Can the NHL Please Cancel the Winter Classic?

[WingsFan19 5]

Take a read and let me know how many of you share my opinion on this years winter classic.

http://thehockeywriters.com/can-the-nhl-please-cancel-the-winter-classic/

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

If the Winter Classic does get cancelled, the league will reportedly be looking at a loss upwards of $15 million.

[Nightfall 871]

I certainly hope they cancel it at this stage. My interest in NHL hockey has went from rabid to non-interest in a few short months. I could really care less at this point if the league impodes. By cancelling the Winter Classic, the league will be returning back to the lockout levels of business in 2005. The fans are tired of being crapped on.

[toby91_ca 620]

Are you saying you want it cancelled because you don't want it seen as being a bargaining chip? Makes no sense to me....I don't want to see it cancelled at all, because if it isn't, that means there is a chance to get games going this year.

I think many people see that game as a big thing that no one wants to lose. Perhaps, but I don't think it's as big of a deal as many think it is. Maybe the exposure is what you don't want to lose, but in terms of revenue, I don't think it really generates that much for anyone to be too worried about. I see above a quoate of $15M. If that is true....consider that cancelling the pre-season games lost about $150M.

[Guest Johnz96]

Are you saying you want it cancelled because you don't want it seen as being a bargaining chip? Makes no sense to me....I don't want to see it cancelled at all, because if it isn't, that means there is a chance to get games going this year.

I think many people see that game as a big thing that no one wants to lose. Perhaps, but I don't think it's as big of a deal as many think it is. Maybe the exposure is what you don't want to lose, but in terms of revenue, I don't think it really generates that much for anyone to be too worried about. I see above a quoate of $15M. If that is true....consider that cancelling the pre-season games lost about $150M.

I think that if the Winter Classic is cancelled, the season will be also.

[toby91_ca 620]

I think that if the Winter Classic is cancelled, the season will be also.

Based on what? That may be true, but the there is no correlation between the two. The Winter Classic may be cancelled simply because non-refundable deposits are coming due and the NHL is not going to want to make those payments if they aren't guaranteed of playing. There is plenty of time to still get a 60-70 game season in. As time goes by, the chances of games dwindles obviously.

[Nightfall 871]

Based on what? That may be true, but the there is no correlation between the two. The Winter Classic may be cancelled simply because non-refundable deposits are coming due and the NHL is not going to want to make those payments if they aren't guaranteed of playing. There is plenty of time to still get a 60-70 game season in. As time goes by, the chances of games dwindles obviously.

I agree with your line of thinking, but I also agree with what Johnz96 says. If I was a betting man, I would say that if the Winter Classic gets canned, the safe bet is to say that the season will be canceled. At the same time, we don't know for sure. Its just educated guessing. Depends on if you are a glass half full or half empty kind of guy. I am normally a glass half full guy, but this lockout is making me more and more pessimistic.

[chances14 229]

the regular season wasn't cancelled until February 16th back in 04-05. we still have a long ways to go before then.

[rrasco 1,312]

While having any games this year would be surprising, the WC was the marquee event of my year. I was more than likely ditching my attendance to the Dallas games for the WC, but as things would have it, we're getting screwed out of the game we've all been waiting for.

Still waiting for that announcement to be posted....

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

They will cancel the season but keep winter classic, winner of that wins cup?

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Remember, in Bettmanland , "cancelled" actually means "postponed".

[martinezsvsu 240]

i just want to see all of the old wings players again, it would be a shame if the winter classic was cancelled

[Nightfall 871]

They will cancel the season but keep winter classic, winner of that wins cup?

One thing is for sure....

That is the closest the Maple Leafs will come to the Stanley Cup this year.

Remember, in Bettmanland , "cancelled" actually means "postponed".

Yup....

Because there is rumor they will just delay the game until the following year. All tickets will be accepted then. May as well let the NHL have a interest free period with millions to line the coffers for another year.

[rrasco 1,312]

Because there is rumor they will just delay the game until the following year. All tickets will be accepted then. May as well let the NHL have a interest free period with millions to line the coffers for another year.

