After a raucous practice session on Saturday at Fifth Third Arena, the Blackhawks found themselves at the center of a heated discussion. Star Connor Bedard, with his magnetic charm, skated over to a crowd of hundreds of kids, tossing up pucks and captivating their attention. Meanwhile, captain Nick Foligno's voice was drowned out across the rink until he finally paused.

Why More Afternoon Games Matter

Connecting with the Demographic

Foligno firmly believes that the NHL should schedule more afternoon games on weekends, not only in Chicago but across the league. "This is his demographic, his age group," he said. "Why not make it so more of these kids can come to the game instead of 7:30 at night on a Wednesday? It's just so dumb." He insists that these comments should be on the record as he feels strongly about the issue. With a talent like Connor Bedard on the team and considering the love for him among that age group, Foligno sees no reason not to play more afternoon games. Especially once the NFL season is over, they should take that time slot to attract more families and allow kids to witness one of the next great talents in the world. This would make the arena even more packed.

The Hawks have already added significantly more afternoon games in the last two seasons. In 2019-20, the final season of John McDonough's presidency, they scheduled only one matinee out of 13 home games on Saturdays and Sundays. As recently as 2022-23, they again had only one matinee, with most Sunday games starting at 6 p.m. rather than 7:30. This season, however, seven of their 15 weekend home games are matinees, including one on Saturday and six on Sunday.

Benefits for Players and Staff

Beyond appealing to kids, Hawks players and staff have their own reasons to appreciate more afternoon games. Foligno pointed out that teams don't really want to morning-skate anymore, so why waste time waiting around for a 7:30 game when they don't do anything in the morning? Getting up and playing allows for easier travel to the next place and a good night's sleep instead of getting home at midnight.

Hawks coach Luke Richardson also emphasized the benefits for athletes. "They get a full, proper meal and proper rest after a game, and you stay on more of a normal schedule," he said. However, he also brought up the challenge of conflicts with college football and the NFL, which is a valid point. The Hawks always avoid scheduling their home games at the same time as Bears home games to avoid competing for ticket sales and TV viewership. This policy eliminates almost half the Sunday afternoons in the fall.

Comparisons with Other Teams

The Flyers are known for their frequent matinees, but they scheduled only one more than the Hawks this season. Eight of their 16 weekend home games have early start times. The Bruins, whom Foligno specifically mentioned, will host seven weekend matinees this season, the same as the Hawks.

Despite the efforts to increase afternoon games, there are still challenges. For example, when the Hawks played against the Blue Jackets at 2 p.m. on a Sunday, their attendance was the second-lowest of the season at 17,393. The United Center felt oddly dead and quiet all afternoon.