Iced Tea
9-17-07, 9:50 PM
NHL reveals outdoor plans
September 17, 2007
Sportsnet.ca News
BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) -- The worst-kept secret in the NHL became official Monday: the Buffalo Sabres will play a home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins outdoors on New Year's Day.
Attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium is expected to surpass the NHL single-game record that was set on Nov. 22, 2003, when the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers drew 57,167 to The Heritage Classic at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium.
Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, has a capacity exceeding 73,000.
Tickets to the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic will go on sale in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET.
"Many of our players have great memories of playing outdoors when they were growing up," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release. "This game provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase our great players, honour hockey's heritage and ring in the New Year with the best fans in sports."http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20070917_162857_5204
We had to know some US team would want to copy the Oilers and have an outdoor game.
I don't have to be a rocket scientist, heck I don't have to be the rocket scientist's dumb cousin to know that Bettman will be all over this. His response to the Oilers/Habs game will be nothing compared to the accolades he spews out for the Sabres/Pens game. He will spin the record attendance into increased interest in the entire US even though Buffalo is a proven hockey market. The US game will be the event for Bettman to spout off about US expansion and how the NHL is a major US sport. The Oilers/Habs game will become an afterthought to Gary because it's was an "evil Canadian" game and Canada means nothing to the NHL.
Anyways, good luck to the Sabres and Penguins but don't even think of having an alumni game because nothing will ever top seeing the players of so many Oilers and Canadiens championships on the ice again.
September 17, 2007
Sportsnet.ca News
BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) -- The worst-kept secret in the NHL became official Monday: the Buffalo Sabres will play a home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins outdoors on New Year's Day.
Attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium is expected to surpass the NHL single-game record that was set on Nov. 22, 2003, when the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers drew 57,167 to The Heritage Classic at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium.
Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, has a capacity exceeding 73,000.
Tickets to the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic will go on sale in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET.
"Many of our players have great memories of playing outdoors when they were growing up," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release. "This game provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase our great players, honour hockey's heritage and ring in the New Year with the best fans in sports."http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20070917_162857_5204
We had to know some US team would want to copy the Oilers and have an outdoor game.
I don't have to be a rocket scientist, heck I don't have to be the rocket scientist's dumb cousin to know that Bettman will be all over this. His response to the Oilers/Habs game will be nothing compared to the accolades he spews out for the Sabres/Pens game. He will spin the record attendance into increased interest in the entire US even though Buffalo is a proven hockey market. The US game will be the event for Bettman to spout off about US expansion and how the NHL is a major US sport. The Oilers/Habs game will become an afterthought to Gary because it's was an "evil Canadian" game and Canada means nothing to the NHL.
Anyways, good luck to the Sabres and Penguins but don't even think of having an alumni game because nothing will ever top seeing the players of so many Oilers and Canadiens championships on the ice again.