Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz Faces Backlash After Dismissing Reporters' Questions About Sex Abuse Scandal, Preventing Abuse In The Future
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz was facing a backlash Thursday after berating reporters at a townhall event the night before.
As CBS 2's Matt Zahn reported, this comes as the Blackhawks may be facing three new lawsuits stemming from the sexual assault allegations against former video coach Brad Aldrich.
Former Blackhawks minor league player Kyle Beach revealed back in October that he was the "John Doe" who claimed then-video coach Brad Aldrich had sexually abused him during the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup-winning 2010 season.
On Wednesday, the Blackhawks put on a townhall event with the news media and fans invited. New Chief Executive Officer Danny Wirtz – the son of Rocky Wirtz – and new President of Business Operations Jamie Faulkner outlined how the organization is moving forward, and was supposed to be all about transparency.
Rocky Wirtz took extreme issue with two reporters' questions about what the Blackhawks are doing going forward to prevent any kind of abuse from happening in the future.
Mark Lazerus, senior Blackhawks writer for The Athletic, directed his question to Blackhawks Chief Executive Officer Danny Wirtz.
"I know we're looking forward here, but I think we have to look back also – and I think much of what happened to Kyle Beach stemmed from a power imbalance between a coach and a player and the powerlessness of a player in this situation," Lazerus said. "So what are the Blackhawks doing? What have the Blackhawks done? What will the Blackhawks do to empower a player in a similar situation to make sure that doesn't happen again?"
Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz – Danny Wirtz's father, of course – answered the question instead.
"I think the report speaks for itself. The people that were involved are no longer here, and we're not going to talk about what happened," Chairman Wirtz said. "We're moving forward. That is my answer."
Danny Wirtz offered to "pick up to what we are doing today," but Rocky Wirtz said that would not be happening.
"That's none of your business. What we're going to do today is our business. I don't think it's any of your business," Rocky Wirtz said, directing his comment at Lazerus.
When Lazerus asked how it was not his business, Rocky Wirtz said: "You don't work for the company. If someone in the company asks that question, we'll answer it."
Chicago Tribune Blackhawks reporter Phil Thompson also brought up the sexual abuse scandal and an investigation by law firm Jenner & Block.
"I'm sorry – I'm a little mystified here because during the Jenner & Block briefing, you guys talked about a change in culture, and transparency, and demonstrating the new culture and values that are going to protect players and protect the organization in the future – and it seems like the second that we asked a question about that, it's met with resistance," Thompson said. "So I'm going to ask it again."
"I answered it, and I told you to get off the subject. We're not going to bring up the report," Chairman Wirtz said as Thompson protested that he and Lazerus were asking not about the report, but how players would be protected from sexual abuse in the future. "You read it. You're talking about what the report was talking about, and I told you we're moving on. I think you're out of line to ask this line of questions. Why don't you ask about something else? Why don't you ask about the GM search? Why don't you do something else? Why do you bring up old business?"
Rocky Wirtz later issued a statement apologizing for the remarks:
"Tonight, at the Chicago Blackhawks town hall, my response to two questions crossed the line. I want to apologize to the fans and those reporters, and I regret that my response overshadowed the great work this organization is doing to move forward. We have the right leaders and right processes in place to create a safe environment for our employees and players."
Kyle Beach identified himself as the victim of abuse by Aldrich two days after Blackhawks president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman announced he had "stepped aside," after the independent Jenner & Block investigation determined he and other team executives failed to promptly investigate Beach's claims.
Former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers soon afterward.
Beach was the Blackhawks' first round draft pick in 2008, and was called up as a "Black Ace" during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup championship run, as a potential fill-in for a regular team member if needed during the playoffs. He has accused Aldrich of threatening him with a baseball bat before sexually assaulting him in May 2010, saying Beach would never play in the NHL if anyone found out.
Beach was 20 at the time, and told Canada's TSN SportsCentre he was "scared" and "fearful" following the alleged abuse.
"I would never dream, or you could never imagine being put in this situation by somebody who's supposed to be there to help you and to make you a better hockey player and a better person and continue to build your career," he told TSN. "Just scared and alone with no idea what to do."
The investigation by Jenner & Block determined Bowman and other team executives failed to promptly investigate Beach's case.
In December, the Blackhawks reached a confidential settlement with Beach.
CBS 2's Zahn notes it was amazing that Chairman Wirtz was seemingly caught off guard by the questions that were obviously going to come up at an event like this.