RealGM

With the huge success of the past 2 winter classics, where would you all like to see the next winter classics?

As for the Pens, I would like to see the Pens vs. Flyers at either PNC Park (the stadium is one of the best in baseball and has an amazing scenery)


or at Beaver Stadium. The game would sell over 100,000 tickets and would need about 100,000 cops there as well because us Pens fans hate Flyers fans, and vice versa.



For my non favorite team, I would have to choose Boston and Montreal at Fenway Park. These 2 teams are starting to get a good rivalry going again, and this could be a great game.

Even though I would love to see a montreal and boston game, the canadiens already had an outdoor game, same with Pitt. They should spread the wealth.

Toronto and Boston at Fenway would be nice.
NY Rangers and NY Islanders at 30 Rock!!!! Nah, somewhere in NY though, Would be cool.

I would love to see the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers at New Yankee Stadium.





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I don't think the NHL should worry about who plays. The NHL should worry about TV ratings and revenue. Play whoever will bring in a lot of money and ratings and teams who will play a wide open game. No one wants to watch a defensive battle.

I wouldn't put the Rangers in the game because they play a defensive system. The game would be boring and draw the casual fans away from the game.

I would prefer Montreal over Toronto because Montreal-Boston is so much of a better game than Boston-Toronto because the rivalry is growing.

Montreal did play in an outdoor game, but it wasn't the winter classic.

The Islanders would be a terrible team to put in the game. They have no fan base.

Your thinking of it as a get other people watching type of thing. Which is true. That is the NHL's motive.

I think of it as a treat for the NHL fans of different cities. Like I said, spread the wealth.

And if you want the NHL to attract more viewers by this, then I would do what the NFL does on thanksgiving.

2 games (even though they do 3 now)

I'd have the Minnesota Wild take on someone like the Calgary Flames at the new TCF Bank Stadium.


I believe they are going to have a Rangers/Bruins game at Fenway Park next year though.
Two great teams + historic stadium = TV Ratings


I was really impressed with this year's Winter Classic. It was tough to match last year's Winter Classic and all the hype that led up to this one but I think the NHL and the Blackhawks nailed it. The National Anthem before the game was done perfectly. The only thing that I would have changed (besides the outcome) was that dumbass rendition of Take Me Out To The Ballgame they did in the 3rd period. That was ridiculous.

I am a big supporter of 'saving' the all star games. I would love to see an all star weekend done in an outdoor rink. You could just pack them in, all the stars there, could be more interactive. . . makes too much sense to me

burn1down wrote:I am a big supporter of 'saving' the all star games. I would love to see an all star weekend done in an outdoor rink. You could just pack them in, all the stars there, could be more interactive. . . makes too much sense to me

Tom Fitzgerald?

That is spooky. Tom Fitzgerald just said this on the bruins intermission report. Looking at the time you posted, you said it before. Nice.

As for the idea, yeah that would be cool. I would watch.

timd1218 wrote:I don't think the NHL should worry about who plays. The NHL should worry about TV ratings and revenue.

The biggest team in the biggest TV market in the world will bring in ratings, possibly the best ratings. The Rangers almost have to be involved in the near future.

You'll see either the Rangers host it or the Bruins host it, and I have a feeling Washington will be your opposition (fun team, arguably the best player in the game). Once this becomes a staple in sports, the NHL needs to make this thing a day long event with two or three games, maybe even a primetime game. Once this becomes a mainstay, you can incorporate teams that don't have the flashy names but have the fanbases (Minnesota, Colorado, San Jose).

The opportunities are about as close to endless as you can get, in my mind.

WEFFPIM wrote:

timd1218 wrote:I don't think the NHL should worry about who plays. The NHL should worry about TV ratings and revenue.

The biggest team in the biggest TV market in the world will bring in ratings, possibly the best ratings. The Rangers almost have to be involved in the near future.

You'll see either the Rangers host it or the Bruins host it, and I have a feeling Washington will be your opposition (fun team, arguably the best player in the game). Once this becomes a staple in sports, the NHL needs to make this thing a day long event with two or three games, maybe even a primetime game. Once this becomes a mainstay, you can incorporate teams that don't have the flashy names but have the fanbases (Minnesota, Colorado, San Jose).

The opportunities are about as close to endless as you can get, in my mind.

The Rangers aren't top in the NHL in TV ratings right now, what's to say people in New York who are casual fans will watch the game?

Boston-Montreal would be a classic matchup and I hope the NHL realizes the potential this game can have.

Washington would be a good choice, but they would have to be the road team. They can't even sell out their home ice now.

I like the idea of having the all star game as an outdoor game. I never thought of that. That would make the NHL all-star leaps and bounds better then the other sports.


