UM, NHL in advanced discussions for 2013 Winter Classic
2013 Winter Classic has all but been promised to Detroit. Question was Comerica vs the Big House. Seems like Michigan Stadium has the pole position.
January 11th, 2012 at 8:07 PM ^
despite reservations about having pro sports in the Big House, and the obvious benefit towards Detroit by having it there, I would definitely nab tickets if it ends up there.
January 11th, 2012 at 8:11 PM ^
What are the reservations about the Big House hosting a one time only pro sports event?
January 11th, 2012 at 8:40 PM ^
Too much commercialization maybe. That would be the only big issue IMO. I don't like seeing a ton of corporate sponsorship around UofM.
But I'm sure UofM's only concerns are alcohol being sold in the Big House and how much money Michigan would make if they played it in Ann Arbor.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:22 PM ^
I expect commercialization... it is a pro sporting event after all. But did you not see The Big Chill at the Big House outdoor hockey game in which we sold our souls for a box of Arby's curly fries? Arby's was crammed down our throats. From the Arby's logo above the Big Chill logo to even putting the Arby's logo on the game uniform patch (including on the replica jerseys sold at M-Den!) and the big box of Arby's curly fries mascot infesting Yost Ice Arena.
The NHL has its work cut out for them if they want to go more overboard commercializing an outdoor game than Michigan did with Arby's.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:25 PM ^
"Too much commercialization" has already happened. Look at your football ticket prices and compare them to fifteen years ago. Have operating costs really gone up that much? The obvious answer is, "no."
The Michigan "Brand" is "on," and this is just the beginning. Renting out the stadium for other events is just good business sense. They should try a major concert on a Saturday or Sunday in the summer, too. I think it would also be great if the Lions ever got good and played a home game there once a year.
In another three or four years, you will see tons of ads inside of the Big House as the AD continues his campaign to "maximize revenue." You might as well get a few more entertaining events to go with them.
January 12th, 2012 at 2:05 PM ^
except that the Lions are good right now
January 11th, 2012 at 10:43 PM ^
my reservation being that even though it is a "one time" event. It could open the door to more, hypothetically speaking. The Big House has its luster for a reason
January 12th, 2012 at 12:35 AM ^
Are you going to go back in time 40 years and stop the Lions from playing there, then?
January 12th, 2012 at 1:20 AM ^
Touche. Completely had forgotten about that one
January 11th, 2012 at 8:12 PM ^
It'll be interesting to see how many seats they can fill. I'm saying there's no way in hell that they sell out, especially if they're planning on putting in extra seats closer to the rink. If the game did sell out, that would be incredible.
January 11th, 2012 at 8:14 PM ^
It will sell out if it's Wings vs. Leafs. No doubt.
January 11th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
tickets need to priced right for it to work.
January 12th, 2012 at 12:02 AM ^
I agree with pasadena below about the price of tickets, but if they're priced right, Wings vs. anyone, including the Windsor Spitfires, will sell out. And no, I don't mean they have to be $2 a pop for that, either.
January 11th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
Didn't the Michigan hockey game hosted in the Big House sell out? Why would the Wings not sell the place out?
January 11th, 2012 at 8:23 PM ^
What if the football team's playing at the same time? (With the 5 Big Ten games on NYD, there's a pretty good chance they will be).
January 12th, 2012 at 12:37 AM ^
The Wings have their own draw power and there would be more than a month for UM season ticket holders to sell their tickets (which would be in high demand both in Michigan and Ontario).
January 11th, 2012 at 8:25 PM ^
The vast majority of seats were $15 and the top ticket price was $25.
January 12th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
There were tickets to be had, they weren't all used, and the Stadium wasn't completely full.
But the difference is they were sold really cheap, and sold to the people who regularly fill the Stadium 8 of the previous 12 weeks before it. And it was a first time (and "one time") event. Now, not so much.
Considering the Wings can't even sell out playoff games, if they don't make the prices dirt cheap, they won't come close to filling it up. Because the primary fanbase that fills up the Stadium will be doing something else January 1...watching Michigan football. Most Michigan Stadium fans aren't going to buy tickets to the Red Wings...a lot aren't from Detroit, don't have any interest in hockey, or aren't going to want to want to resell something at a loss when they KNOW there will a big likelihood that Michigan will be playing then. The Canadian contingent will help, but how many are going to travel for a "bowl game"?
