Washington DC to host 2015 NHL Winter Classic

[Forty_Sixand2]

Washington Capitals to host NHL Winter Classic in 2015

Make it Pres. O's home team, the Hawks!

 

[forty_three]

Nice.

I will likely be around the metroplex at that time. Might have to go. Provided the opponent is someone other than Pittsburgh.

Use a little imagination, NHL.

 

[elocomotive]

They should play this game on the National Mall. It would make for a great TV spectacle and a cool event. Imagine the Capitol or the Lincoln Memorial as a backdrop. They'd have to use temp seating and couldn't have as many seats, but they could have a huge area just around it with big screens that would be cool and make it a big scene. Sadly, Ted has ruled out the only venue that would make this interesting...

In January 2012, Leonsis wrote on his blog that the Mall would not be a location option for a Classic in Washington.

“The idea of a game being played on the Mall has been floated around for many years – it is NOT feasible; there aren’t enough common areas to build out seats,” Leonsis wrote on Jan. 3, 2012. “And the expense involved to create locker rooms; ice stands and studios are prohibitive. The Mall is managed by the National Park Service, as well.”

They aren't prohibitive, Ted. He could charge $500 for the seats that were there and people would pay. He can charge them $50 to come to a gated area near the stadium and people would pay. He could make this a spectacle and a night to remember.

But it will be done in boring, unhistoric Nats' Park, the even more boring FedEx Field, or some have even suggested Camden Yards (wtf? are we the Baltimore Capitals?).

I would have been much more excited about this last year, but now that they're playing 107 games outdoors this upcoming season and the venue is likely to be something of a dud, I'm not as excited about it.

 

[Mintyp69]

As long as the pens aren't in it AGAIN, I think all should be fine...I would love for it to be my Sabres though

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

It was great in Pittsburgh and Heinz Field isnt exactly historic so I am a lot more excited and optimistic. The whole weekend was awesome. They do a lot of cool things around it. I just hope it is made a night game and I wish they would move it off of New Years Day.

 

[puckhead]

THE Winter Classic, or one of twelve?

/or is this year just a lockout special cash-grab

 

[elocomotive]

It was great in Pittsburgh and Heinz Field isnt exactly historic so I am a lot more excited and optimistic. The whole weekend was awesome. They do a lot of cool things around it. I just hope it is made a night game and I wish they would move it off of New Years Day.

Seems like that would be a smart move with as far south as DC is.

I'll probably get more excited about it and end up going, just a little bummed that the venue won't be that unique or interesting. I wonder who the heck they'll put us against. Really the Penguins or Rangers would be the obvious choices, but both have been in so many of these recently, I wonder if they'll shy away from that.

I know this will get a groan from people, but I hope it's against the Penguins.

 

[forty_three]

They should play this game on the National Mall. It would make for a great TV spectacle and a cool event. Imagine the Capitol or the Lincoln Memorial as a backdrop. They'd have to use temp seating and couldn't have as many seats, but they could have a huge area just around it with big screens that would be cool and make it a big scene. Sadly, Ted has ruled out the only venue that would make this interesting...



They aren't prohibitive, Ted. He could charge $500 for the seats that were there and people would pay. He can charge them $50 to come to a gated area near the stadium and people would pay. He could make this a spectacle and a night to remember.

But it will be done in boring, unhistoric Nats' Park, the even more boring FedEx Field, or some have even suggested Camden Yards (wtf? are we the Baltimore Capitals?).

I would have been much more excited about this last year, but now that they're playing 107 games outdoors this upcoming season and the venue is likely to be something of a dud, I'm not as excited about it.

Freeze the reflecting pool!

What about Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis? Central, Historic, big enough. And I could sit in my cousin's office and watch for free. Plus there is the Navy Rink on base that could host support games and events. And you just know they'd get Blue Angels involved.

 

[elocomotive]

Freeze the reflecting pool!

What about Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis? Central, Historic, big enough. And I could sit in my cousin's office and watch for free. Plus there is the Navy Rink on base that could host support games and events. And you just know they'd get Blue Angels involved.

But not in DC. I think the venue should at least be inside the Beltway, if not in DC proper. Then again, it's not like the Big House is in Detroit.

I actually posted about doing it over the reflecting pool a ways back - that would be awesome. I don't understand why the NHL doesn't grab the made-for-TV component of this more - do it on the National Mall, do it on a lake in Northern Minnesota, etc. That is the cool potential of this even that isn't being tapped in my opinion. The goal should be highest TV ratings/exposure possible, not butts in seats.

I'd say 90% chance it ends up at Nats' Park with Lerner being part of the Caps' ownership group. RFK would honestly be awesome, but it won't happen b/c it's too out of date. Honestly, baseball stadiums suck for this kind of thing - I think football stadiums are much better for the size of crowd and the angles.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

I think they are just having too many of these but that's JMHO and I agree with a couple of other posters. Please not the Pens AGAIN !! I don't want to hear about "star power" because if the event is so great people will watch it anyway.

