I gotta agree, I've always thought the organ was a great part of the experience at a 'Hawks game and I always enjoyed Frank Pellico. With all of the good changes Rocky Wirtz has made since becoming the owner, this is one move I'm a little puzzled on and would probably give it a thumbs down.

When it comes to a Blackhawks, there are/were a number of traditions that just had to go.

The organ isn't one of them. You need to modernize a bit to gain a new fanbase, but you don't need to completely ignore the past. We're an Original Six team with a great history, that needs to be preserved to some extent.

there were tons of fans in the last 10 years in their 20's, 30's, and 40's who stopped coming for whatever reason.  They understand what the Barton organ meant to the stadium and will wonder what happened to that tradition at the UC.  Not if, but when these fans come back I think some of them will be put off (a little) by this.  I understand how they want to cater to the younger crowd, but with so many of these fans who have matured and have families now the only way they will get their kids to come is to cater to them as well.  I believe they had a happy medium last season of the organ and music.  If you want some piped in "popular" music, go see the wolves play.

For me, I choose the organ.

And I'm the biggest proponent of nostalgia, and 'yesterday REALLY was better....' (Which, I believe, now makes me my father.)

But you know what? Everything changed the second the puck was first dropped at the UC. "Remember The Roar." is just a memory. Now, we hope that the 'roar' comes back -- for a competitive, winning team.  But, it has to be different. Those of us who remember the 'good old days' of the Chicago Stadium -- even without a Cup (I was 6 in 1961, therefore I have no memory of that event) have to realize that in any sporting venue, 'added value' is now a necessity. (The lone exceptions might be Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park. All NFL stadiums are exempt from this, since then NFL already plays to 90%+ capacity)

Whether that 'added value' is a giveaway, or a different atmosphere in the barn -- which might have been OK to the 9K diehards that were at the game, night in, and night out -- changes HAVE to be made. I understand you liked the organ. But I have to believe that the adjustments HAVE to be made to appeal to a younger demographic that demands to be entertained every minute. We are a country suffering from ADD, but WE are the dinosaurs.

I hate the crap that goes on at Petco Park for baseball. All the 'stuff' going on gets in the way of the game, but this is now the norm. (Frankly, I'm amazed that Nancy Faust remains in place at The Cell.)

This great game is on life-support in one of it's original markets. It has minimal TV exposure in America, let alone local telecasts, in Chicago.

The current organ is just a replica of the monster that would have blown out the Stadium, had it even been turned up to "10," anyway. A digital replication.
The original is gone. Let's just remember what was.

Since Rocky W is actually displaying a willingness to do what it takes to bring people into the building -- I say -- go ahead.  Right now, I give the Hawks promtional staff the carte blanche to create a carnival, if necessary, on game nights.

If you have ever visited Bleed Cubbie Blue, I wrote a post regarding game-day shenanigans at baseball parks which is the absolute opposite of what I'm favoring here....but these are desperate times for the NHL, and for the Blackhawks...a league that plays games the night it's inducting people into it's Hall Of Fame. (What a joke!)

If the atmosphere at the UC has to change -- so be it. Hopefully, a winning team is part of the puzzle. However, since William Wirtz marketed the team in a time capsule dated 1967 -- there's so much that needs to be done.

I know many are saying 'this is stuff for minor league hockey,' and to an extent -- that's correct. However, when you aren't even considered a player in a market such as Chicago -- and the AHL Wolves can sell the sport better in Chicago (and conduct a game night party, as do all minor league teams) it's time for changes up and down the spectrum.

The bells and whistles....are now, sadly, a necessity. Back in the 60s/70s, so many youngsters could relate to hockey in Chicago, because we played the game. I think it's a good guess that youth hockey in Chicago isn't at the level it was back when I was a teen.

Hell, we were playing hockey at midnight, just to get ice time which, in that era was booked 24-hrs a day. Now, those suburban rinks are -- Costcos.

A tiny, tiny percentage of kids in Chicago now probably play the game, due to the direction the franchise took in the past 20 years -- or, more properly -- the lack of direction, the neglect. As we all know, the franchise appeared to have its' collective head buried in a sand dune. So, it was out-of-sight, out-of-mind for hockey.

What makes this even harder -- Everybody's played baseball, or thrown a football, or dribbled a basketball, or kicked a soccer ball. (Strangely enough, since we all have a drivers license, we can apparently picture ourselves in the cockpit of a NASCAR vehicle.) But, I believe I can state with absolute confidence that 99% of the people in the stands at any NHL rink for any given game -- have never laced up skates, grabbed a stick, and shot a puck. That makes it a tough sell, right there, because there's no way to relate.

Therefore, if it takes 20-something ice dancer/cheerleaders to add the the experience of a very expensive ticket, and if Coldplay beats out Pellico -- it's OK.

Do something. Do it now.