Winter Classic concepts

[IceCap]

Rumour has it that the NHL shot down Toronto's request to host it this year because BMO Field, the only venue that would work in Toronto, is to small. The NHL can sell out a baseball or football stadium with this game. Why would they settle for a NHL sized MLS stadium? The closest Toronto can hope for is that Ottawa gets the game if they finish their new CFL stadium and the Leafs are selected to play the Sens (which isn't a given).

Anyway a few critiques of your Florida/Tampa Bay concept. First, can we stop with the fauxbacks? What's wrong with the old Tampa Bay and Florida jerseys as they were? The tie-up collars look forced, especially on such a perfectly modern sweater as the old Florida one.

Secondly, from the renders I've seen, the new Marlins ballpark has the same problem the Rogers Centre has when it comes to Winter Classic discussions. That being that even with the roof open, it doesn't look like a true outdoor park.

Finally, I know this is just concept/imagination time, but I just can't but the idea of a Winter Classic game in a warm weather location. The point is to go back to "old time" hockey, hence the use of the word "Classic" and the use of throwback gear. The idea to go back to the game's routes, and I doubt very many kids in Florida grow up playing hockey outdoors. Not to say that these teams can't be in the game at some point, but they would have to be on the road, against northern teams.

[fishheatcats]

Rumour has it that the NHL shot down Toronto's request to host it this year because BMO Field, the only venue that would work in Toronto, is to small. The NHL can sell out a baseball or football stadium with this game. Why would they settle for a NHL sized MLS stadium? The closest Toronto can hope for is that Ottawa gets the game if they finish their new CFL stadium and the Leafs are selected to play the Sens (which isn't a given).

Anyway a few critiques of your Florida/Tampa Bay concept. First, can we stop with the fauxbacks? What's wrong with the old Tampa Bay and Florida jerseys as they were? The tie-up collars look forced, especially on such a perfectly modern sweater as the old Florida one.

Secondly, from the renders I've seen, the new Marlins ballpark has the same problem the Rogers Centre has when it comes to Winter Classic discussions. That being that even with the roof open, it doesn't look like a true outdoor park.

Finally, I know this is just concept/imagination time, but I just can't but the idea of a Winter Classic game in a warm weather location. The point is to go back to "old time" hockey, hence the use of the word "Classic" and the use of throwback gear. The idea to go back to the game's routes, and I doubt very many kids in Florida grow up playing hockey outdoors. Not to say that these teams can't be in the game at some point, but they would have to be on the road, against northern teams.

To be honest the laces was more about not wanting to change templates after I had already done most of the work >.< Me being lazy.

I agree about the outdoor thing when it comes to the ballpark, but in the end the open air feel would be enough. As for being in a warm location, I do think the concept works better in a future where there is more than one outdoor game per year. You could get away with having a game in Florida if you also played in Boston etc. On that same note it would probably be the way MLS venues come into play. It would be less of a league-wide spectacle to have an outdoor game and it could be a more local event, thus a more arena-sized capacity would be okay in places like Toronto. The could promote one game at a big time stadium as the Classic on New Years, but let other teams stage the games as well.

Also I grew up in Florida playing hockey outdoors, roller hockey. I know it's not the same but still, it's hockey. When I was 13 they put in 4 full size roller hockey rinks at my local sports park:

My high school even had an ice team, but that was after I stopped playing(plus I was horrible at anything but goalie, and I was always the smallest kid on the team and ended up being the back up to big fatsos who took up more space lol). The roller variety was(don't know if it still is) actually quite popular among kids when I was growing up in the 90s, likely thanks to the Panthers early success. If they weren't so damned horrible this past decade maybe we wouldn't get such a bad rap as a hockey market...

[GO2HELL]

what i chose for the uniforms were their 1986-87 uniforms mostly because the canucks flying v jerseys are probably impossible to put into a reebok edge template.

i chose the blues and canucks for this because i believe that these two teams will eventually start a rivalry soon and IMO that could make this a great winter classic.

It could take place at the B.C. place stadium with its new roof in mabye 2011 or 2012 whenever its completed.