Hawks/Wings at Wrigley in January

SportsWorld · Post #1 » by **SportsWorld** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:03 am

CSN is reporting this.
This is going to be insane.

WEFFPIM · Post #2 » by **WEFFPIM** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:25 am

I must go to this.

I just have to.

SportsWorld · Post #3 » by **SportsWorld** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:27 am

I imagine the tickets are going to be hard to get and very expensive.
I would have liked this to be at Solider Field so more people could get to see it but it will look so much better on TV at Wrigley.

WEFFPIM · Post #4 » by **WEFFPIM** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:37 am

Yeah, Soldier Field would have been a much better place to put people in and get a lot of people in. But Wrigley Field will be much more of a marketing draw. Add into that it's the Hawks and the Wings, two of the Original 6, and my God, this will be an epic event. If they do this on New Year's Day like the NHL did last year, it might be the first time another sport would take the spotlight away from college football.

There are worries for Wrigley, like how the rink will be constructed and positioned (especially with a pitcher's mound in the middle of it), how many seats will be worth sitting in, if they'll add any more seats just for this game, and the lack of a video board and proper way to keep time electronically (those tiny ribbon boards just won't cut it). Soldier Field would have solved all those problems.

But I have a sneaking suspicion that after this game, an outdoor game in Soldier (or even US Cellular) would follow behind.

And lastly, standing O for the NHL for finding something unique like this and running with it. Hell, put another outdoor game on the schedule on the same day and make this a day long event. How about some nighttime hockey under the lights of Wrigley after a Canadiens-Bruins game at Fenway Park, or an Islanders-Rangers game at Yankee Stadium before it's demolished?

Magilla_Gorilla · Post #5 » by **Magilla_Gorilla** » Thu May 29, 2008 2:25 pm

I will get tickets... I will.

Posey H8er · Post #6 » by **Posey H8er** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:56 pm

My only concern is how this will be done at a baseball stadium. There are more odd angles there then say Soldier Field. Oh, and the poles. The poles!!!

Magilla_Gorilla · Post #7 » by **Magilla_Gorilla** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:31 pm

I don't think there are any problems fitting the rink in Wrigley - my god, if they can play football there they can play hockey. The pitching mound wouldn't be there in January anyways.

The only thing I am worried about is tickets, and ticket prices. I have a feeling only those living in Uptown and the Gold Coast are going to be able to go.

I'm going to try like hell to get tickets.

WEFFPIM · Post #8 » by **WEFFPIM** » Sat May 31, 2008 5:49 am

Oh, there won't be an issue with putting a rink in there. The issue will be how it will be situated to provide the most seats with the best views possible. In Soldier Field, every seat in the stadium would have worked. At Wrigley, not so much.

SportsWorld · Post #9 » by **SportsWorld** » Mon Jul 7, 2008 5:53 am

Report: Blackhawks-Wings Jan. 1 at Wrigley Field
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com ... 6791.story

It looks like hockey at Wrigley Field is a go.

The Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings will participate in the NHL's third outdoor game on New Year's Day, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

An announcement is expected next week before the inaugural Blackhawks Convention at the Chicago Hilton.

According to the report, the game was finally approved last week when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met with the Hawks, Cubs and Mayor Richard Daley.

Posey H8er · Post #10 » by **Posey H8er** » Mon Jul 7, 2008 7:11 am

Woo hoo! I'm definitely getting tickets for that game.

Magilla_Gorilla · Post #11 » by **Magilla_Gorilla** » Tue Jul 8, 2008 9:31 pm

Wonder how much its going to cost to get tickets. Doesn't matter though, I'll be paying whatever it is.

WEFFPIM · Post #12 » by **WEFFPIM** » Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:25 am

I...must...go...to...this...game

Posey H8er · Post #13 » by **Posey H8er** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 2:15 am

It is now OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL.

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/team/app/?ser ... eid=368501

WEFFPIM · Post #14 » by **WEFFPIM** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:26 pm

August 11th is when single game tickets go on sale, I wonder if that's when they'll do this one as well.

SportsWorld · Post #15 » by **SportsWorld** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:42 pm

Full Schedule:
http://blackhawks.nhl.com/team/app?serv ... amSchedule

We finish the season in March/April with a bunch of home games.

WEFFPIM · Post #16 » by **WEFFPIM** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:14 pm

Man, March looks great. Only 4 road games and the competition isn't that scary.

Posey H8er · Post #17 » by **Posey H8er** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:23 pm

They had the press conference today at Wrigley with the players dressed in uniform. I think I'm getting tired of these press conferences. A little over the top.

SportsWorld · Post #18 » by **SportsWorld** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:42 pm

More pictures:
http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Searc ... =81954608#

Posey H8er · Post #19 » by **Posey H8er** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:29 pm

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/820345 ... 0B0D811297

I still think it's going to be hard to see the game at certain points like the seats above. They are too close to field lvel.

And on ESPN 1000 Bettman said something along the lines of "the rink placement isn't official yet, we're going to bring in some architectural engineers blah blah blah vantage points."

WEFFPIM · Post #20 » by **WEFFPIM** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:17 pm

It would work so much better in Soldier Field