120 replies to this topic

[Crashnburnluder]

I will say this... I know they are trying to make this a big money ploy and all that jazz... but they sure as hell are doing one thing....

They are pissing off a large amount of regular and die hard fans of the NHL is a off chance they might pull in a couple more casual fans to root for the Penguins.... These teams are already so well known through out there area the draw on a casual fan is so small because they already know about the sport and the game and the rivalary... If you want to go after fans go after a market with young stars and promote the young stars in other areas... the Parise's the Duchene's, the Stamkos's no the guy that is on every commercial, every poster, and some how is talked about on every national broadcast game even if he is not even playing in the game...

[Echolalia]

I don't see how having the Penguins in another game is helping the league. The whole US hates Crosby after the Olympics.

And the whole US will be watching hoping to see him fall to this Ovechkin fella, who apparently stands for everything Crosby doesn't.

[IILeiBlazeII]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=315816

Apparently, TSN is reporting the high possibility as well.

BS, says I. Biggest fair-weather fans in the world get to enjoy one of the coolest new things to happen to hockey twice before more deserving teams get it once? Wrong, wrong, wrong...

[Zion]

Like it or not Caps/Pens is the biggest rivalry in the league right now, it has the two biggest stars and the games are always fun.

You can't blame them for going with it from a marketing standpoint. Sure you can say the Rangers or Devils should get the chance.. but both are pretty boring teams. It's not the best way to show off the NHL.

If every teams should get one go before anyone gets their 2nd, soon we'll have Nashville vs. Phoenix and matchups like that.

Are you kidding me? That last game, before the shootout, was a pure snoozer.

[Carman]

Are you kidding me? That last game, before the shootout, was a pure snoozer.

Wasn't Crosby's fault Ovechkin doesn't come to play and only cares about money and women.

[superstarsingh]

Would everyone be complaining if the Wings got another Winter Classic?

The Wings have been showcased. Winter Classic, Sweden and they always have 4 slots on NBC. Yes, I would like them to play in another Winter Classic but I think other teams should have a shot at being in one before we see repeating teams.

[Uncle Danny]

I know this will be an unpopular opinion here, but...

I honestly can't think of a better matchup than this to market to the casual/new fan. To my mind, this is the most important thing the NHL can be doing, as a business. As much as I'd love to see players like Miller or Parise showcased, they just aren't a reason for casual fans to tune in at this point. If they really want to highlight young stars other than AO and Crosby, it has to start with marketing well in advance of the Winter Classic for these stars be a pull for new viewers/potential fans. Simply focusing on them during the broadcast doesn't really accomplish much, as people won't tune in on the strength of Zach Parise's Q score alone.

As a hockey fan, of course there are other games I'd like to see: Montreal/Toronto, Detroit/Pittsburgh, Montreal/Boston, San Jose/Vancouver (sorry, I'm on the west coast ), New York/New Jersey and I LOVE the Dallas/Minnesota idea.

But the fact is, none of them will draw major network ratings like Washington/Pittsburgh. That match-up is almost as widely appealing as the Wings/Avs rivalry in the late 90's.

I also don't buy the idea that every team should be given a shot before a team is repeated. IMO, they should look at what will draw the most viewers and has the best storyline for showcase each season. Currently, unfortunately for many here, that match-up happens to involve Sid Crosby, his 2009 Cup winning Pens, Alexander Ovechkin and his likely 2010 President Trophy winning Caps.

[DatsyukianDeke13]

They should do Capitals @ Rangers IMO. They could play the game in the New Meadowlands Stadium they just built

[cusimano_brothers]

In the end, it's a business. The Winter Classic is a big money maker for all concerned. And since the League is having a tougher time selling the sport of hockey in the US, there will be more American content in this game for a while. Now, about the TV ratings last year...

[Lidstrom for life]

You would think the NHL would use this event to get people excited about hockey in a potentially big market like New York. I do understand that they want to promote the whole star power thing but it can backfire. What is going to happen to the ratings of the SCF if the devils or sabres win the east? Casual sports fans know nothing about those two teams because all they see is Crosby and Ovechkin. And also you would think they would want to promote more American players like Parise.