That's what has me boiling.

[Nightfall 871]

That's what has me boiling.

Imagine how Blackhawk season ticket holders are feeling now.

I have a friend who's sister is a Hawks season ticket holder. They get 4 tickets to every game. The Blackhawks took their regular deposit of half due when the due date hit, keep in mind they were still thinking they were going to be locked out. Now, they are getting checks every two weeks or so for every game missed. So it was like they gave the Hawks a 1/2 year interest free loan they pay off every week. Disgusting!

[rrasco 1,312]

Honestly, I could care less how Hawks' fans feel. They got their WC. Plus, this is all about me.

[Guest Johnz96]

One thing is for sure....

That is the closest the Maple Leafs will come to the Stanley Cup this year.

Yup....

Because there is rumor they will just delay the game until the following year. All tickets will be accepted then. May as well let the NHL have a interest free period with millions to line the coffers for another year.

Demand a refund

[Guest Johnz96]

I agree with your line of thinking, but I also agree with what Johnz96 says. If I was a betting man, I would say that if the Winter Classic gets canned, the safe bet is to say that the season will be canceled. At the same time, we don't know for sure. Its just educated guessing. Depends on if you are a glass half full or half empty kind of guy. I am normally a glass half full guy, but this lockout is making me more and more pessimistic.

I am a glass is half full type of guy as well as anyone can tell about my posts about the Wings but believe the glass is empty as long as Bettman is running the show.

[Nightfall 871]

Demand a refund

This is what you will hear when you call to demand the refund.

Yea, you can demand a refund, but they probably won't give it to you. I certainly am glad I did not buy tickets to this event. They were overpriced anyway, and now with the lockout, the NHL and NHLPA can go jump off a very tall building.

Edited November 1, 2012 by Nightfall

[Barrie 900]

The Winter Classic would be the perfect way for the fans to protest.

This lockout isn't owners vs. players, it's between the owners, players, and fans vs. Bettman's self inflated ego. Gary Bettman's decision to have a lockout now will go down as the worst decision made in professional sports, and Bettman will go down as the worst commissioner in the history of sports. The NHL isn't going to recover.

[rrasco 1,312]

So the business day is pretty much over, we have not heard an announcement yet. What do you make of that?

[BottleOfSmoke 5,965]

i just want to see all of the old wings players again, it would be a shame if the winter classic was cancelled

This. I was so stoked to see Feds in the winged wheel again.

I suspect we'll get the announcement tomorrow. If not, maybe something's in the works? /optimism

[thegerkin 189]

So the business day is pretty much over, we have not heard an announcement yet. What do you make of that?

Based on previous deadlines, my guess is by midnight tonight. Such a sad time to be a hockey FAN

[juiceman 6]

So the business day is pretty much over, we have not heard an announcement yet. What do you make of that?

Nothing. Supposedly the NHL will be making the announcement tomorrow now.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=408543

I know that the rumor was that it was going to be cancelled on Monday, October 29th, then it was changed to Nov. 1st. However, November 2nd is when the NHL has to make a non-refundable payment of $250,000 to the University of Michigan. When the contract was first signed back in February, the NHL paid the university $100,000, which is all they would be out if the game was cancelled anytime up to November 2nd. After November 2nd, the league is responsible to make the payment on November 2nd, $1,000,000 on December 7th, and another $1,000,000 on December 28th. Plus the league would also be responsible for any documented out-of-pocket incurred by the university after November 2nd.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/20038/winter-classic-contract-details

Copy of the contract between the NHL and the University of Michigan:

http://www.annarbor.com/2012/02/20/NHL%20AGREEMENT.pdf

So, unless the NHL feels that there is enough progress being made between the NHL and NHLPA to risk not cancelling the event, plus all of the events at Comerica Park, it is pretty much guaranteed that the Winter Classic will be cancelled on November 2nd.

[Motown4013 350]

This blows. It's entirely avoidable. If everyone could check their ego's at the door, we could have a WC and a season. It's beyond ridiculous