NHL outdoor games

[winghaz]

I'd love to see Detroit vs. Columbus at the Big House. Throw a little of that Michigan-Ohio State rivalry into that game.

[slapshot]

Latest rumors i've heard:

Rangers vs Capitals at New Yankee Stadium

Bruins vs Canadiesn at either Fenway or Foxborough

I think it would be more likely to be held in a baseball stadium than a football one. There were numerous problems with the ice in Buffalo, since there wasn't much time to set it up because of football season. It's a likely possibility that the Patriots could be playing around Jan. 1 (whether it's the last week of the regular season or first week of the playoffs). Even though everyone seemed to be in agreement that technology allowed the ice at Wrigley to be much better than at Ralph Wilson Stadium, I don't know that the league or players' union would let the game be played on a rink that is rushed in being built.

Obviously, there would be a larger attendance at Gillette Stadium than at Fenway, but logistically, I think it would be held at Fenway, where preparation time would be much more than at Gillette.

And due to the setup at Fenway, I think the rink would be set up parallel to the right field foul line. This would allow more fans a closer view of the rink than the Wrigley setup, and temporary stands could be set up on the opposite side, angling up towards the monster seats, just like the setup when the Patriots played there in the late 60s/early 70s. This would give a more "arena" feel in the outdoor enviromnelt.

What about BC's football stadium? How big is it?

I think Alumni Stadium is around 45,000. Doubt it would happen unless it involved a BC team though. BC is a private school, and nothing happens there that doesn't involve BC athletics.

[JH42XCC]

-New York Islanders at New York Rangers New Yankee Stadium

... or vice-versa at Citi Field

[officeglenn]

3. Toronto-Ottawa (Rogers Centre)

Good for the Canadian fans.

Rogers Centre wouldn't work. The roof is closed and locked at the end of the baseball season. This came up with the Bills Toronto Series game last month. A lot of Buffalo fans wanted the roof open so that there would still be some kind of cold-weather home-field advantage, but one of the officials with Rogers Centre said, much as they'd like to do it, it's pretty much impossible.

[Magnus]

3. Toronto-Ottawa (Rogers Centre)

Good for the Canadian fans.

Rogers Centre wouldn't work. The roof is closed and locked at the end of the baseball season. This came up with the Bills Toronto Series game last month. A lot of Buffalo fans wanted the roof open so that there would still be some kind of cold-weather home-field advantage, but one of the officials with Rogers Centre said, much as they'd like to do it, it's pretty much impossible.

Yeah well, we don't actually need the roof to be open for these games. It's just a nice "atmospheric" touch. I would stage the games purely for the amount of fans you can fit into the larger stadium. It's all about the money to me. Call it a Winter Classic if you want, but it seems to me that a snowy outdoor game just causes problems with the ice conditions. I would rather stage one of these in a dome.

As well --

if not Rogers Centre for a Toronto-Ottawa game, then use Frank Clair Stadium.

That doesn't have a roof, as far as I know.

[maz]

Id love to see the Pens/Flyers in State College, or any place in Pittsburgh or Philly.

State College would be great just for the size of the place, and would take the Pens/Flyers rivalry to an even greater height.

PNC Park would be great for the skyline view, but Heinz would be good for the shape and size.

I dont see the pens being in another one for a while though.

[Viper]

3. Toronto-Ottawa (Rogers Centre)

Good for the Canadian fans.

Rogers Centre wouldn't work. The roof is closed and locked at the end of the baseball season. This came up with the Bills Toronto Series game last month. A lot of Buffalo fans wanted the roof open so that there would still be some kind of cold-weather home-field advantage, but one of the officials with Rogers Centre said, much as they'd like to do it, it's pretty much impossible.

Yeah well, we don't actually need the roof to be open for these games. It's just a nice "atmospheric" touch. I would stage the games purely for the amount of fans you can fit into the larger stadium. It's all about the money to me. Call it a Winter Classic if you want, but it seems to me that a snowy outdoor game just causes problems with the ice conditions. I would rather stage one of these in a dome.

Well if we're considering staging the game under a closed roof now, we could add these:

Wild vs. Stars, Blackhawks or Canucks at the Metrodome

Red Wings vs. Blackhawks, Avs or Blue Jackets at Ford Field

Thrashers vs. Hurricanes at Georgia Dome

Stars vs. Capitals at new Cowboys stadium

Canadiens vs. Bruins at Olympic Stadium

Coyotes vs. anybody at the "Pink Taco"

Blues vs. anybody at Edward Jones Dome

[scraw28]

Flyers vs Capitals at RFK STADIUM

Oilers vs Wild at NEW TWINS BALLPARK

[goalieboy82]

anything new on the 2010 winter classic. what are the places that the nhl have in mind (the front runners). might like to go and watch it there in person.

thanks

[DelayedPenalty]

3. Toronto-Ottawa (Rogers Centre)

Good for the Canadian fans.

Rogers Centre wouldn't work. The roof is closed and locked at the end of the baseball season. This came up with the Bills Toronto Series game last month. A lot of Buffalo fans wanted the roof open so that there would still be some kind of cold-weather home-field advantage, but one of the officials with Rogers Centre said, much as they'd like to do it, it's pretty much impossible.

