SIAP: Rumor that 2012 Winter Classic could be in AA
Ecklund over at Hockey Buzz... yes I know, but this isn't a trade rumor.. maybe he'll get this one right.
He's talking about why he thinks the Heritage Classic may not happen next year.
"Well there is BIG rumor out there tonight that Canada will see its first entry into the Winter Classic in 2012. The rumor is the NHL will try to go for the attendance record on January 1, 2012 when the Winter Classic heads to U of Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan for an original 6 matchup between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs in front of the largest crowd to watch a live hockey game. Michigan Stadium has an official capacity of 109,901. This past December, Michigan and Michigan State set the record for a crowd watching live hockey as 104,173 fans packed Michigan Stadium."
There have been other rumors as well.. including an Fanhouse article about a possible Rangers-Wings game at the BH.
Rumors are rumors... but what else is going on today?
February 21st, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
If this happens, we are going to have to choose between traveling to Pasadena to watch Michigan in the Rose Bowl and being in Ann Arbor for a great showcase for the city.
February 21st, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^
two flat screens and just watch both from a nice recliner
February 21st, 2011 at 12:20 PM ^
If the Winter Classic is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2012, you could watch it in person and catch a late plane to LAX. The Rose Bowl is Jan. 2, 2012; scheduled on a Monday so every Div 1 school could accept a bid, even BYU.
February 21st, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
Woah, how did I miss that? Can anyone explain why it has to be on the 2nd for all BCS schools to accept a bid?
February 21st, 2011 at 8:46 PM ^
Mormans (BYU) don't play on Sundays yo. So they would not accept a bid to a bowl game played on a Sunday. Another positive, the big bowl games don't interfere with the NFL schedule either. Many businesses will observe New Years day on a Monday when it falls on a Sunday as well. At least that's what the courts do.
The NCAA basketball tournament even schedules around it when BYU makes the tourney, at least they used to put them in the regionals that play Thursday/Saturday games. I'd imagine they still do.
February 21st, 2011 at 6:38 PM ^
That's not a hard choice, Pasadena here I come!
February 21st, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^
I was thinking the same thing; however, not that optimsitically. Any New Year's Day bowl or New Year's Eve bowl would have a strong possibility of preventing the NHL from breaking the record in that game. Thus, I don't think they would take that risk. However, if they did come here for the game, count me in.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
I think they would get the 110+ they want
A lot of wings fans are in the down river area and not necessarily UofM fans
Also, the stadium needs more events to justify all the $ they are spending on it
250+million for 7-8 football games and graduation doesn't make sense
February 21st, 2011 at 11:14 AM ^
Don't forget the weddings!
February 21st, 2011 at 11:12 AM ^
I am definitely taking this out of context, but I remember at the end of the Big Chill, the PA announcer said something like "Good night, see everybody next year!". So maybe that could have been a tip off?
February 21st, 2011 at 12:08 PM ^
that's why the announcer said "See everybody next year."
February 21st, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^
I don't know why the NHL feels tied to doing that New Years Day. Too bad that thick headed fool Betttman wouldn't experiment with trying it a different weekend. The one-two punch of a Michigan game Saturday and RedWings/NHL/BigSix game Sunday would be amazing.
I don't remember where I read it, possibly in one of the Detroit papers this week but there was an article about bringing the Winter Classic to the Big House/Detroit and Bettman made some weird comment about beign afraid of doing it in Ann arbor without the students being in town and some other sort of off color comment about why not to do it in Michigan in general. That guy needs to get out of Manhattan once in a while.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
I don't necessarily think that you'd want to tinker with the date of the game too much. For one, it would be a HUGE risk to assume that the weather would be cold enough to do this after a Michigan home game. I think that mid-December like they did for the Big Chill is about the absolute earliest you could feel comfortable that you're going to have cold enough weather to keep the ice in good shape.
I also think that there's something to be said for the tradition aspect of playing the game on New Years day. Granted the marketing person in me doesn't think that going up against football bowl games is the brightest idea, for those who are actually at the game New Years day appears to be a great traditional element to it.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^
I'm thinking that he was refering to michigan hockey, not michigan football, I originally had the same thought as you. Additionally it takes longer than a day to setup the ice surface...
