Hockey Planning A Game At Big House
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The University of Michigan is seeking to stage an outdoor hockey game at Michigan Stadium months after the venue's massive $226 million renovation is completed, executive associate athletic director Mike Stevenson said Tuesday evening.
The opponent is as of yet unknown, but if they're trying to fill 108,000 seats the logical choice is Michigan State. Some guy in the comments suggested a doubleheader featuring the Wings, which is a pretty cool idea in its own right.
For the misinformation.
Just heard on the radio that Michigan State will be the unlucky opponent. This will be a fun game to attend. I hope we can pack the big house to capacity and run the spartans out of town!
HAIL.
Opponent is FYS on Dec 11, 2010.
The Badgers are coming.
I would like to see State play Michigan at Michigan Stadium and really no one else. It would almost guarantee a sell out and would make for a raucus crowd. Then maybe a week later have the Wings play Toronto. Leafs fans are diehard especially to watch them play the Wings and I don't think any other NHL team could bring them fans like they could.
they are > .500 against us all time and i think have a higher overall win %age.
they are the 2 best programs over the entire history of the sport.
off the top of my head:
1)Minn/Mich
3)NoDak
4) BU/BC
6)DU/CC/Cornell
9)MSU/Wisc
sorry, Miami (NTM), i 'forgot' to include you... what with the 'dynasty' & all.
Harvard: The MICHIGAN of the East
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
i thought the rumors, back when the game at Camp Randall was just a rumor, was that we were going to try to work out with Wisconsin to do a two-season home and home, with both games outdoor. i would personally be happy with that, or Cold War II, or ND, or Cornell (since i'm at grad school there now, although i think it's an unlikely choice)
if the UM AD were really on the ball, they'd attempt to get the NHL to have a game on a sunday (we'd play sat) to defray part of the cost.
MY preference for opponents, in order:
1) Minn: only team that arguably can match UM hockey tradition and success
2) BU/BC: would increase the exposure GREATLY to get an eastern team.
3) OSU/MSU/ND: traditional rivals would def. sell out the venue.
4) Cornell: most successful ivy team in college hockey
5) Harvard/Yale: it would be cool to crush one of the ivies.
actually, i'd even move 3 below 4,5 due to the potential eastern exposure.
Harvard: The MICHIGAN of the East
We're not arrogant, we're just better.
....I sure hope you meant that Michigan is the only team that can arguably match Minnesota's tradition and success.
Most nat'l titles in the NCAA (9)
Most consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (18)
Most appearances in nat'l semifinals (23)
Hey guess what, that's not Minnesota
That's right, Dude. 100% certain.
i believe we have 9 nat'l titles, minny has 5. it's not arrogant to suggest that we are ahead of minnesota
...I did some background on the issue and saw Michigan is "out-national titling" Minnesota. I do think the two schools are the premier hockey college programs in the U.S. and I support them both.
To be honest, I think it would be better to invite a more national name team like OSU, ND, BC, or Minnesota (yes for hockey they are a big name). It would get more national coverage and MSU would also take it as an insult to not have been the opponent. I think that we'd still fill up the place with a team like OSU or ND. Most UofM fans would go to just be a part of history and if the opponent was a nearby team, you'd get a lot of their fans too. Most people in the stadium wouldn't even care much for hockey (same way with the cold war game).
i think that if you want to sell out, MSU needs to be the opponent.
We could schedule the US NTDP U-18s and sell this out. It's going to be a spectacle, especially if they make it a doubleheader. MSU would have to be considered the obvious choice, but I would not rule out Ohio State due to the football aspect. And I guess Notre Dame for the same reason.
actually, when we played the U-18 kids at Yost this year we drew probably less 3000. i don't think you'll convince another 105,000 people to show just because it's in the big house. we'll need a big name opponent to convince people to travel to ann arbor and sit in the cold to watch a michigan sport they probably don't know much about. maybe we sell out if we play like miami, wisco, or OSU but i think it's a lock if we have MSU, Minn, ND, or BC. plus, BC means national audience which means maybe TV time which means more exposure for college hockey which would be great for the sport. (we very well might still get on national tv if we play any big 6 school)
the thing that would worry me about OSU is that, if we lose next year (big if) OSU fans will say "the only way they can beat us in the big house is to play a different sport" (unless of course we were to lose that too, but doubtfully (pending refereeing)). Not that that's a big worry, but I see that statement coming
whatever happened to talk of a game at Camp Randall with Wisconsin? is that still happening?
