Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium Finalized

[NvrFrgtRussian5 85]

this is going to epic.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

I'm curious to see what the jerseys will be for the classic.

Detroit hasn't had a very extensive list of home jerseys, so I'm guessing it will just be our current home with vintage white and an old logo.

[WizardOfOz30 1,886]

I'm planning on being there...sure hope I can make it happen!

[redwingfan19 293]

Going to this, anyone know when tickets will be available?

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

So, Bettman is caught in another lie. Not surprising in the least.

There's just one more detail left.

I wonder if the League returned any of Dave Bing's calls; or, if he made an attempt to call.

[Guest Crymson]

Excellent. This will be great. The game itself will be sweet, but so will be the 24/7 and the alumni game.

This also makes obvious business sense for the NHL. Ticket prices will no doubt be astronomically high for a match-up of this sort--and due to the close proximity of Toronto--and, with the size of the Big House, I wouldn't be surprised at all were their ticket sales to clear $40m. Further, there's the appeal of playing an NHL game in the nation's largest arena; there's the allure of the oldschool rivalry; and there's the giant fanbases that each of these teams have. It'll be an enormous cash cow for the league.

Obviously you guys are excited, and you should be.

But speaking as a fan of another team, it's pretty irritating that the NHL keeps putting the same damn teams in the Winter Classic every couple years. I'm sure you'd feel the same way if Detroit hadn't been in it yet and three other teams had been in it twice already in 5 years.

Obviously Wings and Leafs fans are happy, but I'm not so sure about most other fans. I hear a lot of grumbling about recycled teams and how people are losing interest because of that (maybe just talk...I'm sure they'd still watch it).

Yes, the original six match up is cool, it's an old rivalry between Toronto and Detroit, I get it...but the NHL needs to get some new teams in there.

You know Chicago will get it again in a year or two (hopefully against St. Louis, in St. Louis)...and surely if Crosby ever comes back, Pittsburgh will get it again in a 2-3 years. So I fully expect the trend of recycling teams to continue. I just hope the Blues get in before the NHL decides to scrap the Winter Classic due to falling ratings or the novelty wearing off, or whatever.

The two teams with the biggest fanbases in the league pitted off against each other in the biggest sporting venue in the nation. Yeah, I think it'll do well. As for "recycling teams," there will have been four years between the Wings` two WC appearances, and 2013 will mark the first time that a Canadian team has partaken in it. Also, note that the nature of the event is such that small-market teams are disqualified. The Winter Classic is a prestige event for the NHL, and it's meant to draw a lot of viewers. The number of people who care about such teams as Dallas, Phoenix, Florida, Carolina etc. is vastly smaller than the group that will turn out to watch New York, Detroit, Boston etc. on TV. It is also necessary that the teams participating have been at least moderately successful over the prior seasons.

That said, I know that your rant reflects two things: one, your wish that the Blues would get the opportunity to participate in a WC; and two, your inferiority complex with respect to the Red Wings, established over the last 15 years of watching the Red Wings be vastly more successful and vastly more touted than your team. If the Blues manage to take their success thus far this season and continue it for a couple more seasons, and if they manage to do well in the playoffs, then perhaps you'll see them get one.

Fans of southwestern and pacific teams will likely never see a Winter Classic, for obvious reasons.

For once, I want to see Michigan Stadium filled with red

Expect it to be half-filled with blue, half with red.

[Ram 240]

I'm curious to see what the jerseys will be for the classic.

Detroit hasn't had a very extensive list of home jerseys, so I'm guessing it will just be our current home with vintage white and an old logo.

Thought they might bring back the 75th Anniversary for the Classic. My link

[Guest Crymson]

About 24/7:

Brian Burke, in answering questions on Twitter, said that he would not allow the Maple Leafs to take part in a 24/7-type series unless the league mandated it.

Of course, the league could mandate it.

[Nev 1,085]

1) The game will be played on the afternoon of my daughters 5th birthday. "Sorry sweetheart, daddys got to watch a hockey game". Maybe I should prime Mrs Nev early not to arrange a birthday party for then....

2) Can you imagine the team the Wings can put out for the Alumni game? Shanny-Stevie-Feds. Robitaille-Larionov-Holmstrom? - McCarty, Draper, Maltby. We'll just be icing the '02 roster, hopefully minus Lidstrom

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Thought they might bring back the 75th Anniversary for the Classic. My link

If you are talking about the striped jersey, I hope not.

