured, making team ambassadors of greats like Tony Esposito (1943–2021) and Stan Mikita (1940–2018). Under Wirtz’s leadership, the 2009-2010 Blackhawks brought home the Stanley Cup for the first time in almost 50 years. They would win it again in 2013 and 2015.
Wirtz’s reputation took a hit when scandal shook the Blackhawks in 2021 news broke that the front office had covered up a former coach s sexual assault of a player. Although an investigation determined that Wirtz had not been aware of the assault, his angry tirade at a news conference went viral, damaging some of the goodwill he had built with fans.
Wirtz also led Breakthru Beverage Group, previously Wirtz Beverage Group, a liquor distributor he also inherited from his family.
Tributes to Rocky Wirtz
Full obituary: The Chicago Sun-Times
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