2025-26 Media Procedures and Regulations

The Chicago Blackhawks Communications Department welcomes you to the 2025-26 NHL season. Our goal is to provide local and national media members, as well as our broadcast partners with assistance, tools and opportunities to enhance their coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Communications Department.

General Media Information

Blackhawks team schedules, inclusive of practice times, gameday timing and any additional events open to the media, will be communicated to media on a weekly basis. Each week’s schedule will also be posted on the Blackhawks Media Website.

To sign up for Blackhawks PR emails, please fill out the Chicago Blackhawks Distribution List Request Form.

Dedicated media workspaces are available at both team locations. At United Center, media may work out of the Press Lounge (located on the Event Level on the West end of the Talent Corridor) as well as the Press Box, located on the 7^th floor along the East side of the building. At Fifth Third Arena, media may work out of the Media Workroom (located on the second floor, immediately to the left of the main staircase).

Wi-Fi access is provided at both team locations. Login information is posted in multiple locations of the Press Lounge and Press Box (at United Center) and Media Workroom (at Fifth Third Arena). Please contact a member of the Blackhawks Communications staff if you need assistance.

Media Availability and Interview Procedures

Live shots and/or livestreams of all media availabilities, press conferences or other Blackhawks events must be approved in writing by Lyndsey Stroope or Ben Fromstein in advance.

All individual interview requests should be made in writing to a member of the Blackhawks Communications Department.

• Player requests should be directed to Kaylea Konoval ([email protected]);
• Coaching staff and hockey operations executive requests should be directed to Ben Fromstein ([email protected]);
• All other Blackhawks executive requests should be directed to Lyndsey Stroope ([email protected]).

While specific interview requests are not required for general locker room availabilities (practices, morning skate and post-game), media members are highly encouraged to reach out ahead of time with any specific requests they may have so the Communications staff may best assist in completing those requests. All requests that fall outside of general locker room availabilities must be submitted in writing to the designated member of the Communications staff listed above.

Additionally, members of the media are highly encouraged to utilize the post-practice availability window for any feature story interviews they wish to conduct. In certain extenuating circumstances, feature interviews may be granted on game days (morning skate or postgame), however, those availabilities should be generally reserved for topics related to that day’s game.

• PRACTICE: Players will be made available in the Blackhawks locker room and head coach Jeff Blashill will be available in the Media Workroom on the second floor of Fifth Third Arena. If practice is held at United Center, head coach Jeff Blashill will be made available in the hallway outside of the Blackhawks locker room.
• MORNING SKATE: Players will be made available in the Blackhawks locker room and head coach Jeff Blashill will be available in the hallway outside of the Blackhawks locker room.

• POSTGAME: Shortly after the conclusion of the game, the Blackhawks Communications department will make a representative number of key players and head coach Jeff Blashill available to the media. Player availability will take place inside the Blackhawks locker room and head coach Jeff Blashill will be made available in the Press Lounge located on the United Center Event Level and down the hall from the Blackhawks locker room.
• VISITING TEAM MEDIA ACCESS: The Blackhawks do not control the media access and procedures for visiting teams. Media are encouraged to contact a communications representative from the visiting team for more information.

Media Credentials

All media attending Chicago Blackhawks practices, games or events in a working capacity must receive accreditation from the organization in advance. To RSVP or request credentials for a practice and/or game, all media members (both full season and single-game) must do so via the Chicago Blackhawks Credential Request Form no later than 5 p.m. the day before the game, or 8 am. the day of the practice.

Visiting team credentials can be arranged by contacting Kaylea Konoval ([email protected]) by no later than 5 p.m. the day before the game.

Game Credentials

Media, broadcast, photo, scout and visiting team credentials are distributed digitally via email at least 24 hours prior to game time. The process to receive your credential involves these steps:

1. You will receive an email from “Chicago Blackhawks Customer Service” ([email protected]) with the subject “Blackhawks Has Just Sent You 1 Chicago Blackhawks Tickets.” Please open this email on your cellphone.
2. If you do NOT have a Ticketmaster account: Visit ticketmaster.com (United States) or www.ticketmaster.ca (Canada) to create an account. You can use a work or personal email address.
3. Once you have created your account, click on the “Accept Tickets” button in your email or by logging into your Ticketmaster account using ticketmaster.com/Blackhawks.
4. To access the tickets, you must log into **ticketmaster.com/Blackhawks** using the email from your Ticketmaster account.
5. Once accepted, click “View and Save Tickets” from your email or “Manage Tickets” > “View Event Details” to save the tickets when logged into your account. Once your credentials are loaded, please add them to your Apple or Google Wallet for ease of access.
6. Any issues? Please contact Kaylea Konoval ([email protected]).

