NHL Winter Classic

[jay stew]

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported that the 2011 NHL Winter Classic will be held at Heinz Field between the Pengiuns and Capitals.

The Steelers last game of the season will be on the road in Cleveland.

[krudmonk]

Fuck Pittsburgh. I'm so sick of them.

[koolio]

I like the fact that its being held in a football stadium once more ... although I would have liked to see the Pens face the Flyers.

[MegasAlexandros]

Originally Posted by jay stew

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has reported that the 2011 NHL Winter Classic will be held at Heinz Field between the Pengiuns and Capitals.

The Steelers last game of the season will be on the road in Cleveland.

So the league chose to showcase Crosby vs. Ovechkin in the Winter Classic... shocking.

[BoulderGrad]

If the NHL had their way, the winter classic would be a roaming tour of just the caps and pens playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zd5jTtzWx8

[htpwn]

There will be two "Winter Classics" this year. One does appear to be in Pittsburgh between the Capitals and Penguins (which I frankly think its a disgrace that the Penguins get to play in two outdoors games before 2 original six teams get to play in one). The second will be likely called the "Heritage Classic" and Pierre Lebrun has said on Hotstove that it will likely take place in Calgary and be the week after "Hockey Day In Canada."

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by htpwn

The second will be likely called the "Heritage Classic" and Pierre Lebrun has said on Hotstove that it will likely take place in Calgary and be the week after "Hockey Day In Canada."

At McMahon Stadium? That would be awesome. It's a much better choice than Commonwealth Stadium as the stands are closer together (no athletics track).

[massp88]

Originally Posted by MegasAlexandros

So the league chose to showcase Crosby vs. Ovechkin in the Winter Classic... shocking.

Yes, VERY shocking that the NHL wants to display its 2 biggest stars during the biggest game (tv ratings wise) of the regular season for them.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by massp88

Yes, VERY shocking that the NHL wants to display its 2 biggest stars during the biggest game (tv ratings wise) of the regular season for them.

They're the two biggest because the league made them the two biggest. It's self-fulfilling. People are tired of it this NBA approach to a team sport.

[koolio]

Even though they are the two biggest names in hockey even without the NHL publicity machine, I have to agree that the league needs to give this aggressive NBA mentality a rest. Hockey will never be a super-star driven sport. They need to give some other markets and players a chance to shine. I hate these artificially driven up rivilaries. Reminds me of the stupid LA - Miami games on Christmas day for the past god knows how many years in the NBA just because they wanted to cash in on the supposed Shaq-Kobe rivalry.

[en1044]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

They're the two biggest because the league made them the two biggest. It's self-fulfilling. People are tired of it this NBA approach to a team sport.

Thats really not as true as you want to think it is.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by en1044

Thats really not as true as you want to think it is.

Don't take it as me saying they aren't good. They're undeniably talented. But why is the debate always between just those two? Because the league pushes them and this manufactured rivalry. It narrows the focus too much.

[en1044]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Don't take it as me saying they aren't good. They're undeniably talented. But why is the debate always between just those two? Because the league pushes them and this manufactured rivalry. It narrows the focus too much.

Its not as much the league pushing it as a lot of people think though. There is a rivalry that has been going on between Washington and Pittsburgh for years, it just hasnt come to the national spotlight until now because they both have two very marketable players.

Years ago these two teams met in the playoffs all the freakin time, usually resulting in a Pittsburgh win. On the DC side of things, we generally hate all things Pittsburgh. That city has been in a downfall for years, and when people pack up and move from there, half of them turn up in DC. And a lot of them are pretty smug, instantly declaring their hate for their new home and still repping Pittsburgh. I cant freakin stand it. No one from here can stand it. We hate that city.

And that hate seemed to get sent right back to Pennsylvania. No lie, the first day I showed up to college here in PA I was wearing a Caps shirt and got nothing but crap from Pitt fans. And that was before the country had heard about this rivalry. They dont like us, and we dont like them. Just because its starting to come out now, and has been jump started a little because the two greatest players in the world play for the teams, doesnt mean its been manufactured. Its real, and has been so for a while.

[BoulderGrad]

This thread got left in the dust.

