21 replies to this topic

[FL4WL3SS]

http://www.nhl.com/i...s.htm?id=615863

The National Hockey League will make a major announcement in Detroit on Thursday, Feb. 9.

The press conference will take place at Comerica Park in Detroit, beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET. It will be carried live on NHL Network and NHL.com. The event will continue at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.

What could it be?

Edited by FL4WL3SS, 09 February 2012 - 02:02 PM.

[Jed Zeppelin]

Winter Classic, duh.

[mikeford]

They've discovered time travel?

I guess I'll stop shittalking Bettman so much.

[E5 Yaz]

A person familiar with the NHL’s plan said the Detroit Red Wings will play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 Winter Classic.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league isn’t expected to announce the matchup until Thursday.

Earlier Wednesday, the University of Michigan Board of Regents authorized the athletic department to seek a contract with the NHL that would allow the league to hold next year’s showcase at Michigan Stadium. The NHL has offered to pay up to $3 million for a license to use the iconic college football stadium, according to the recommendation approved by the board.

[pedro1918]

_{January 9th was a Monday.}

Edited by pedro1918, 08 February 2012 - 10:02 PM.

[Hendu's Gait]

http://www.nhl.com/i...s.htm?id=615863



What could it be?

International marketing programs in Stockholm and Moscow,

"Imported From Detroit"

[Detts]

Winter classic will be at Michigan Stadium Jan 1, 2013.

Wings vs. Leafs.

Sorry..per BTN on air.

Edited by Detts, 08 February 2012 - 10:35 PM.

[NikkoBelik]

I never does that , will try too ))

[PedroSpecialK]

bleepadoo bleepeedoop

Edited by PedroSpecialK, 09 February 2012 - 05:42 PM.

[FL4WL3SS]

It's official now.

http://www.nhl.com/i...s.htm?id=616022

Leafs v. Red Wings in Ann Arbor.

[Sea Bass Neely]

I am infuriated the game is not in Detroit.

Seriously.

[FL4WL3SS]

I am infuriated the game is not in Detroit.

Seriously.

Uh, why? Detroit is a fucking dump. Who wants to travel to Detroit for the Winter Classic and where would they hold it? The new baseball park? Inside the dome?

Having this game at The Big House is way cooler than anything Detroit can offer.

[Sea Bass Neely]

Uh, why? Detroit is a fucking dump. Who wants to travel to Detroit for the Winter Classic and where would they hold it? The new baseball park? Inside the dome?

Having this game at The Big House is way cooler than anything Detroit can offer.

They should have it at Comerica. Which Ilitch built. In the city he has done more for than anyone in the past 50 years. They admitted they were a little disappointed have it 40 miles away.

And the couple of blocks around Comerica are actually nice and would be an ideal set up. Cheli's bar across the street, greektown, etc. It would absolutely perfect for all the redevelopment done in the city. Instead they move it 40 miles away so they can jam 110,000 ass to elbow in that dump and everyone can hang out at the golf course and high school.

But basically the Ilitch's are angels to that city and deserve to be paid back in anyway they can.

[FL4WL3SS]

Comerica is nice and all, but it doesn't have the history. I'm an OSU fan and even I'm looking forward to seeing the game at the Big House.

Also, I get what you're saying, there may be pockets of niceness around the ballpark, but overall nobody wants to travel in and stay in Detroit when you can only stay in pocketed areas. Having the game at Ann Arbor is a no brainer.

[kenneycb]

Not to mention the Winter Classic is primarily about the venue over anything else. Comerica's nice and all but there's not much too it, much like in Philly this year. The Big House has just a tad more to it.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Not to mention the Winter Classic is primarily about the venue over anything else. Comerica's nice and all but there's not much too it, much like in Philly this year. The Big House has just a tad more to it.

True.

Much easier to watch a hockey game in a football stadium than it is at a baseball park.

[scotian1]

According to Sportsnet, just upon speculation that it would be Toronto vs Detroit in the Winter Classic, hotel and motel rooms were booked solid in that area of Michigan. There will be a mass influx of Ontario citizens for the event. It had to be held in the "Big House". The remainder of the so called Hockey Festival will be held at Comerica including the alumni game, university and major junior contests. It should be a great few day of celebration for the game that started on Long Pond, N.S.

[SidelineCameras]

The seating capacity alone at The Big House makes it a no brainer, doesn't it? I am all for Detroit revitalization and Halftime in America and everything, but having 100k+ fans, including the Ontario contingent in Canada's first appearance, makes this whole thing an event that you just can't get at Comerica.

[steveluck7]

I also recall that after this years game, the NHL and NBC realized that it is the venue that draws ratings with the highest rated games being the ones at Fenway and Wrigley so they wanted an "historic" venue.
From NBCs pov, this is only exacerbated by having a canadian team in the game snce they'll only be drawing ratings from "one" market

[Fred not Lynn]

There are more the 114,000 x more than $100 reasons to play at the Big House. Period. This thing is about money, and there's more money to be had at Michigan Stadium than there is at Comerica - or Ford Field (although the Illitch posse choose that venue anyway).

The world attendance record will be nice too, for a few years unitl University of Michigan adds a few field seats to break it again.

What the NHL SHOULD do, but won't: Play the game on an Olympic Sized rink. The Olympic size rink fits the stadium much better.

Also - I am very interested in contrasting the look and feel of the Michigan game last winter to next years Winter Classic. Last years game was visually designed to feature the ice rink, and bring out the bueaty and vastness of Michigan Stadium - and minimize any visual distraction other than rink and stadium. I suspect that the NHL will add a lot of on-field visual noise, and cause the smaller rink to get lost in the massive Big House.

I do hope they play enough games and practices at The Big House to season the ice at least.

The Comerica Park portion, will be a great success. It would be even without the actual Big House game, just as the Fenway rink this season was.

http://www.ballparkd...ozen-fenway-30m

[sachmoney]

More of an update than anything, but the Regents approved the use of Michigan Stadium for next year. Jerseys may have been leaked as well.

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

We're on in 2014, same place, same time.

 

http://www.sbnation....-2014-ann-arbor