I want the Wings to wear red, their home colors, at home.

Also, Burke is a major tool.

[WingZNut13 99]

So pumped!

I will empty my life savings to be there!! Original 6 matchup, 100,00+, and 24/7 Wings and Leafs style! Has to be the greatest possible combonation ever.

This might have already have been mentioned but what does this do to the possibilities of Nick returning another year to play in the Winter Classic? Would this be like his retirement gift?

[Ram 240]

If you are talking about the striped jersey, I hope not.

I want the Wings to wear red, their home colors, at home.

Also, Burke is a major tool.

Concur. Just saying that they are definitely not going to pass up the opportunity to introduce a new vintage jersey to sell merchandise.

Also concur. I will be livid if 24/7 does not happen with the Wings. I am looking forward to it even more than the game in some respects.

This is definitely going to be an action packed week with possibly the GLI and Alumni Game happening downtown before the actual Winter Classic in Ann Arbor. Definitely great over the Holiday Season. Will Stevie come back for the Alumni Game? Who else? Tie Domi for the Leafs? I imagine they will honor Vladdy in some way, and that will be great.

Finally, Mods, could you please merge this with the other thread about UM/NHL in talks? If not, no big. Thanks a lot.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Ram

[Esquire 324]

This is all great news but sadly I can't see myself being able to get a ticket to this. Unless I come across a season ticket holder who can grab me one, I gotta feeling I'm watching this from home. No way I'm dropping upwards of $1000 for a single ticket to this, regardless of the size.

I'm also concerned with how the league will handle ticket sales for all 3 separate events. Last year, if you were a season ticket holder and you bought a ticket to the Winter Classic, you had to buy tickets to the Alumni and AHL game. With waaaaaay more seating for the Winter Classic this year, who will be mandated to pay for these other 2 games? My guess; season ticket holders this year won't have to pay for Alumni/AHL game but the general public will.

[Wingzman91 134]

All I want for Christmas is a front row seat, a front row seat.

Can not wait, bring on 2013!

[cprice12 117]

Obviously, the most glaring aspect is the climate. And in retrospect, when Pittsburgh was a major stretch/logistic nightmare to host a game, you'd have to wonder if a St. Louis or a Washington market will host a game anytime soon. That significantly reduces the amount of teams that can host an event.

Not true.

Back in the 90's, the NHL held a preseason outdoor game in Las Vegas, and the ice was fine.

It doesn't need to be below freezing to sustain ice. And it's not actually ice, it has an additive in it that helps it stay frozen at higher temperatures.

Besides, the avg. temp for St. Louis on Jan. 1st is in the upper 30's. So even if weather was an issue (which it isn't), chances are it would be ok temp-wise in St. Louis.

Now, with that said...I am sure the NHL wants the cold climate and possibility for snow...it just adds to the atmosphere of being a Winter event. So I can see the event not being held in a warm climate for that reason.

[MulesWillFly93 199]

Well, *gulp*, I made hotel reservations. Hopefully out of 110,000+ tickets, I'll be able to find one that doesn't cost a zillion dollars. This is such a dream come true! I thought I'd died and gone to heaven just to get to go to Detroit and see the Wings play at the Joe last March, but this is a whole other plane of bliss!

[Ram 240]

If the NHL is getting to a point where they are using the same teams repeatedly for the WC, then they might as well embrace the same format the NFL has for Thanksgiving games. Always have the same teams play on Thanksgiving/WC and rotate the teams within the league that will play those teams.

It does not make sense to me to not hold the WC in cities where the interest level in the two teams would be high enough for it to be hosted but the national audience would not be high enough. If the formula is that the highest audience would always be brought by teams such as Pittsburgh, Detroit, Washington, then they should be in the game every year. That formula blows IMO. There would be enough people in cities such as Minneapolis, St. Louis, and I'll say it, San Jose, to make it happen in those places. But if that wouldn't bring in a high enough interest nationally, then why deviate from the teams that will bring the highest ratings?

Edited January 18, 2012 by Ram

[cprice12 117]

As for "recycling teams," there will have been four years between the Wings` two WC appearances, and 2013 will mark the first time that a Canadian team has partaken in it.

That's just spin. I'm not really focusing on the Wings, just the constant appearance of the same teams over the past few years.

In each game after the first two, there has been one new team and one team that has been recycled.

Also, note that the nature of the event is such that small-market teams are disqualified. The Winter Classic is a prestige event for the NHL, and it's meant to draw a lot of viewers. The number of people who care about such teams as Dallas, Phoenix, Florida, Carolina etc. is vastly smaller than the group that will turn out to watch New York, Detroit, Boston etc. on TV. It is also necessary that the teams participating have been at least moderately successful over the prior seasons.

I am well aware of that. And it makes sense. I've made that comment before.

The Blues do have a decent following and traditionally get very good ratings when on national television.

The success part has alluded them in previous seasons, but it seems they have the ship righted...finally. This was supposed to happen last year, but better late than never.

That said, I know that your rant reflects two things: one, your wish that the Blues would get the opportunity to participate in a WC; and two, your inferiority complex with respect to the Red Wings, established over the last 15 years of watching the Red Wings be vastly more successful and vastly more touted than your team.

First, I do not have an inferiority complex towards the Wings. It's simply a sports rivalry-hatred kind of thing. Don't read too much into it. And that has nothing to do with my rant on the Winter Classic. It's all about recycling teams so quickly. Obviously Detroit deserves to be in it...I was surprised they didn't get in the first one, but whatever. But being in it twice in four years? Come on. It's annoying.

Second... I don't have a second.

If the Blues manage to take their success thus far this season and continue it for a couple more seasons, and if they manage to do well in the playoffs, then perhaps you'll see them get one.

My thoughts exactly.

Fans of southwestern and pacific teams will likely never see a Winter Classic, for obvious reasons.

I wouldn't say that. I can easily see San Jose or LA getting in.

[Guest Crymson]

That's just spin. I'm not really focusing on the Wings, just the constant appearance of the same teams over the past few years.

In each game after the first two, there has been one new team and one team that has been recycled.

2008 - Buffalo vs Pittsburgh

2009 - Chicago vs Detroit

2010 - Philadelphia vs Boston

[Travis 576]

I am, without a doubt, going.

[Guest Crymson]

This is all great news but sadly I can't see myself being able to get a ticket to this. Unless I come across a season ticket holder who can grab me one, I gotta feeling I'm watching this from home. No way I'm dropping upwards of $1000 for a single ticket to this, regardless of the size.

So you wouldn't get a ticket even if it were ten feet long?

[Esquire 324]

So you wouldn't get a ticket even if it were ten feet long?

ESPECIALLY if it were that big.

[rbkhockey43 52]

Obviously you guys are excited, and you should be.

But speaking as a fan of another team, it's pretty irritating that the NHL keeps putting the same damn teams in the Winter Classic every couple years. I'm sure you'd feel the same way if Detroit hadn't been in it yet and three other teams had been in it twice already in 5 years.

Obviously Wings and Leafs fans are happy, but I'm not so sure about most other fans. I hear a lot of grumbling about recycled teams and how people are losing interest because of that (maybe just talk...I'm sure they'd still watch it).

Yes, the original six match up is cool, it's an old rivalry between Toronto and Detroit, I get it...but the NHL needs to get some new teams in there.

You know Chicago will get it again in a year or two (hopefully against St. Louis, in St. Louis)...and surely if Crosby ever comes back, Pittsburgh will get it again in a 2-3 years. So I fully expect the trend of recycling teams to continue. I just hope the Blues get in before the NHL decides to scrap the Winter Classic due to falling ratings or the novelty wearing off, or whatever.

It's because they teams that have played twice have been the away teams. The NHL told those teams they'd have it in the coming years in their territory.

After next year we'll probably see a new team or the Caps hosting it.

[rbkhockey43 52]

Does anyone know how the season ticket holders getting tickets work? Me and about 10 other people"rotate" 4 season tickets. So I get about 5 home games per year for 4 people. Does this mean all of us will only be able to buy 4 tickets to the WC? Or do we have a chance to buy x amount of tickets per season ticket? If that makes any sense haha.

[Bannedforlife 403]

I wonder if this will help us in signing free agents this summer?