When Bill Wirtz Sr. owned the Black Hawks he was adamant about not broadcasting games unless there was a sell out. When he died his son televised the games because he felt it was the absolute best marketing vehicle he had, plus tv does bring in money, and the attendance went up. Granted Wirtz Jr. puts a winning team on the ice but when you have what is essentially a money-making 3 hour commercial for your product being televised 3 times a week that does bring in a fan base.
So ya, being buried on ESPN3/ESPNU isn't getting any buzz for the program.