[T.OWingsFan]

Those teams don't draw nearly as much as Pittsburgh.

The Classic needs to create as much attention as possible, not try and shed light on a little known team that many of the casual fans would have no idea about.

Ya Pittsburgh draws.

They were quite ready to fold up shop altogether before fortuitously being presented with a 2nd 1st overall pick.

Anyhow, how about Washington at NY Rangers at Giants stadium?

[AARedWingFan]

This would be hilarious to me: Florida and Tampa Bay draft two superstars in the next couple drafts, and watch in about five years as the NHL tries to somehow create and sell a Florida/Tampa Bay winter classic game...

[13dangledangle]

I was hoping for Toronto>Montreal @ Rogers center

[SouthernWingsFan]

Ugh. Why...

I think as many teams as possible should get the chance to play before you repeat. There are lots of alternatives than Pittsburgh right now, who already played in a game. If we are keeping this to a U.S. theme...

New York Rangers/Islanders - Yankee Stadium
New Jersey Devils - Rutgers Unviersity football stadium (both in East Rutherford)
Minnesota - Minnesota University football stadium (they no longer play in the Metrodome, have a fine on-campus facility in Minneapolis area for football to call their own for 2 years now)
Washington - Stadium where the Redskins play
Denver - Mile High Stadium or Coors Field
St. Louis - Stadium where the Cardinals play (Rams play in a dome)
Carolina - Stadium where the Panthers play
Nashville - Stadium where the Titans play

I eliminated teams and venues that have already been involved in the Winter Classic, and did not include any of the California teams, Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, or the FLorida teams due to climate.

Edited by SouthernWingsFan, 28 March 2010 - 06:19 PM.

[cjm502]

The Capitals vs. Pens is not a rivalry. A lot of their game have very little action. The public just makes it out to be a rivalry because it is the two most popular players facing off.

Edited by cjm502, 28 March 2010 - 06:17 PM.

[hooon]

They should do Capitals @ Rangers IMO. They could play the game in the New Meadowlands Stadium they just built

This. Best player in the league, an original 6 team, two teams who HAVEN'T BEEN IN WC BEFORE. Yankee Stadium, Meadowlands, plenty of venues and two huge market teams.

Also for those of you who have used the "if it was the wings no one would complain" argument... That argument is soo ignorant. The fact is... its NOT the Wings. Why even bring that up? Attempting to use foolish reverse psychology and false hypothetical scenarios is just dumb. "What if it were the Wings?" Well, its not the wings... its the pens... again, and again, and again, its always them who get the breaks, more than enough evidence to show that.

Also I don't see how this gives any more 'exposure' to hockey than any other good matchups. If there is one team that casual or non hockey fans DEFINITELY already know about, its the Pens. They are already ridiculously overexposed, how would they bring anything in terms of new exposure?

I hate they sacrifice quality for money/exposure at the expense of the fanbase that has been supporting the NHL for years. Does the NHL really expect to attract more 'new' fans than the number of 'real' fans that it already has?

[Doc Holliday]

Honestly you guys need to stop crying about Pittsburgh getting the attention when the reality is Pittsburgh brings in ratings. As does Washington. As does Detroit. That's why they get the majority of NBC matchups.

Devils: Horrible TV ratings would not help bring in revenue for the WC
Minnesota: Too many people translate the Wild to being a trap team which wouldn't be popular
Any sunbelt team: No.


Personally for the sake of rivalries I would prefer a Rags/Devils matchup before this, but at the same time this is going to bring in viewers (including a good number of people here who say they will boycott the game) and the more viewers the better.

[rick zombo]

My vote is for a double header:

Game 1 - 3PM (eastern)
Capitals vs Rangers (great team vs great market)

Game 2 - 7PM (eastern)
Colorado vs Minnesota

[cjm502]

My vote is for a double header:

Game 1 - 3PM (eastern)
Capitals vs Rangers (great team vs great market)

Game 2 - 7PM (eastern)
Colorado vs Minnesota

This was already discussed on here and if I remember right most people didnt like the idea of a double header at all.

[DatsyukianDeke13]

Wasn't Crosby's fault Ovechkin doesn't come to play and only cares about money and women.

link?