Yes. Once we agree on a contract, which will happen in the next week. Then it becomes official, but at this point it is only a proposed game, as UM hasn't actually officially accepted.
Or they could do Michigan-OSU one day, and then Red Wings-Blue Jackets the next. That way, everyone who wore blue for the first game would have to change to red and vice-versa.
I would hate to see the Wings there for a few reasons.
First, the Michigan part of the game would be overshadowed and it would become an outdoor Wings game with an accompanying Michigan game. I would hate to see the Big House covered in red jerseys.
Second, that would make for a really long ordeal. One game in sub-freezing weather is ok, two games is about 6 hours outside in the freezing cold.
Third, some of the Wings fans will only go to their team's game, so if we play first there will not be a full crowd for a while, maybe into the third period. That would suck because our boys deserve to play in front of the full 108,000. And if it is second, there will be early leavers.
Fourth, I just hate the Wings and seeing their fans try to look like they know about Michigan hockey to their even dumber Wings fan friend "Hagelin is from Finland. He is really good, but not as big as I would like to see." I never want to hear one of those fake-hockey-loving fuckers talk about MY team. We have enough fans thank you, I don't need posers from the suburbs of Detroit
Fifth, I don't trust non-college hockey fans to appreciate our team. They may go "Oh Michigan is good, but its not NHL hockey" which is true, but that is only because college hockey is better and more pure than that NHL drivel.
Finally, not really a point but I would tailgate for this thing all day. We need to make this an event that lasts a day, not just the 3 hours in the Big House.
"college hockey is better and more pure than that NHL drivel."
FAIL.
I agree with some of your points. Not the part where you hate the NHL and the Wings, because the Wings are awesome. And Wings fans are not fake-hockey-lovers, thank you very much.
I do agree that the Wings game would probably sap from the Michigan game and vice versa too. Of course, they could just do like baseball doubleheaders and sell tickets separately.
I do wonder why you suggest that six hours is too long to sit in sub-freezing weather watching a hockey game, but you'd tailgate for it and think it should be an all-day event?
Blogging the once-resurgent Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com.
*SOME* wings fans are awesome.
I've seen my share of douchebaggery who call themselves fans.
I'm an M fan and a Wings fan but I certainly know my limitations when it comes to M hockey. Unfortunately not all see their limitations.
I think it would make more sense to do Michigan-MSU/ND/OSU one night and the Wings the next. I don't think you could do both games on one night. That'd get crazy long. Also, agreed on the Red jerseys.
Personally, I'd like to see them get MSU and then do an alternating outdoor game with them every 2-3 years. That way it would stay an event but add to the rivalry.
Wow ... I think this may be 200% pure columbian awesome. I'll be there, even if I have to skip my own funeral (which I really hope doesn't occur that soon, but you never know).
sgtwolverine.com
I do know
That's right, Dude. 100% certain.
Bring in the Domers; they're a better hockey program, anyway.
This would be awesome.
Regarding a DH w/ the Wings......wasn't there a news story floating around a year ago that this was in the works at Ford Field with UM/MSU and Leafs/Wings, as a dry run for the eventual Frozen Four?
The Winter Olympics at www.justcoverblog.com
God Bless Your Cotton Pickin' Maize & Blue Hearts
I would like to see ND, or maybe Minnesota. Potentially BC too, because that would be a matchup of epic proportions. The other team should be in the top 10 consistently, so as to make it a good game.
This is an awesome idea. A combo of the Winter Classic and UM/MSU rivalry match at the Big House would be uber-epic. The baseball stadiums are terrible for viewing the rink, anyway...
That's right, Dude. 100% certain.
I'm pretty sure this would be a world record for attendance at a hockey game, if indeed it was a sellout, or even if it drew 80 or 90 thousand. Because the Europeans have tried, but I don't think succeeded, to beat the record set at the Cold War.
Blogging the once-resurgent Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com.