Blackhawks Ranked #21 On ESPN's Rankings Of Pro Sports Franchises

From chicagoblackhawks.com: (link)

Five NHL teams are among the Top 10 professional sports franchises when it comes to paying fans back for their investment of time, money and passion, according to ESPN the Magazine’s Ultimate Standings report. The Carolina Hurricanes are the top ranked NHL franchise and second overall among all professional sports teams, followed by the Detroit Red Wings (#4), Washington Capitals (#6), Pittsburgh Penguins (#8) and St. Louis Blues (#10). This marks the most NHL teams ever represented among the Top 10 in the report’s seven-year history. The full report is available in the current issue of ESPN the Magazine on newsstands Friday.

The report was the result of exclusive and original analysis by ESPN The Magazine and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, combined with fan feedback data gathered by the consulting firm Maddock Douglas, ESPN.com and GMI NetReflector. More than 50,000 responses were collected. The analysis is used to determine how franchises establish and maintain the greatest overall reward for their fans.

The 2009 Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings topped or tied all professional sports franchises in three categories, including fan relations, ownership and title track. The Capitals ranked #1 in responsiveness to fan feedback.

Click here for the complete listing and explanation of ESPN The Magazine’s 2009 Ultimate Standings.

ESPN THE MAGAZINE 2009 ULTIMATE STANDINGS: THE TOP 25

1 Los Angeles Angels MLB

2 Carolina Hurricanes NHL

3 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL

4 Detroit Red Wings NHL

5 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA

6 Washington Capitals NHL

7 Milwaukee Brewers MLB

8 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL

9 San Antonio Spurs NBA

10 St. Louis Blues NHL

11 Anaheim Ducks NHL

12 New Orleans Hornets NBA

13 Green Bay Packers NFL

14 Indianapolis Colts NFL

15 Tennessee Titans NFL

16 Tampa Bay Rays MLB

17 Houston Rockets NBA

18 Orlando Magic NBA

19 New England Patriots NFL

20 Boston Celtics NBA

21 Chicago Blackhawks NHL

22 Dallas Stars NHL

23 Minnesota Twins MLB

24 Philadelphia Phillies MLB

25 Portland Trail Blazers NBA