4 Outdoor Games in 2013-14?

[chilly666]

According to multiple well-placed sources, the NHL is planning on having not one, but several additional outdoor games in 2014, a series of outdoor games, if you will, which will begin with the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.


Where will these games take place, you ask?

Well, the NHL is currently trying to fit an outdoor game inside Yankee Stadium in New York City, something they've been attempting to orchestrate for several years.

Another possible venue?

How about Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Granted, other cities/venues are being considered, as mentioned, but both New York City and Los Angeles, and their respective MLB stadiums, have already been discussed.

New York makes sense, geographically and climatically, but I'm sure many will question LA. For the record, I'm all for it. An outdoor game has been staged in Las Vegas, and the outdoor ice rink they have right across the street from Staples Center is impressive.

Update: A few hours after this story was released, we had been informed that the NHL is also in discussions to bring back to Heritage Classic. According to TFP's Dennis Bernstein, it could take place in either Vancouver or Edmonton.

Link

[Merlin401]

Well that's the nature of business. If you find something that's great, exploit it for as much money as possible until it doesn't become special anymore.

[FightingIsGood]

Leave it to the NHL to completely water down a product. There should only be 1 or 2 outdoor games a year - the Winter Classic and Heritage Classic. That's it. And I'm sorry, but playing an outdoor game in LA is just dumb (yes, I know they played one in Vegas, but I'm still not a fan of the idea). What's next? The WC in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ? I'll probably get bashed by LA/ANA fans, but I stand by my opinion. The WC should not be played anywhere west of Denver, unless it's in Canada.

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Gotta make their lost lockout money back somehow. Even at the expense of whoring their own product. Anyone else not at all surprised?

[slashtrey]

I like it. More exposure and popularity for the sport.

[shaud19]

Keep outdoor games unique! Even having one game it seems like they are over hyped. Playing outside in not that neat. I'll go as far as saying outdoor game are a waste. 4 games is ridiculous.

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by Merlin401

until it doesn't become special anymore.

That part happened a long time ago. Yet it still sells for whatever reason.

[Humpzilla]

Having an outdoor game in CA would completely kill the significance of the event.

Hockey is a game that MOST kids played on rivers, ponds, lakes, ect. NOT UNDER THE POSSIBILITY OF A ****ING EARTHQUAKE OR MASSIVE DROUGHT CONDITIONS, GARY BETTMAN YOU ****ING SCUMBAG.

YOU MIGHT AS WELL MAKE IT AN OUTDOOR STREET HOCKEY GAME

Pardon my caps....

[Baronking]

Originally Posted by Humpzilla

YOU MIGHT AS WELL MAKE IT AN OUTDOOR STREET HOCKEY GAME

That would actually be kind of cool to see. Remember when ESPN had the Pro Beach Hockey. Would be interesting to watch NHL teams on blades (obviously not in a game that counts)

It doesn't bother me how many or where they have the winter classics. Like Hordi said, the uniqueness of the game has long been gone since so many minor/college leagues have played outdoors. Don't see anything wrong with a game in LA either. As long as there is ice, what does it matter what the temperature is outside. Hockey is hockey.

[thepolishkid88]

When ESPN starts actually covering hockey for it I don't find it surprising that they would beat this until the money is all out of this genius idea.

I really don't like that this game is even played to be quite honest. Let alone actual points on the line for the season for both teams.

[Rec T]

I loved the 03 game for it's originality & the memories it provoked (playing as a kid during the couple of years when I lived in a place where water actually turned solid in winter...). Same with the original WC (Buffalo?) & the having to play in a mild snowstorm, it never stopped us why should it stop the big boys.

That said though, even though I enjoyed watching the games there was always something in the back of my mind clanging the warning bells. The biggest problem with an outdoor game is that it has to count in the standings to have any sort of watchable/marketable intensity. However there is also serious potential to punish both teams by making them play in the noncontrolled conditions that you get inside an arena (bad ice, dangerously cold weather, snowstorm dropping so much on the ice that injuries become a factor from uneven ice falls, etc).

I think that most people would agree that the benefits outweigh the concerns/possible loss of points with having one game played in potentially bad conditions over an entire full season. It is something special & should be celebrated (especially as, with one game a year, even traditionally cold market teams only hit the rotation schedule every 5-6 years). However it is only special BECAUSE it is so unique. The NHL's idea to flood the market is beyond idiotic, not surprising in the least as there is a LOT of money involved in putting one on, but still beyond idiotic. If you flood the market with 5-6 (or more ) games per year, fans are quickly going to not care at all & attendance will quickly drop from the 60k+ that it is now down to (a still respectable) 25k or thereabouts, it just isn't special any longer but just another gimick.

I'd even suggest that the league needs to go the other way, having the game every other or every third year rather than every year. It would reemphasize just how special the game is/should be. However given how much money is made/involved, that will never happen sadly. The best we can hope for now is to keep things at one game per year (& New Years Day is a great time to do it, catch all the hungover people looking for something to watch before the football games start....brilliant). More than that though is just too counterproductive.

[LordKOTL]

Here's a thought...

Maybe combine the winter classic with the all-star game.