February 21st, 2011 at 12:00 PM ^
Ahh, makes sense now. My thought process went Big House, Michigan, Saturday, and just went straight to football. Yes, that makes more sense now.
February 21st, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
For one, it would be a HUGE risk to assume that the weather would be cold enough to do this after a Michigan home game. I think that mid-December like they did for the Big Chill is about the absolute earliest you could feel comfortable that you're going to have cold enough weather to keep the ice in good shape.
The Cold War was Oct 11, IIRC, and they have done outdoor games in Las Vegas. Temp isn't an issue... precipitation is.
February 21st, 2011 at 12:06 PM ^
I disagree that it would be a good idea to have a Michigan hockey game on Saturday before a Winter Classic game on Sunday. The Michigan game would disappear in the media coverage.
Also, there is no way the NHL would let Michigan market the games equally, so the Michigan game would become a sideshow warmup game before the main event. We all know that the Michigan game would actually be the more important of the two, but the rest of the continent would not see it that way.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^
I think Illitch would rather have it at Comerica.
February 21st, 2011 at 12:22 PM ^
I would think that Ilitch would rather have the Wings playing at Comerica.
What about the possibility of the Big House as a neutral site for a matchup between, for example, the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs? That could appeal to two nearby fanbases as well as pulling in the local die hard hockey fans. And there would be less of a threat of competing with an M football game on New Year's Day. What I mean is, if there were a M football game at the same time the fans of the Blackhawks & Maple Leafs probably wouldn't care. Whereas there is obviously some overlap between the M football and Redwing fanbases.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
The Canadians would drive over by the busload for such a game.
A Leafs-Wings game at the Big House would sell out in minutes.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^
I would hands down make the drive from Chicago with my buddy who was born in Toronto to watch that game. That would be so EPIC!
February 21st, 2011 at 12:10 PM ^
This would be an amazing idea, and there would be a ton of students who would go. It works out pretty well that we'll be able to go to the Big House and see the Winter Classic, then head out to Arizona or wherever the National Championship is a couple days later. I won't complain!
February 21st, 2011 at 12:13 PM ^
if this happened
i don't think my boner would fit on the airplane
February 21st, 2011 at 2:33 PM ^
Locked and upright, 'kay?
February 21st, 2011 at 12:28 PM ^
not that I wouldn't enjoy this happening, but the fact remains that he is the king of throwing shit at a wall and hopes something sticks.
February 21st, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
this would be a slam dunk for the NHL if they could (and wanted to) make it happen. Leafs fans are nuts, they could fill that stadium themselves.
February 21st, 2011 at 2:35 PM ^
after the Big Chill. He wondered why the heck the NHL couldn't have rode those coattails and played at the Big House on Sunday, instead.
February 21st, 2011 at 2:36 PM ^
Canadian teams will have a very hard time getting into the Winter Classic because NBC doesn't have a Canadian affiliate. Det/NYR would seem much more likely if that's the case.
GO WINGS!
February 21st, 2011 at 8:26 PM ^
I would expect that the NHL would do something similar to what they did yesterday for the Heritage Classic. The US feed was on Versus (NBC) and the Canadian feed was on CBC. I'm sure there would be enough revenue from a Red Wing- Leaf's outdoor game to go around, you are talking about 2 of the top 5 hockey markets in the world.
February 21st, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
I'm all for them playing the game in our stadium, but doing it on New Year's Day would be awful. That day belongs to college football.
February 21st, 2011 at 5:58 PM ^
How about some pregame weddings and then the Winter Classic in the Big House?
February 21st, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
But I'm not sure I would prefer the Wings having the attendance record so soon. I want that one to LAST for Michigan hockey. I hope that record is still standing when I die in 2306
February 21st, 2011 at 9:25 PM ^
our stadium. our record.
February 21st, 2011 at 10:01 PM ^
Awesome. I'd buy tickets, but I love to see creampuff teams get clobbered in the Big House.