Sometimes I think hockey fans confuse the high passion in the fans with high interest. Michigan Hockey fills a tiny arena. It filled a huge one not for the hockey team, but with football fans who had similar interests. It won't be Idaho Potato Bowl empty, but selling out unless they're giving away seats is going to be tough.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:44 PM ^
They'd sell it out with a good match-up (thinking Det-Chi or Tor-Det). It is a spectacle, and hockey fans are willing to put up with far more than the usual fan to see it.
January 11th, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
My only real reservation about this idea is the fact that it is on New Years Day, and if we make it to the Rose Bowl–or any New Years Day bowl game—there's a shot a lot of people from Ann Arbor who bought tickets would not go, especially if there is a time conflict between the football and hockey games.
Apart from that I'd love to see the Wings play an Original 6 team in the Big House .
January 11th, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
There is no doubt in my mind they'd sell out if it was Wings-Leafs or Wings-Blackhawks. I am curious if they would sell alcohol though. Seems like that would be the only hangup
January 11th, 2012 at 9:35 PM ^
Our neighbors from Ontario will undoubtedly cross the boarder en masse.
Clarkie from Canada is down for a roadie...
January 11th, 2012 at 9:19 PM ^
But I'm not sure any NHL game could sell 100K+ seats.
January 11th, 2012 at 11:23 PM ^
the Buffalo-Pitt or Pitt-Washington games?
January 12th, 2012 at 10:15 AM ^
Read the article.
January 11th, 2012 at 11:42 PM ^
If they choose the right opponent, and market it correctly, I don't think they'd have a problem at all.
January 11th, 2012 at 11:11 PM ^
what if michigan is playing on new years day, isnt that when the winter classic is? dont you think everyone on campus would be watching the michigan bowl game rather than the winter classic?
January 12th, 2012 at 12:38 AM ^
who's on campus on New Year's Day?
January 11th, 2012 at 11:39 PM ^
they take the Michigan Football possibility into consideration and play the Winter Classic UTL on New Years Eve. I would love to spend New Years Eve in AA with an outdoor hockey game. If they play it on New Years Day I won't even watch it let alone attend. College football is number one. In my mind, HockeyTown only applies to the playoffs.
January 12th, 2012 at 12:40 AM ^
What's to consider? The same issue applies to playing the game at Comerica Park... the reality is this is a metro area where college football means a great deal to a lot of people that is uniquely blessed with two local teams likely to be playing on NYD next season. There's no way to schedule around that regardless of location.
January 12th, 2012 at 1:17 PM ^
But then you won't be competing against yourself. You won't be saying "buy tickets to X Bowl game" while saying "buy tickets to see hockey at Michigan Stadium" to your same customer base.
January 12th, 2012 at 1:04 AM ^
What? How is college football relevant to an NHL game? For the vast majority of the population (aside from people like us who spend their time on Michigan message boards), the world does not revolve around Michigan football....
January 12th, 2012 at 1:15 PM ^
Care about hockey, or if you're being team specific, the Red Wings even less. There's a reason hockey arenas aren't 100,000 large.
And it's relevant because they're playing in a college football stadium, where most of the people who fill it will being doing something else that day.
January 11th, 2012 at 11:59 PM ^
Too Much Commercialization my ass. If they are going to let people rent out the Big House for weddings I will gladly support my favorite NHL hockey team playing a game at my favorite College Football Stadium. These are opportunities that most universities would kill to be in a position to host. They would be downright idiotic to turn something like this down. Whether you agree with DB or not, his primary responsibility is to bring money into the Athletic Department. Some people that like stale old boring UofM will one day need to realize that times are changing and will continue to change. That's part of any business operation.
January 12th, 2012 at 7:20 AM ^
taking NYD bowl game into consideration will happen. the match up should not be Det/Chi, it already happened in Chi-Town. Time for another Det rival to be showcased by the NHL in the Winter Classic. Toronto and Montreal make the most sense and would draw the best.
my only concern is how much red is going to be worn into the stadium that day. the home team should never wear any shade of red at the Big House. perhaps mr. illitch and DB will brain storm for a maize-n-blue wings sweater...calling all creative uniform concept artists...
January 12th, 2012 at 9:32 AM ^
Meh, I'm fine with red being worn in Michigan Stadium if it's Red Wings red. Don't mess with the jerseys, they are too awesome. Although I wouldn't mind if they brought back the jerseys we used in the winter classic the first time.
January 12th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^
January 12th, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^
The fix to this is for Michigan to play in the NCG. So far, that's not played on NYD. ;)