Wolves owner Levin is Rocky's, Blackhawks' biggest fan

The man who has single-handedly kept hockey alive in Chicago the last decade couldn't be happier today.

You'd think it would be just the opposite, that Wolves owner Don Levin would be upset by all the attention suddenly heaped on the Blackhawks.

But he's not jealous or disappointed.

On the contrary, Levin is thrilled the Hawks have jumped back onto the sports pages since Rocky Wirtz took over the club and implemented huge changes to a dead franchise that has suffered from horrible coaching, management and ownership the past 10 years -- if not longer.

"You have to understand that the better it is for the Hawks, the better it is for the Wolves, and the better it is for hockey in general,'' Levin explained. "Let's look at what hockey's gone through here.

"When we started here in 1994, there was a lockout in the NHL. When the NHL came back (in January 1995), the Hawks were drawing 16,000 and we were drawing 16,000. It was great.

"Then, you go to now and the total loss of TV coverage and newspaper coverage and radio coverage in Chicago has cost us a ton of fans.

"When no one cares about the Hawks, people aren't paying attention to hockey, and that's bad for us and bad for them. Our customer base went down because the number of hockey fans in general went down.''

So there's no bigger fan of Rocky Wirtz today than the man who served as a nonstop embarrassment to Bill Wirtz for years, simply because the Wolves were able to consistently outdraw the Hawks with such strange concepts as catering to the fans and treating them like human beings.

Bob Pulford disliked the Wolves so much that during the last NHL lockout a couple of years ago, he prevented young defenseman Steve McCarthy from playing for the Wolves, even threatening to blackball him from the NHL.

This was after McCarthy had brought all of his equipment to the Allstate Arena and even skated in a practice.

"There was never any antagonism from our side. Why would I want to be antagonistic?'' Levin laughed. "That was created by others.

"I wish them all the success in the world. The more they have, the more we have. One can't go without the other.

"People who go to hockey games go to both. People who don't go to hockey games won't go to either.

"But now I think you'll see a resurgence. For the first time in 10 years, you're seeing people walking around in Blackhawks jerseys.

"I love it. Rocky's doing everything right. He's bringing the operation up to date and doing some great things. He's got his finger on the pulse, and if he continues to do that I don't see any reason why they can't start drawing 16,000, 17,000 people again.

"It's been a long time since anyone in this market cared if the Hawks won or lost, and Rocky's changing that. That's a good thing.

"We'd love for them to sell out every game. We don't sell out as much as we used to because the hockey market was in such steep decline. But with the buzz coming back, that will be good for both teams.''

There isn't an owner at any level of any sport more beloved than Levin, by his players, by his employees and by his fans.

He treats the entire operation -- and all of his people -- like it's a major-league franchise, so much so that it leaves the people who work for him speechless at times.

He is so incredibly generous and kind to his hockey family that fans naturally would like to see him someday own the Blackhawks or the Cubs, knowing that, if nothing else, his players would run through walls just to return the incredible favors he does for them.

"I think all people want is for the Hawks to be successful, and if Rocky Wirtz can make them successful, he deserves to have the team,'' Levin said. "Nobody cares who has the team. They just want them to win.''

As for the Cubs, Levin is very interested, but he's still waiting to see the details of the sale, including the price and all that accompanies that.

"If they'd ever come out with the book (prospectus), I'd tell you how interested I am,'' Levin said. "I've heard we might see a book this month, but nothing else.

"They're moving at their own speed, but why it's so slow I have no idea. It's really no different today than six months ago. I'm very interested, but we'll see.

"It's the same thing (as the Hawks). It's not important who owns them, but whoever does better want to win, otherwise you're not helping anything.

"Having a sports team is a huge responsibility. You're more of a caretaker than an owner, and your main job is to win.''

Winning is something Levin understands. In 13 years, the Wolves have captured six division titles, five conference championships and three cups. And fans have remained incredibly loyal to the man who made loyalty in Chicago sports a Wolves trademark.

"We have good days and bad days, but it's not as good as it used to be because hockey's fallen so far off the map and there's so much competition for the entertainment dollar,'' Levin said. "We're doing OK, but I'd like to see more hockey fans in general and then we'll do better.''

With a season-high 10,229 last Saturday, and with the crowd in an amazingly festive mood, the Wolves seem to be doing just fine.

"We have fun, that's for sure,'' Levin said. "The secret is that half the people want to see hockey, and the other half are brought with and you have to have something for them.

"That goes back to the Hawks, who for years had nothing between periods, and I think that entertainment helps a lot.

"We're an extremely fan-friendly place and it's our belief that in order to get people there, and get them back, you have to show them a good time.

"It shouldn't feel like you're going to the doctor. You're going to a hockey game. It's not a crazy concept. It should be fun, and we make it fun.''

Something for which Chicago hockey fans should be eternally grateful.

brozner@dailyherald.com