Cool (frigid) idea: Hawks at Soldier Field

[SportsWorld]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariotti ... 08.article

We live in a town that grows ivy on outfield walls, installs showers to cool down sweaty fans and moved an NFL championship game indoors because of bitterly frigid weather. So what I'm proposing here is not odd. Did you see that hockey game Tuesday, the one played outdoors at a Buffalo football stadium, the one romanticizing the face-chapped, teeth-chattering joys of Northerness?

That should be us next year, going 60,000 strong at Soldier Field.

Or, if we're seeking the ultimate in charm and attention, why not Wrigley Field? That's where the new president of the Blackhawks previously worked -- and where the temporary Cubs owner, cash-grabbing Sam Zell, is angling for any way to make a quick buck and gladly would sell ice to the Eskimos.

With perfect timing, the renaissance of the Hawks now is accompanied by a novel way of celebrating the puck life in a cold-weather clime. The NHL, usually armed with the creative wisdom of Barney Rubble, pulled off a rare marketing success in staging its first regular-season, American-based outdoor event. It was a TV ratings hit, attracting the most viewers for a non-playoff game in a dozen seasons.

[WEFFPIM]

Go Soldier Field. Fitting a rink into Wrigley with good sightlines would be impossible. The Cell would have a better shot since its more of a standard layout. But Soldier Field is a much more intimate stadium than Ralph Wilson. The upper decks on the sidelines are built closer to the field than in Buffalo. I sat in the 300 level of the south endzone a few years back and it never felt like I was far away from the field. I've heard bad things about the upper deck on the west side, but that's the only place that would have an issue.

Get a Red Wings-Hawks game in Soldier Field. The Hawks are regaining their fanbase. Time to capitalize on that now.

[SportsWorld]

If the Hawks played at Wrigley it would probably generate better ratings on TV because of how historic Wrigley is but I would rather it be played at Solider Field. The ticket demand for an event like this will be huge and Solider field has about double the amount of seats as Wrigley.

[SportsWorld]

[WEFFPIM]

Nice

[cali2007]

that outside game was pretty cool the other day. I bet it could work in chicago too. That would be awesome.