Even non hockey fans watch them but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing and honestly, If the Pens are in this one again it will be the first one I do NOT watch.

No offense to the Pens fans here.

 

[dash]

We need to get Tim Thomas involved in this game...

 

[BOSSMANPC]

But not in DC. I think the venue should at least be inside the Beltway, if not in DC proper. Then again, it's not like the Big House is in Detroit.

I actually posted about doing it over the reflecting pool a ways back - that would be awesome. I don't understand why the NHL doesn't grab the made-for-TV component of this more - do it on the National Mall, do it on a lake in Northern Minnesota, etc. That is the cool potential of this even that isn't being tapped in my opinion. The goal should be highest TV ratings/exposure possible, not butts in seats.

I'd say 90% chance it ends up at Nats' Park with Lerner being part of the Caps' ownership group. RFK would honestly be awesome, but it won't happen b/c it's too out of date. Honestly, baseball stadiums suck for this kind of thing - I think football stadiums are much better for the size of crowd and the angles.

True.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Blackhawks!!!!

 

[forty_three]

But not in DC. I think the venue should at least be inside the Beltway, if not in DC proper. Then again, it's not like the Big House is in Detroit.

I actually posted about doing it over the reflecting pool a ways back - that would be awesome. I don't understand why the NHL doesn't grab the made-for-TV component of this more - do it on the National Mall, do it on a lake in Northern Minnesota, etc. That is the cool potential of this even that isn't being tapped in my opinion. The goal should be highest TV ratings/exposure possible, not butts in seats.

I'd say 90% chance it ends up at Nats' Park with Lerner being part of the Caps' ownership group. RFK would honestly be awesome, but it won't happen b/c it's too out of date. Honestly, baseball stadiums suck for this kind of thing - I think football stadiums are much better for the size of crowd and the angles.

Most of the Caps live there, though.

Okay, maybe not now that the practice facility is in the mall in Virginia. I know that Hatcher, Johansen, Bondra, Jagr and Hunter all lived along the Severn river.

It is a shame that the league doesn't embrace the spectacle aspect. They only want to cram as many butts in the seats as possible. Seems to me like it started as a throwback to how the kids started out playing on ponds outside. I'd love to see it come back to that. Or have it in visually interesting places.

I think RFK would be great, but the people in that neighborhood would throw a fit. They always complain about the noise. Gee, you moved in near a stadium. IT'S GOING TO GET LOUD SOMETIMES.

 

[dash]

My only concern about the Blackhawks are people protesting that nickname in a city where the football team's nickname is already under fire. Of course, the other side of that coin is that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

My only concern about the Blackhawks are people protesting that nickname in a city where the football team's nickname is already under fire. Of course, the other side of that coin is that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

The name is not necessarily as bad for the Blackhawks. The team is named after a military unit which was in-turn named after an indian leader. They could also change the logo without much trouble. A black hawk is also a type of bird after all.

Redskins on the other hand. Not sure where you could go with that.

 

[esls79]

Too bad it's not a home and home Winter Classic/Heratige Classic with the Senators.

 

[elocomotive]

Most of the Caps live there, though.

Okay, maybe not now that the practice facility is in the mall in Virginia. I know that Hatcher, Johansen, Bondra, Jagr and Hunter all lived along the Severn river.

It is a shame that the league doesn't embrace the spectacle aspect. They only want to cram as many butts in the seats as possible. Seems to me like it started as a throwback to how the kids started out playing on ponds outside. I'd love to see it come back to that. Or have it in visually interesting places.

I think RFK would be great, but the people in that neighborhood would throw a fit. They always complain about the noise. Gee, you moved in near a stadium. IT'S GOING TO GET LOUD SOMETIMES.

Haha. Most of the Caps live in NoVA these days - mostly in Arlington/McLean near the practice facility. The DC Metro area has 6 million people and only 630,000 live in DC proper.

Agree on the visually interesting aspect. Wouldn't a legit pond hockey game in Minnesota be awesome? Russell Crowe would have to make a cameo.

 

[esls79]

Haha. Most of the Caps live in NoVA these days - mostly in Arlington/McLean near the practice facility. The DC Metro area has 6 million people and only 630,000 live in DC proper.

Agree on the visually interesting aspect. Wouldn't a legit pond hockey game in Minnesota be awesome? Russell Crowe would have to make a cameo.

To me, a legit pond hockey game in Minnesota would involve drinking blackberry brandy or Windsor out of a flask the entire time (and possibly throwing up in a snowbank because of said drinking)

 

[Comeds]

Just demolish the roof of the Verizon Center. Voila, outdoor game.