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Guess the Winter Classic is now an annual event


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The league has already targeted a stadium where they want to hold the 2010 Winter Classic.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=274409

While I enjoy the event, I do think this should not be an annual thing. Have it once every few years and it keeps the appeal.

Also they want to add interest to the All-Star game, lets put that thing outside.

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On the other hand, my fantasy hockey league has made it an annual event to get together and watch the game. I think once a year is fine and I can't believe they haven't tried to go twice a year and really over do it.

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I like that it's annual, simply because there's now a holiday NHL owns. A lot of my friends and co-workers rarely watch hockey but quite a few of them ended up watching the last two Winter Classics. I think it's a great way to get more exposure for a sport that's still recovering from the lock-out.

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Well I guess those are pretty good reasons. Unfortunately for me, I am the only hockey fan I know of in the area where I live, so I end up watching those games and every other hockey game alone unless my wife happens to go with me as she doesn't watch them on tv that much.

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The only reason for it NOT to be a more than once-a-year event is that eventually, at that rate, people will get tired of it. If you keep it for once-a-year or even better, once every few years, it becomes a special thing that fans can look forward to. That really helps draw in the viewers.

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I agree for diehard hockey fans the winter classic will eventually become a joke. How long until they run out of classic teams to participate. The Panthers vs. the Thrashers in Turner Field makes me cringe.

It's definitely a balance - possibly attract more casual fans with a annual event on national TV but without turning off hardcore fans.

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Having gone to the first WC game, I am nothing but a supporter for the annual event. I think that it's a great idea that turns an already huge party day into an even bigger one for hockey.

The only thing that I think they fumbled (and something I'd like to hear about from someone who made it this year to Chicago) is holding it in a baseball stadium. There was no better place than Ralph Wilson to have the first WC. Having it in a football stadium was the best possible venue due to the natural ability for the football surface to hold the rink and wrap the fans entirely around it, much like an arena does. I don't really understand how people felt that the baseball stadium this year brought them closer. Maybe those lucky few who got around the first and third base corners...but everyone else?

In Ralph Wilson, it didn't matter if you were at the bottomish or all the way up top (where I was), there wasn't a seat in that place where you couldn't see the action extremely well. How about those poor souls all the way at the top corner above 3rd base this year? Or the fact that the rink length-wise was so far away from the stands? The absolute one place you want to be close to and you are half of the field away. I also loved the fact that there were SO MANY people at the first one. You get a comfy small crowd every night at the arena...one time a year I want to see a culmination of +60k fans, it really set the atmosphere. I'm praying that Penn State gets chosen in the next few years and it features Pittsburgh and Philly...I'm already in awe just thinking about it. +100k people!

One thing I really did enjoy besides the game this year was the On Ice Challenge or whatever it was called. If it would have been another slow game due to weather like last year, it was so fun trying to find the player without the Reebok logo on his shoulders. Added a neat little bit of excitement to get even new viewers to pay attention, something I don't know that I've ever heard of in another sport. I hope they continue that!

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I agree that football stadiums are better than baseball stadiums for a WC. I think its a publicity thing. Soldier Field is famous, but not as much as Wrigley.

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I agree that football stadiums are better than baseball stadiums for a WC. I think its a publicity thing. Soldier Field is famous, but not as much as Wrigley.

I would agree with that, holding a hockey game in Wrigley Field or Fenway would hold more prestige and allure to the event then having it at Soldier Field or Gillette Stadium.

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I agree for diehard hockey fans the winter classic will eventually become a joke. How long until they run out of classic teams to participate. The Panthers vs. the Thrashers in Turner Field makes me cringe.

Fortunately I am pretty sure the league will always try to keep at least one marquee team in the game as a matchup of two teams from the middle or lower half of the league would pretty much force only the fans of those teams to care. They have done a great job in staying in hockey markets, and that is one thing they have to do to keep this thing being successful.

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They have done a great job in staying in hockey markets, and that is one thing they have to do to keep this thing being successful.

I had to laugh when they were wanting to put it in Vegas. I'm sure they have the technology to make an ice surface out there, but I don't think it (the ice) would last too long and would require continuous maintenance.

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I had to laugh when they were wanting to put it in Vegas. I'm sure they have the technology to make an ice surface out there, but I don't think it (the ice) would last too long and would require continuous maintenance.