Winter Classic 2011
Washington Capitals vs Pittsburgh Penguins
@Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Caps win 3-1:


Winter Classic 2012
New York Rangers vs Philadelphia Flyers
@Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Rangers won 3-2:

Picture from: (sports.yahoo.com)

Future locations discussed:
Looking like Detroit is the front runner for next year:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...d-by-the-wings

Other good locations still left to host:
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN
Saint Louis, MO
Denver, CO
Green bay/Madison, WI
Washington D.C.
New York, NY

[JYDA]

Originally Posted by BoulderGrad

Future locations discussed:
Looking like Detroit is the front runner for next year:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...d-by-the-wings

Other good locations still left to host:
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN
Saint Louis, MO
Denver, CO
Green bay/Madison, WI
Washington D.C.
New York, NY

I guess it's Yankee Stadium or bust for the NHL. Won't sink to using Citi Field. Just waiting for a day in the future when the pinstripe park is available.

As for Detroit's opponents for next year the writer of that article doesn't seem to understand television. My beloved Leafs aren't exactly good business for NBC's american viewership numbers. The entire winter classic is just a television gimmick anyway so it's not like teams will be chosen for any other reason. It'll be Chicago for sure.

[xzmattzx]

Chicago hosted it, they'll put it somewhere else before a city gets it twice.

It looks like it will move out of the Northeast, though. Detroit has been mentioned, as stated already, and Denver and Minnesota have been contenders the last couple of years. Yankee Stadium will never host with the Pinstripe Bowl there, but MetLife Stadium would be a good venue if they just want numbers and the city. (Would the NHL prank New Yorkers and give the Devils that home game?)

It would be great to have the Winter Classic in Canada or with a Canadian team. Obviously, having a Canadian team does nothign for casual American viewers, but if they're going to play up rivalries, Toronto/Montreal and Edmonton/Calgary have to be up there as some of the best, at least. I love that the Flyers have been in tow and hosted one, but I'm also getting sick of seeing the same teams over and over. Eventually they will lose some people if they keep going with New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Crosby, and Ovechkin.

[JYDA]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Chicago hosted it, they'll put it somewhere else before a city gets it twice.

It looks like it will move out of the Northeast, though. Detroit has been mentioned, as stated already, and Denver and Minnesota have been contenders the last couple of years. Yankee Stadium will never host with the Pinstripe Bowl there, but MetLife Stadium would be a good venue if they just want numbers and the city. (Would the NHL prank New Yorkers and give the Devils that home game?)

It would be great to have the Winter Classic in Canada or with a Canadian team. Obviously, having a Canadian team does nothign for casual American viewers, but if they're going to play up rivalries, Toronto/Montreal and Edmonton/Calgary have to be up there as some of the best, at least. I love that the Flyers have been in tow and hosted one, but I'm also getting sick of seeing the same teams over and over. Eventually they will lose some people if they keep going with New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Crosby, and Ovechkin.

I was talking about Chicago being Detroit's opponent, not Chicago hosting again.

As for a Canadian winter classic, they did one last season called the Heritage Classic in Calgary against Montreal. It sounds like it won't be held again until 2014. Winnipeg wants to host it at the new Blue Bombers stadium

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/spo...132280393.html

[carnifex2005]

Originally Posted by JYDA

I was talking about Chicago being Detroit's opponent, not Chicago hosting again.

As for a Canadian winter classic, they did one last season called the Heritage Classic in Calgary against Montreal. It sounds like it won't be held again until 2014. Winnipeg wants to host it at the new Blue Bombers stadium

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/spo...132280393.html

There was a report broken yesterday that next years favourite for the Winter Classic will be Toronto at Detroit. The hold up is that the owner of the Red Wings wants to play it at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers (which he owns) and the NHL wants it to be at Michigan Stadium (which would easily be filled by Detroit and Toronto fans making the trip).

[BoulderGrad]

Unfortunately Colorado is not the draw they once were (But are definitely improving). But they seem to like to hark on the rivalry thing for each of these games. A Detroit v Colorado game still carries some weight in this league. I'd be watching it intently anyways :-D.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Kings vs Ducks at the Rose Bowl.

only hold up is moving this little know bowl game to a different date and making sure its not 83 degrees on Jan 1 like it was this year