There’s no shortage of fans who own a Patrick Kane jersey or T-shirt, considering he’s been one of the most popular players on the most popular team in Chicago this decade.
Indeed, Kane had the top-selling jersey in the entire NHL last year.
But with Kane under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in western New York—and the Blackhawks taking the ice Tuesday for their preseason opener—some fans are questioning whether they, in good conscience, can continue to wear clothing with his name on it.
Tell us! Are you still wearing your Patrick Kane gear?
“I have not worn my shirsey since the news broke of the investigation,” Blackhawks fan Alex Sonty wrote on Facebook. “I’ll never wear it again.”
Sonty isn’t alone in taking to social media to express his disgust with Kane and the Blackhawks over the allegations, with no shortage of fans calling Kane’s character and maturity into question. But not everyone is willing to mothball their Kane jerseys for good just yet.
Jordan Homa, a 20-year-old student at suburban Judson University who goes by HawksObsessed on Twitter, proudly wore her white Kane road jersey to Blackhawks training camp at Notre Dame last week. Homa said while the allegations bother her, she’s not going to stop wearing No. 88 on her back anytime soon.
“We know allegations,” she said. “There’s no truth yet, so I have no reason to not wear it.”
No charges have been filed in connection with the investigation; prosecutors are preparing to take the case to a grand jury.
While some fans are questioning whether they’ll ever be able to wear their Kane gear out in public, stores haven’t stopped selling it.
“We do not currently have any plans to stop selling his merchandise,” said Eric Castellucci, marketing manager for Wrigleyville Sports at Sheffield and Addison.
A quick check over the weekend of stores throughout Lakeview and Wrigleyville showed every one except for the Sports Authority on Clark Street was carrying some form of Patrick Kane’s No. 88, either in T-shirt or sweater form. Sports Authority sold only blank Blackhawks jerseys, though a customer service associate said the store would be receiving more Blackhawks merchandise as the season drew closer.
Castellucci said his store hasn’t seen much of a change in demand one way or the other since news of the investigation broke.
“We are definitely still receiving orders for his jerseys, shirts and novelties,” he said.
Sports business experts said ultimately, the short-term impact on the Blackhawks’ bottom line should be fairly minimal.
“From Kane’s and the Blackhawks’ point of view – and not necessarily those of the alleged victim or of justice in general – the best thing to do is to make this all go away as quickly and as quietly as possible,” said Michael Leeds, a sports economics professor at Temple University. “For better or worse, the typical sports fan has a remarkably short memory, and the repercussions for the team should be minimal.”
In the long run, however, at least one expert said the Blackhawks need to make one thing clear both inside and outside of the organization so as not to further alienate their fan base and potential sponsors.
“Regardless of the outcome in the Kane case, the team has to not only make it clear that they are committed to having high-character guys on the team, but also reinforce this over time in words and in deeds,” said David Carter, executive director of the Sports Business Institute at the University of Southern California. “If it is not handled well in the eyes of sponsors, advertisers, and others that spend money on the team—including fans—or if such controversies become chronic and the team brand is damaged then impacts will be felt.”
Matt Lindner is a RedEye special contributor. @mattlindner
Chicago Tribune contributed to this report.