From a blurb in the Hockey News:

"The last time the NHL played in Sin City was an exhibition matchup in 1991 between the Rangers and the Kings, which was played in 85-degree weather in front on some 13,000 fans in an outdoor rink at Ceasars Palace."

kings_ceasar.jpg

As for my comment about the Florida and Atlanta playing in Turner Field - I agree that the league needs to keep top teams in the Winter Classic, but how long before people start complaining that not every team gets a chance to participate? What happens when a major market team gets to participate in its second or third Classic, while smaller market teams have yet to appear?

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From a blurb in the Hockey News:

"The last time the NHL played in Sin City was an exhibition matchup in 1991 between the Rangers and the Kings, which was played in 85-degree weather in front on some 13,000 fans in an outdoor rink at Ceasars Palace."

kings_ceasar.jpg

As for my comment about the Florida and Atlanta playing in Turner Field - I agree that the league needs to keep top teams in the Winter Classic, but how long before people start complaining that not every team gets a chance to participate? What happens when a major market team gets to participate in its second or third Classic, while smaller market teams have yet to appear?

Well then, that answers that question for me. :lol:

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But if it's a smaller market, then the volume of complaints will be small, too ;)

But I read that the problem with doing the Winter Classics in football stadiums is the time required to get the infrastructure in place while working around the football team's schedule (which is why if it's held in Boston, it's unlikely to be at the Patriots' field because they're likely going to be using it for the 3-4 weeks that the NHL would need to take it over).

Despite the lower number of seats and bad sightlines, Fenway would be a great place to hold it because of the transportation options and just the historical significance of Fenway Park.

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But if it's a smaller market, then the volume of complaints will be small, too ;)

But I read that the problem with doing the Winter Classics in football stadiums is the time required to get the infrastructure in place while working around the football team's schedule (which is why if it's held in Boston, it's unlikely to be at the Patriots' field because they're likely going to be using it for the 3-4 weeks that the NHL would need to take it over).

Despite the lower number of seats and bad sightlines, Fenway would be a great place to hold it because of the transportation options and just the historical significance of Fenway Park.

Very true, we know pretty much every baseball stadium will be available (Oakland and Minnesota as the exceptions, not that they apply in this situation though). Football stadiums can only be used if the team has a week 17 game on the road since week 17 is the 1st week of January.

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I know this was from the Capitals own "beat writer", but I could actually see this working out:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalsi...errer=emaillink

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I think there's a fair chance it will be the Caps. It's all about ratings and because of Ovie the Caps could bring some big ratings. I think what will start to happen is that you'll see an original 6 team or classic team matched up with a newer team so that they don't burn through all of the classic locations and classic teams too quickly. Penn State's stadium has been mentioned for a Flyers WC and of course with the Rangers you have Yankee Stadium (unfortunately not the old one) so I think both of those teams are out as visitors to a WC. I think Montreal is more apt to be a host of a WC than a visitor as well. I think you'll see the Islanders, the Devils, and the Caps be visiting teams to WCs from the East. This is all speculation though, but I still think they're going to try to make their way around the whole league before teams start repeating as hosts or visitors.

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I think Montreal is more apt to be a host of a WC than a visitor as well.

I think any Canadian city would be a great idea. Montreal has been mentioned already but according to some commentators the idea looks tenuous at the moment.

http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2009/03/23/the-ice...me-in-montreal/

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  • 1 month later...
I can't believe they haven't tried to go twice a year and really over do it.

Well you mentioned it Jeff, looks like the league may be looking to have 2 outdoor games on New Years day next year. 1 in Boston and the other in Calgary.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4270968

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Well we will only have one Winter Classic next season afterall. Looks like it will be the Flyers playing the Bruins at Fenway.

No Winter Classic in Calgary.

Flyers vs Bruins at Fenway.

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I personally think it's a good idea to only have one per year. I also think Canada is due for a game following Boston.

Too bad it's got to have the Flyers in it though. Ugh. I hate the Flyers.

One can only imagine the coolness that the Bruins have to pick from for a throwback jersey for the game.

Perhaps something like my newest addition, a little old time hockey Eddie Shore number 2 jersey from 1926-1932

2605761370100337552S425x425Q85.jpg 2974293380100337552S425x425Q85.jpg

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