Winter Classic 4

[cptjeff 0]

More from the Boston Globe:

If all the details get nailed down, the Winter Classic, set to be staged at Fenway Park on Jan. 1, 2010, promises to be more of a protracted extravaganza than those played in Orchard Park, N.Y., in 2008 and Chicago in 2009.

According to a source familiar with the plans, the NHL's portable ice sheet and high-tech refrigeration system will be kept in place inside the lyric little bandbox for some three weeks. The featured game, on New Year's Day, will have the Bruins most likely opposing the Washington Capitals.

The same source said another game, held on a separate date, ideally will have members of Boston's 1970 and '72 Stanley Cup teams facing off against a collection of Bruins alumni. A college tournament is also in the works, according to the source.

Look for the league to make a formal announcement at Fenway next month, most likely toward the end of a long Red Sox homestand that wraps up July 12.

Meanwhile, outdoor fever for hockey is not limited to cities of the Original 30. To kick off next year's World Championships, Germany will face Team USA on May 7, 2010, at the soccer stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, which seats 75,976 for soccer. If they fill the place, it will be the biggest crowd ever to witness a hockey game, edging the 74,554 when Michigan State faced Michigan at East Lansing, Mich., in 2001

Wonder if they can coax Bobby Orr's knee out or retirement...

[Neal 41]

Wonder if they can coax Bobby Orr's knee out or retirement...

He has 2 new ones now and can apparently skate pretty well... How cool would that be?

[RadioGaGa 162]

Talk of a second Outdoor Classic Game has begun:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282276

[hockeysc23 0]

Talk of a second Outdoor Classic Game has begun:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282276

I think they should really keep it to 1 on new years day. They have somethign special going on they shouldn't ruin it by making several of them.

[the_game 452]

From today's Boston Globe:

NHL officials in Detroit last weekend for the start of the finals would not confirm the Jan. 1 Winter Classic game at Fenway Park. However, a source inside Fenway Park during the NHL's recent visit to study the property, noted that league reps staked out a mock rink similar to the layout used this year at Wrigley Field. Based on that template, the rink would be centered just behind second base with nets placed in the direction of the foul lines. A couple of sources have said to expect a different wrinkle or two at this Classic, which has raised suspicions around town that at least two of the Beanpot competitors could lace 'em up for a game in the old ballyard. The Wrigley Wrink had public skating, too, which would work well at Fenway, provided it did not interfere with offseason ballpark renovations.

Umm...that 'wrinkle or two' that they are mentioning might be something more then a college game. I'm not at liberty to say much else, but judging from what I have heard things could get busy for the winter classic.

Like I said, things could get busy for the Winter Classic...

I should know more on Monday, I'll try to pass along what I find out.

[Jason Harris 31]

Talk of a second Outdoor Classic Game has begun:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282276

From a marketing standpoint, I don't think it makes sense to cannibalize their own product, but I recognize the game in Calgary could be on TSN, while the game in Boston would be on NBC. There wouldn't be a lot of overlap in the markets, but it would still obscure the product.

[jsmart 0]

leave it to the NHL to ruin another good thing...

[dumbpolak9 1]

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

the winter classic is going north this year

[K9 Unit 1]

i think having 2 is set up for later in the years when the hype kinda goes down...but i hate how the bruins are prolly playing caps...its sooooo set up for a canadian original 6 matchup

[Jason Harris 31]

From the standpoint of marketing players, it makes sense to have Ovechkin, especially since Washington is a US TV market. And if both teams play similarly as well next season, it should be a good game. But not choosing the Canadiens is the baseball equivalent of having the Red Sox play the Rangers because TV wants to pull in the southern markets. It's quite obvious the fans would be at a fervor against the Canadiens, which, in turn, would likely bring up the intensity of play.

Regarding a second game, it sounds dumb initially, but maybe it would be okay if the games were three to four hours apart, essentially giving the NHL a six-hour block on New Year's Day.

[cptjeff 0]

Talk of a second Outdoor Classic Game has begun:

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282276

From a marketing standpoint, I don't think it makes sense to cannibalize their own product, but I recognize the game in Calgary could be on TSN, while the game in Boston would be on NBC. There wouldn't be a lot of overlap in the markets, but it would still obscure the product.

I would doubt they would be on at the same time. I would suspect a doubleheader- a 1 pm start in Boston, a 4 pm start for the Calgary game, probalby on versus, so hockey fans could make a day out of it.