Yeah well, we don't actually need the roof to be open for these games. It's just a nice "atmospheric" touch. I would stage the games purely for the amount of fans you can fit into the larger stadium. It's all about the money to me. Call it a Winter Classic if you want, but it seems to me that a snowy outdoor game just causes problems with the ice conditions. I would rather stage one of these in a dome.

Well if we're considering staging the game under a closed roof now, we could add these:

Wild vs. Stars, Blackhawks or Canucks at the Metrodome

Red Wings vs. Blackhawks, Avs or Blue Jackets at Ford Field

Thrashers vs. Hurricanes at Georgia Dome

Stars vs. Capitals at new Cowboys stadium

Canadiens vs. Bruins at Olympic Stadium

Coyotes vs. anybody at the "Pink Taco"

Blues vs. anybody at Edward Jones Dome

Housing the "Winter Classic" in an enclosed building, regardless of its size sort of defeats the purpose of the entire game. If there's no added element of potentially deplorable weather, then it's just a hockey game in a big stadium. While it would get more fans in the seats, it wouldn't be anymore exciting than any other game...just a worse view.

I think Michigan and Michigan State need to do a "Cold War II" at the Big House. Can you say 114,000 hockey fans?!

[jkrdevil]

From Ken Campbell of The Hockey News while discussing future NHL TV rights dropped this in.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year?s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

http://thehockeynews.com/articles/22727-Ca...ew-friends.html

[pcgd]

From Ken Campbell of The Hockey News while discussing future NHL TV rights dropped this in.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year?s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

http://thehockeynews.com/articles/22727-Ca...ew-friends.html

Perfect! Two original six teams in a football stadium! The Wrigley Winter Classic was special, but it shouldn't be the norm trying to fit games into weird locations. Once in awhile its cool. I think even the possible Illinois-Northwestern Football Wrigley game could be cool. But the Bruins/Canadians in Fenway wouldn't be as nice as having it in Gillette.

[FiddySicks]

Sharks vs. either Kings or Ducks in this setting

Lake Tahoe, or somewhere near Lake Tahoe where a rink and some of those temporary bleachers they use for Grand Prix events can be put up.

A good marketing point to such a potential Winter Classic event would be the proximity of Squaw Valley, where the USA won its first hockey gold medal back in the 1960 Winter Olympics

The good part about that is they wouldn't need to put many temporary bleachers up

I'm not sure why you'd say that. Tahoe is a HUGE draw from the Bay Area, and a decent draw from Southern California as well. That and Tahoe has a very young but growing hockey history. Unless there's a decent sized outdoor rink in the area which I'm unaware of.

[Still MIGHTY]

Sharks vs. either Kings or Ducks in this setting

Lake Tahoe, or somewhere near Lake Tahoe where a rink and some of those temporary bleachers they use for Grand Prix events can be put up.

A good marketing point to such a potential Winter Classic event would be the proximity of Squaw Valley, where the USA won its first hockey gold medal back in the 1960 Winter Olympics

The good part about that is they wouldn't need to put many temporary bleachers up

I'm not sure why you'd say that. Tahoe is a HUGE draw from the Bay Area, and a decent draw from Southern California as well. That and Tahoe has a very young but growing hockey history. Unless there's a decent sized outdoor rink in the area which I'm unaware of.

THe NHL could build it.

I know I'd go for sure.

ANy excuse to party at Tahoe is a good excuse

[Don]

my dream winter classic matchup would be Caps vs Pens at RFK Stadium. what i mean by dream is that itll never happen. the nhl would take one look at RFK and say "what a dump". which it is, but its our dump dammit. it gets loud as hell and shakes when loud enough. FedEx is awful. i could see it being held in DC at Nats Park but if theyre going away from baseball fields (which makes sense) if they were going to hold it in DC it would have to be at RFK.

[NEW.ERA]

From Ken Campbell of The Hockey News while discussing future NHL TV rights dropped this in.

Speaking of outdoor games, look for next year?s to be played between the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins at the 69,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The league has come to the conclusion that the outdoor games work much better in a football stadium than a baseball venue and a Montreal-Boston game would be great for ratings on both sides of the border.

http://thehockeynews.com/articles/22727-Ca...ew-friends.html

This is the best possibility for the Outdoor Game but I'm keen on finding out what will be the lead dog in the States for TV coverage (BETTER BE ESPN) Get Gary Thorne and Bill Clement back at it, listening to Cup in 04 on ABC was great and I want to here this again I want to here this again.

[goalieboy82]

any new news on the 2010 winter classic site. also when will we find out the place.

[hiho]

My choices would be:

1. Bruins vs Caps at Fenway

2. Montreal vs Colorado in a place in Colorado.

OK?

[NEW.ERA]

We will probably find out when next years schedule is released this summer.

[Wheelhouse]

anything new on the 2010 winter classic. what are the places that the nhl have in mind (the front runners). might like to go and watch it there in person.

thanks

any new news on the 2010 winter classic site. also when will we find out the place.

DOES ANYONE HAVE NEWS ON THE 2010 WINTER CLASSIC?! ALSO WHERE IS IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD