Bettman confirms wanting two winter classics next year

[Jake Ryan 1]

Invierno Classico del ciudad de Mexico. Es muy importante por el pais y el ciudad y hockey.

NON!

[Z and D for the C 712]

God I hope not.

And Bettman probably would like a Winter Classic in vegas.

[VM1138 1,921]

I like the idea of having one in Canada. Canadians deserve a winter classic too. Two a year is good, as long as they don't start going overboard.

So give them one next year. Why do we need two just so the Canadians can have one?

And the baseball diamond was cool and all last year, but sight-line wise it's atrocious, I really hope they don't do this every year. They should go back to football stadiums, or rotate once in a while.

One Winter Classic (hence, having its own title), please. Winter Classics doesn't sound nearly as cool.

It's bad enough that we'll someday have a Nashville-Phoenix Winter Classic, we don't need to double up on games to get there sooner.

[thedisappearer 291]

Thanksgiving has long supported 2 football games, and now supports three. I say GO FOR IT. If people will watch and be interested, do it. The real issue is competing with college football on Jan1.

[bonan78 1]

Toronto @ Montreal in Olympic Stadium

Calgary @ Colorado at Mile High Stadium (or whatever they're calling it these days)

Then, in a few years, have the Winter Classic at the Big House, imagine over 110,000 people at one hockey game.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

One Winter Classic (hence, having its own title), please. Winter Classics doesn't sound nearly as cool.

plural = f***IN LAME

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Thanksgiving has long supported 2 football games, and now supports three. I say GO FOR IT. If people will watch and be interested, do it. The real issue is competing with college football on Jan1.

And the Thanksgiving game has very little allure like the Winter Classic does in its respective sport.

To see the Lions lose every year in that game is not exciting, and seeing team after team play again and again ruins what made it great at one point.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

And the Thanksgiving game has very little allure like the Winter Classic does in its respective sport.

To see the Lions lose every year in that game is not exciting, and seeing team after team play again and again ruins what made it great at one point.

It always seems like tradition in Michigan to pass out after a big turkey dinner while the Lions are losing.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

It always seems like tradition in Michigan to pass out after a big turkey dinner while the Lions are losing.

It sure seems that way. I miss the days where the Thanksgiving game was the one game a year where the Lions actually did win.

I also forgot about the amount of resources that are used in order to make the Winter Classic happen. The NFL spends barely any extra expense for each of those games, other than marketing and jersey designs. The NHL pays a great deal to use each property and construct the rinks (not including management).

[thedisappearer 291]

And the Thanksgiving game has very little allure like the Winter Classic does in its respective sport.

To see the Lions lose every year in that game is not exciting, and seeing team after team play again and again ruins what made it great at one point.

You failed here. The WC rotates. The Thanksgiving games do not rotate. The WC games do. Which screws your "allure" argument up.

[thedisappearer 291]

I also forgot about the amount of resources that are used in order to make the Winter Classic happen. The NFL spends barely any extra expense for each of those games, other than marketing and jersey designs. The NHL pays a great deal to use each property and construct the rinks (not including management).

If you honestly think the NHL has lost money marketing the WC, you are beyond clueless.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

If you honestly think the NHL has lost money marketing the WC, you are beyond clueless.

Someone's mad. Did I even say that?

[Shady Ultima 40]

I think they should be a little smarter with what teams are chosen.

Boston vs. Philly is a pathetic match.

They could have only 1, but have a Canadian team. There hasn't BEEN a Canadian team in the WC yet... kinda dumb that Canada's game has been kept out. Montreal/Boston would have been amazing.

[Cern 0]

Canada doesn't have any outdoor stadiums.

lol wut? Toronto, Montreal, and Edmonton all have huge outdoor stadiums. Once BC Place gets its retractable roof installed Vancouver can be added to that list too. If Wrigley Field - a 40 000-seat stadium - is good enough for hosting the Winter Classic, why is a 60 000-seat stadium in Canada suddenly unviable?

Let's face it, the cries of 'you're making the event less special!' is thoroughly falling on deaf ears in the NHL, it's becoming increasingly futile to use it as an argument. The European season-opener games used to be an exclusive, special event; now they seem increasingly intent on moving towards eventually having the entire league play 1/4 of their season across the Atlantic. The 'special' Habs centennial was overcelebrated into the ******* ground too. Guess what? It makes the League a s***load of money, so they don't care. Having two WCs is merely an extension of what has already been a thoroughly precedented trend.

Edited December 17, 2009 by Cern

[Cern 0]

They could have only 1, but have a Canadian team. There hasn't BEEN a Canadian team in the WC yet... kinda dumb that Canada's game has been kept out. Montreal/Boston would have been amazing.

I've thrown this idea around for a while (although unfortunately now it's moot since the Bruins are in this year's WC): Carolina @ Boston, Hurricanes wearing Whalers jerseys for their vintage throwback. It's win-win - You revive a classic hockey rivalry in a special setting, and you bring in some involvement (and hopefully viewership) from the sunshine area without having to do something retarded like hosting the WC on Miami Beach.

[Third Man In 2,091]

If only Bettman could have two Sidney Crosbies.

[VM1138 1,921]

Thanksgiving has long supported 2 football games, and now supports three. I say GO FOR IT. If people will watch and be interested, do it. The real issue is competing with college football on Jan1.

The Winter Classic has proven competitive with the college bowl games that day. Everyone thought people would ignore the Winter Classic but instead it was a hit. However, a second Winter Classic could potentially dilute the specialness of it. I'm not sure there's a big enough fanbase to spread over two games, though. Especially when one game will inevitably be inferior. Americans aren't going to watch a Canadian game, so you automatically cut that game audience in half or whatever.

I just don't see how this is a smart move. It seems someone saw that the Winter Classic was successful so let's do even more! without thinking it through.

[Shady Ultima 40]

I've thrown this idea around for a while (although unfortunately now it's moot since the Bruins are in this year's WC): Carolina @ Boston, Hurricanes wearing Whalers jerseys for their vintage throwback. It's win-win - You revive a classic hockey rivalry in a special setting, and you bring in some involvement (and hopefully viewership) from the sunshine area without having to do something retarded like hosting the WC on Miami Beach.

Oh, that would be beautiful as well. Canes should return to Hartford.

I love how resistant Bettman is to move Phoenix anywhere, but had NO problem moving teams from markets where they were successful in the past, like Hartford, Winnipeg and QC.

[dobbles 252]

this is a bad idea. the reason for it? the owners are greedy and shortsighted.

the winter classic has shown to be successful on its limited basis. so lets take one of the few positives the nhl has going for it and run it into the ground! the reason they have been successful is that they were held rarely and these first couple featured marketable teams, players, and stories. sure there was a ton of hype last year with original 6 teams playing at wrigley. you had marketable young stars like kane and toews going up against the dynasty of the red wings. that is a marketing plan that sells itself.

but what the nhl will soon do is run this into the ground. they will have too many games which will make casual fans once again not care. additionally, because they are playing so many of these games, they will end up having to to include more teams that no one cares about. do you honestly think that there would be any sort of ratings to see the wild play the hurricanes?

because the nhl owners are ultra greedy and shortsighted, they will try to cram as many of these things into the next few seasons. people will get tired of the idea after a few years and they will get scrapped. then the nhl will have lost what could be one of its biggest marketing tools because of it. but then again the people arguing that 2 games is fine were the same ones arguing 18 months ago that they should have a winter classic every year. and in another 12 months i am sure they will be arguing that 4 games is fine. and then 8, and then 16...

[MacK_Attack 108]

This had crossed my mind, I figure if they really wanted to hold a game there they would find a way to do it. I'm not sure at what temp it starts seizing and s***, but Jan. 1 could very well be a + temps day with the screwed up weather we've been getting up here. I'd like to see it happen one day, but maybe it will remain impossible. With the technology these days I bet they could figure it out.

Rogers Centre doesn't have the drainage in the floor that would be required to keep the roof open in the winter.

Calgary seems like the most logical place to have it, since McMahon Stadium doesn't have a roof.

Edited December 17, 2009 by MacK_Attack

[deetroit dario 27]

coming soon...

the winter classic cup!

a marathon day of hockey...sort of a pre-postseason tourney between 6 teams (top 3 from each confrence), played in a best-of-3 format, all day, until a winner is declared or until all the players are dead.

all for the chance to win the newly-coveted crosby cup.

bettman, if for any reason you're reading this....ITS A JOKE! I'M MAKING FUN OF YOU, ASS!!!

and thats all i've got to say about that...

[Opie 308]

I think as long as it is set up as a double header and keeping it to one day a year it should be fine.

The problem arises when it becomes 4 games t4 different days. Then the owners who haven't had a share in the WC will want one.

My solution:

Each year Jan 1, 3 outdoor games.

Rotating schedule only involving O6 teams!

Each year have a O6 day outdoors.

First game 11:00am Eastern, 2nd Game 2Pm Eastern time, 3rd game 5Pm Eastern (would have to be somewhere with great lighting!)

The only problem I see here is time frame, all O6 teams are eastern time zone, if one were central or Pacific it would help dramatically!

Think of it though:

Year one:

Det v Tor in Tor

Bos v Mon in Mon

Chi v NYR in NY

The year after

Tor v Bos in Bos

Mon V Chi in Chi

NYR v Det in Big House

year 3

Det v Mon in Mon

Tor v NYR in NY

Bos v Chi in Chi

EDIT: DEETROIT DARIO:

I like your idea even though you were joking, have it be the O6 cup, whichever team has the best stats (win, gf, ga, what other stats could be used!) and the O6 cup is a patch that after a couple of years could be put on the team with the best standings jersey. Each year after say year 3 the patch is awarded in a preseason O6 tourney, but it would be a badge of honor to be considered the best of the original im!

Again all on one day should have no impact on the success of this activity, two a year probably would be fine.

The problem (which started the minute there was one WC) is all owners are now going to want in on it. This will ruin the event, not too many of them.

Because soon regardless of standings or home attendance the owners in TBL, Pho, Dal, SJS, ANA, and Fla are going to want to be part of this. Well that is all well in good if we are talking about teams like SJS, ANA, or Dal who have been perenial playoff teams who have filled buildings.

You put FLA in the Winter classic against say Min and I ask you outside of MIN where is the draw!

The problem is going to happen when the league starts to throw non big draw teams into the mix.

Det, Ana, Dal, SJS, Mon, Tor, Cal, Van, Bos, NYR, will all draw even if their team is doing poorly that year. Starting to through in most (SJS, ANA being the exception) expansion teams that do not have the depth of fan base will start to diminish the draw of the game and then the luster and then the game is gone!

Edited December 17, 2009 by Opie

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

This had crossed my mind, I figure if they really wanted to hold a game there they would find a way to do it. I'm not sure at what temp it starts seizing and s***, but Jan. 1 could very well be a + temps day with the screwed up weather we've been getting up here. I'd like to see it happen one day, but maybe it will remain impossible. With the technology these days I bet they could figure it out.

It's not just the roof, the BUILDING is not designed for it. As I remember (it was when it was still skydome), there were very few doors throughout and everything was largely open. Therefore, it's gonna wreak havok on everything from bathroom water to concession workers, etc...

I just don't see it as a place where it could happen without a huge investment.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

I think as long as it is set up as a double header and keeping it to one day a year it should be fine.

The problem arises when it becomes 4 games t4 different days. Then the owners who haven't had a share in the WC will want one.

My solution:

Each year Jan 1, 3 outdoor games.

Rotating schedule only involving O6 teams!

Each year have a O6 day outdoors.

First game 11:00am Eastern, 2nd Game 2Pm Eastern time, 3rd game 5Pm Eastern (would have to be somewhere with great lighting!)

The only problem I see here is time frame, all O6 teams are eastern time zone, if one were central or Pacific it would help dramatically!

Think of it though:

Year one:

Det v Tor in Tor

Bos v Mon in Mon

Chi v NYR in NY

The year after

Tor v Bos in Bos

Mon V Chi in Chi

NYR v Det in Big House

year 3

Det v Mon in Mon

Tor v NYR in NY

Bos v Chi in Chi

EDIT: DEETROIT DARIO:

I like your idea even though you were joking, have it be the O6 cup, whichever team has the best stats (win, gf, ga, what other stats could be used!) and the O6 cup is a patch that after a couple of years could be put on the team with the best standings jersey. Each year after say year 3 the patch is awarded in a preseason O6 tourney, but it would be a badge of honor to be considered the best of the original im!

Again all on one day should have no impact on the success of this activity, two a year probably would be fine.

The problem (which started the minute there was one WC) is all owners are now going to want in on it. This will ruin the event, not too many of them.

Because soon regardless of standings or home attendance the owners in TBL, Pho, Dal, SJS, ANA, and Fla are going to want to be part of this. Well that is all well in good if we are talking about teams like SJS, ANA, or Dal who have been perenial playoff teams who have filled buildings.

You put FLA in the Winter classic against say Min and I ask you outside of MIN where is the draw!

The problem is going to happen when the league starts to throw non big draw teams into the mix.

Det, Ana, Dal, SJS, Mon, Tor, Cal, Van, Bos, NYR, will all draw even if their team is doing poorly that year. Starting to through in most (SJS, ANA being the exception) expansion teams that do not have the depth of fan base will start to diminish the draw of the game and then the luster and then the game is gone!

I suggested something similar a year or two back, minus the winter classic aspect (I suggested it for fun during regular season schedule).

[MacK_Attack 108]

It's not just the roof, the BUILDING is not designed for it. As I remember (it was when it was still skydome), there were very few doors throughout and everything was largely open. Therefore, it's gonna wreak havok on everything from bathroom water to concession workers, etc...

I just don't see it as a place where it could happen without a huge investment.

The only venue to have it at in Toronto is BMO Field, and it's fairly tiny.