[Jason Harris 31]

More from the Boston Globe:

Word leaked Friday that Calgary would host an outdoor game Jan. 1, the same day the Bruins will have their Winter Classic at Fenway. But by the end of the day, the Players Association was telling TSN, which is an ESPN partner in Canada, that it had not been approached about a game in Calgary (possibly vs. the Oilers?). That doesn’t necessarily kill the deal, but until the PA signs off, the Flames can host any game they want - as long as it is indoors.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

I'm hearing that the opponent for Boston this year would be Philly and not the Capitals, paving way for a marketing dream match up of Rangers/Capitals at New Yankee Stadium.

[Jason Harris 31]

According to the Boston Globe, you may be right. This was in today's article, pointing out where the real power lies in any sport:

A couple of sources with close ties to the Winter Classic negotiations said yesterday that Boston’s opponent in the Jan. 1 game at Fenway will be the Flyers rather than the Capitals. Organizers agreed weeks ago that a Boston-Washington matchup would be best, given the great numbers of eyeballs that two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin could bring to the screen. However, NBC pushed hard for the Flyers, according to the sources, feeling that it was better to have the fourth-largest US TV market, instead of No. 9 Washington . . . Look for the colleges to take the Fenway ice one week later, Jan. 8, with the likes of Boston University, Boston College, Providence, and Vermont in a Hockey East mini-tournament . . .

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Caps didn't get it because NBC didn't like their ratings in the first round of the playoffs!!! What the Fudge?

So their solution is to match them up against the same team who garnered poor ratings and play next year instead?

http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2009/06...4e464986101.txt

Despite springtime reports that the Flyers were out of the running as Boston’s foe in the next outdoor game, they recently were brought back into the discussion by NBC, which will broadcast the contest.

The NHL lobbied to pit the Washington Capitals against the Bruins in an effort to showcase Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin and his exciting, young team.

However, sources say NBC trumped that decision, telling the NHL it wanted the Flyers instead of the Caps in order to draw a better television audience and increase advertising revenue.

NBC was disappointed with ratings between the Caps and New York Rangers in the opening round of the playoffs, which surely played a role in being tepid when it came to having Washington playing in its biggest hockey telecast.

After some bargaining sessions with NBC, the NHL relented and agreed to have the Flyers participate, with the Caps as a possible 2011 opponent against the Rangers in a game that could be played at Yankee Stadium.

[chippa13 1844]

Sidenote: word has it that the ice at Fenway can be rented and our beer league team is seriously looking into it. Strange coincidence, we're the Flyers.

[Jason Harris 31]

I know that ice is ice, but I'm sure that would be a lot of fun, chippa.

All these proposed alternative uses had to have come at the suggestion of the Red Sox because, if there's one thing we've learned about this ownership, they know how to market.

[chippa13 1844]

The Fenway boys are masters at maximizing and inventing revenue streams. It won't be cheap so hopefully the Platinum members of our team decide it is worth it.

[hockeysc23 0]

Amazing that they would choose Flyers over Caps. A casual fan could prob name the hottest players in the league right now in Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin and Dats ... and they choose Philly?

NHL needs to stop bending over for NBC.

[chippa13 1844]

It isn't like Philly is a horrible draw.

[DCott 0]

It isn't like Philly is a horrible draw.

I thought the NHL was trying to avoid marketing fighting...

[hockeysc23 0]

It isn't like Philly is a horrible draw.

I think the back 2 back mvp, and the young roster of the Caps is a much better draw than Philly from marketing and overall entertainment value. Unless you want the first fight at an outdoor game, there is no reason Philly should be in over the Caps on this one.

[chippa13 1844]

First, what is so bad about a fight in the most watched game of the season? Second, a Boston-Philly matchup usually involves some fireworks. Another plus, a Boston-Philly game can have a great lead-in with all the highlights of punishing games of years past. The Caps just don't have that history.

[hockeysc23 0]

I guess we differ on the purpose of the winter classic. From my point of view its to bring in new fans. Casual fans that might not otherwise watch a hockey game and get hooked.

Casual fans want big names with highlight goal potential. That is the Caps young team with Ovechkin. Not to mention the Caps have had some great games vs. the B's in the past couple of seasons.

History is important to long time hockey fans but I don't think means much to the casual observer.

Outside from putting the Stanley Cup champions out there ... there is no bigger name right now than Ovechkin.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

The ice is too shitty out there for "highlight goal potential." The "biggest" goal was the goal scored by Crosby in BUF and all you can see was him fighting the puck and trying to keep it as simple as he could.

The WCs have been a plod-fest.

The Flyers will do.