RUMOR: Winter Classic 2013: Red Wings vs Maple Leafs in the Big House!
https://twitter.com/#!/downwithdetroit/status/154642007980113920
NHL confirms 2013 Winter Classic will be at the Big House between the Red Wings and the Maple Leafs.
https://twitter.com/#!/downwithdetroit/status/154642007980113920
Source is XX1090AM in San Diego.
Detroit Sports Zone and others are attempting to verify.
UPDATE:
https://twitter.com/#!/downwithdetroit/status/154677149612257280
@971theticketxyt just said various reports out about the Winter Classic at the Big House between the Wings and Leafs.
That could just be referring to everyone talking about it now though.
UPDATE #2:
https://twitter.com/#!/everettcook/status/154683340862140417
Sources tell me reports of winter classic in the big house are premature. No talks about event yet
That's the Michigan Daily senior editor and hockey writer.
January 4th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
Thats pretty dope if true.....yep...dope.
January 4th, 2012 at 6:16 PM ^
I expect to be in Pasedena with Team 133 at that time.
January 4th, 2012 at 2:47 PM ^
i don't think its confirmed. DWD is usually great but just a rumor until the NHL actually says something
January 4th, 2012 at 2:47 PM ^
However, I am not celebrating until one of the big name NHL insiders (McKenzie, LeBrun, etc.) start confirming this.
January 4th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
Anyone think they will offer tickets for this game to Victor's Club members before the public? Hope So!
January 4th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
Excited because obvious, sad because I graduate this year :(
January 4th, 2012 at 2:54 PM ^
The types of people who attend premium sporting events like this may be miffed at sitting on a tiny sliver of a metal bench in January. My money is on this game, but at Comerica.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:50 PM ^
Alcohol either if I'm not mistaken. Not that that is an end all point. But, one of the benefits of going to a pro game generally is being able to enjoy adult bevies.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:56 PM ^
I'm sure there will be booze, you just have to pay for club seating I bet. The University can serve booze at will, it just normally chooses not to.
I did the Winter Classic in Chicago and all I got was a frozen piece of metal to park my ass on. Same with the outdoor game against State. I enjoyed both of them and I enjoyed the blue collar atmosphere of the outdoor hockey game. Lots of families and with the lack of booze to help people get worked up, everyone was civil in my section (be they UM or MSU).
January 4th, 2012 at 2:57 PM ^
RUMOR: sort of posted yesterday.
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/2013-nhl-winter-classic-big-house-or-comerica
January 4th, 2012 at 3:03 PM ^
Holy balls that is awesome.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:05 PM ^
I doubt I could make it, but it would be amazing...
January 4th, 2012 at 3:07 PM ^
I would assume that if they put ice in that there will be a M game during the same weekend. Saw both the Wings-Habs game and the Big Chill on consecutive days last year and it was TREMENDOUS. Tons of Habs fans at JLA were pissed that the game wasn't played outdoors an hour west.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:49 PM ^
Steve Levy eluded to this on New Years Day upon doing the Sportcenter highlights of the Winter Classic. Paraphrasing, he said something along the lines of "Where will next years game be? In Ann Arbor? In the Big House perhaps?". He said it in a tone that suggested he knew something that the public didn't. If true, his comment makes a lot of sense now.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:20 PM ^
I live in Toronto and I doubt the Leafs would be the opponent. This would not give NBC 2 large markets in the U.S. to have a good rating.
It would help to fill up the Big House for the game, but it doesn't make sense for NBC.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:20 PM ^
I kind of don't like this, should be comerica. Its professional hockey and should have a skyline in the backdrop.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:57 PM ^
100,000 in the Big House is pretty sweet too.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:20 PM ^
From said article....
"The NHL is keen on having this game at The Big House in Ann Arbor, with the probability of attracting over 100,000 fans to a game if the tickets are priced favorably. But having it at the University of Michigan's stadium means sharing the wealth with someone outside the family.
Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, meanwhile, is in the family. He also owns and operates Comerica Park, home to the Detroit Tigers. So if it's not in the Big House, it'll be at that house."
January 4th, 2012 at 3:32 PM ^
but why the hell would " XX1090AM in San Diego." be breaking NHL or any hockey related news?
A San Diego AM station is the authority on the NHL's 2013 Winter Classic? Not buying it yet...
January 4th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
exactly
January 4th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
stay away from my hockey attendance record NHL!
January 4th, 2012 at 6:17 PM ^
point of why this is a bad idea for us.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
110,000 is a lot of hockey tickets.
The best way to make sure you sell them all is to schedule Toronto.
Toronto fans will come by the trainload.
What a blast that will be!
January 4th, 2012 at 3:41 PM ^
that would be unreal. GO LEAFS GO
January 4th, 2012 at 3:46 PM ^
January 4th, 2012 at 3:48 PM ^
So that would mean I would be cheering for the red team instead of the blue team in the Big House.
...nope. Sorry. Can't do it.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:57 PM ^
I would be there if it happened, but I would also like to see this one at Comerica if only because it is in Detroit and it feels more like the Wings should be play such a game in Detroit. I am sort of torn - I spend a lot of time at both venues...
Original Six matchups are far too rare around here lately.
January 4th, 2012 at 4:03 PM ^
When we had our outdoor hockey game, supposedly Detroit and Montreal (who played that weekend) really wanted to get in on it. Babcock, Illitch, the Montreal owner, and the Montreal coach all asked Bettman for permission to move their game from the Joe Lewis to Ann Arbor. They thought what we did with the stadium looked awesome and they all wanted in on it. Bettman told them no because it would mess up the uniqueness of having one outdoor hockey game a year.
So supposedly this whole "We're playing a game at the Big House" has kind of become a personal way for the Red Wings ownership to give the NHL the middle finger and come out the victor in the end.
January 4th, 2012 at 4:44 PM ^
....that should feel justified in giving the NHL the middle finger, it is the Red Wings. If that's the case, welcome to Ann Arbor, NHL.
January 4th, 2012 at 4:21 PM ^
January 4th, 2012 at 5:26 PM ^
Not an NHL hockey fan but it's got to be the Blackhawks vs the Wings not the Leafs.
Someone mentioned the US market but I think that the real issue is travel and despite Windsor being right there and Toronto being as close as Chicago I think that fans will come in from Chi-town while their team is good to make up the 25% non- Wings fans they will need but the Leafs fans will see this for what its; a mockery of their national sport (oh wait that's LaCrosse).
This being said I am not in favor of pimping out the Big House for non-Wolverine Hockey so I hope this doesn't happen. What are we, Hollis/MSU?
January 4th, 2012 at 6:19 PM ^
There have only been 3 Winter Classics played since the last Wings-Hawks one. As much as air time is skewed for some teams it would be surprising if the same 2 teams met that close together.
January 4th, 2012 at 8:34 PM ^
You've never been to the Joe when the Leafs are in town then... Detroit is a same day drive from Toronto and they travel very well. If the OP is true, you can be certain the Leafs will be very well represented. Especially since there hasn't been a Canadian team in Winter Classic yet either (the Heritage Classic, yes -- but that was a while ago).
January 4th, 2012 at 6:04 PM ^
his best Jerry Jones impersonation. He is basically a little brother version of Jerry.