The NHL should look at doing 2 games on New Years. Day/Night doubleheader.

timd1218 wrote:Washington would be a good choice, but they would have to be the road team. They can't even sell out their home ice now.

ugh dude we have sold out every home game this year. The Sharks at 19-0-2 are the only home team better than us at 17-1-1. If anything Verizon Center has been one of the best arenas this year

Gilbert0Arenas wrote:

timd1218 wrote:Washington would be a good choice, but they would have to be the road team. They can't even sell out their home ice now.

ugh dude we have sold out every home game this year. The Sharks at 19-0-2 are the only home team better than us at 17-1-1. If anything Verizon Center has been one of the best arenas this year

ESPN has them at 96%.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

83% last season. WOW!

timd1218 wrote:

Gilbert0Arenas wrote:

timd1218 wrote:Washington would be a good choice, but they would have to be the road team. They can't even sell out their home ice now.

ugh dude we have sold out every home game this year. The Sharks at 19-0-2 are the only home team better than us at 17-1-1. If anything Verizon Center has been one of the best arenas this year

ESPN has them at 96%.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

83% last season. WOW!

In 2007 the Blackhawks averaged 12,727 fans per game. This season they are averaging 22,685 fans a game.

Philadelphia (among many other teams) seems to want the Classic among various articles I've read. A Philly/Pittsburgh game would be very cool.

timd1218 wrote:

Gilbert0Arenas wrote:

timd1218 wrote:Washington would be a good choice, but they would have to be the road team. They can't even sell out their home ice now.

ugh dude we have sold out every home game this year. The Sharks at 19-0-2 are the only home team better than us at 17-1-1. If anything Verizon Center has been one of the best arenas this year

ESPN has them at 96%.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

83% last season. WOW!

The Capitals were horrible last year to begin the season which is why the attendance rates are so low. You really expected sell outs during our rebuilding/depression years?

You should know this from your own experience. Mellon Arena was a ghost town during Penguin depression years.

Gilbert0Arenas wrote:
The Capitals were horrible last year to begin the season which is why the attendance rates are so low. You really expected sell outs during our rebuilding/depression years?

You should know this from your own experience. Mellon Arena was a ghost town during Penguin depression years.

Ok. But anyway, Does Washinton DC even get cold enough for a Winter Classic to be held there? It just seems like the weather would be too inconsistent for the NHL to host a game there.

Philadelphia would be in the same boat. Play that game at Beaver Stadium. 100,000 fans at a hockey game would be unbelievable.

timd1218 wrote:

Gilbert0Arenas wrote:
The Capitals were horrible last year to begin the season which is why the attendance rates are so low. You really expected sell outs during our rebuilding/depression years?

You should know this from your own experience. Mellon Arena was a ghost town during Penguin depression years.

Ok. But anyway, Does Washinton DC even get cold enough for a Winter Classic to be held there? It just seems like the weather would be too inconsistent for the NHL to host a game there.

Philadelphia would be in the same boat. Play that game at Beaver Stadium. 100,000 fans at a hockey game would be unbelievable.

Now were talking. Your right about DC weather. One day its in the sixties and the other it's in the thirties. It's too inconsistent to hold an open air hockey game. Though the new Nationals stadium or maybe even good old RFK would be good venues.

I don't think the temperature is a big concern. How hot is it in NHL arenas? 70's?
Hell, they held an outdoor exhibition in 1993 in Las Vegas. The main concern should be rain.

SportsWorld wrote:I don't think the temperature is a big concern. How hot is it in NHL arenas? 70's?
Hell, they held an outdoor exhibition in 1993 in Las Vegas. The main concern should be rain.

I didn't watch the game in Las Vegas. I'm would take a guess and say the ice was bad.

Temperature can be a bad thing because if it is 60 with high humidity, the chances for rain, like you said, increases.

I think the NHL would be hesitant to put a winter classic in a place that has inconsistent temperatures in the winter for that reason. Which means, teams like Pittsburgh, New York, Philly, Washington, etc.. might have a difficult time getting one on home ice, for now anyway.

Now Philly could have the game at Beaver Stadium because a lot of Philly fans live in that area.

Posey H8er wrote:Philadelphia (among many other teams) seems to want the Classic among various articles I've read. A Philly/Pittsburgh game would be very cool.

Pittsburgh won't be participating in a WC for awhile.

I wouldn't be shocked to see whomever wins the Cup winding up being in the WC. Success expands fanbases, and putting them on a national scale will increase their exposure even more.

And yes to whoever said a day/night DH. The only thing cooler than outdoor hockey would be nighttime outdoor hockey.