Media Parking Procedures

• FIFTH THIRD ARENA: Public parking is available for free in the Fifth Third Arena parking lot located at the corner of W. Jackson Blvd and Wood St (entrance on W. Jackson Blvd.).

• Overflow parking on Monday through Friday (before 4 p.m.) is available in the Alternate Lot D Overflow Lot (entrance on Wood St.). Please advise lot security you are parking for practice. After 4 p.m., overflow parking is available in the Jackson & Wood Overflow Lot (entrance on Wood St.).

• Overflow parking on Saturday and Sundays is available in the Jackson & Wood Overflow Lot (entrance on Wood St.).

• UNITED CENTER: Credentialed media parking is available in Lot A for both morning skates and game nights. Lot A is located between W Washington and W Warren Blvds. between N Wood St. and N Wolcott Ave. Media may enter Lot A on the W Washington Blvd. (traveling Westbound). *See map below.

Fifth Third Arena / Practice Procedures

• Most non-gameday practices will be held at Fifth Third Arena (1801 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612). Media may enter the building using the main entrance located off W. Jackson Blvd and the main Fifth Third Arena parking lot.

• Media members attending practices at Fifth Third Arena will have access to the media workroom located on the second floor. Additional seating is available along the top rows of each rink.

• Players will be available to the media in the Blackhawks locker room immediately after practice unless otherwise communicated by a member of the Blackhawks Communications Department. Head Coach Jeff Blashill will be available to media in the Media Workroom follow the conclusion of the open locker room period.

• All Blackhawks practices at Fifth Third Arena (1801 W. Jackson Blvd.) will be open to the public throughout the season. During practice, media and spectators are asked to sit in the rink bleachers, which are accessible from the venue's second floor. Viewing is not permitted along the rink boards for any Blackhawks practices.

Morning Skate Procedures

• All Blackhawks Morning Skates will be held at United Center (1901 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL 60612), unless otherwise communicated by a member of the Blackhawks Communications Department.

• Media attending morning skates should enter through the East Atrium entrance (doors off Wood St.) and proceed straight to the security checkpoint in the Atrium.

• The Blackhawks will typically hold morning skate at 10:30 a.m. on game days. All times will be communicated to media via the weekly schedule update. Media with specific player needs are encouraged to arrive by the start of morning skate in case those individuals do not skate.

• Morning skates may be deemed optional at head coach Jeff Blashill’s discretion. In the event a morning skate is optional, the Blackhawks Communications Department will alert all media in attendance with any necessary updates to the daily schedule.

Game Procedures

• Credentialed media may enter United Center for games at Gate 3 ½ (located off W. Madison St. next to the Bobby Hull and Stan Makita statues) beginning four hours prior to puck drop.

• The team does not provide printed copies of any documents (media guide, game notes, NHL stats, end of period or game statistics). These resources may be found via the Blackhawks Media Site or on NHL.com.

• The Blackhawks offer a media dining meal for purchase in the Press Lounge, beginning 2 ½ hours before the game. Additional food and drink will be available in the Press Box on a limited basis.

• Wi-Fi login information is posted in multiple locations throughout the Press Lounge and Press Box. Please seek out a member of the Communications staff should you need assistance accessing the internet.

• Photographers should enter through Gate 3 ½ and proceed to the press lounge for photo assignments. A sticker credential will be distributed to be worn throughout the game.

United Center Press Box

• Media requesting single-game credentials must request a press box seat along with a credential via the Credential Request Form on the Blackhawks Media Site. Media with season credentials must also use the form to RSVP and request press box seating.

• Only media who have requested Press Box seating will be granted access to the Press Box. Media may also work out of the Press Lounge before and during the game if needed.

• The United Center Press Box can be accessed via the Press Elevator (elevator 3), which is located on the South side of the building. Only credentialed members of the media who have requested Press Box seating will be able to access the Press Box.

• Should you need any assistance whatsoever while in the Press Box, please contact a member of the Blackhawks Communications staff. The Communications staff is located in Seats 80-85, at the far end of the top row of the West side of the Press Box, closest to the Organ.

United Center Photography Procedures

• All photographers are required to RSVP by 5 p.m. the day before a game via the Credential Request Form.
• Upon entry, photographers should report to the photography work room (located in the back of the Press Lounge) to check in with team photographer Chase Agnello-Dean and receive photo positions.
• Photographers ARE NOT permitted in the press box unless otherwise approved in writing by Lyndsey Stroope or Ben Fromstein.