Florida Panthers hosting outdoor game next season

[varsaku]

Attending an outdoor game is on a lot of fans bucket lists so I think they still have a few more markets to hit before they pause it. Someone suggested maybe they negotiate with the union on having this as a standalone game on Boxing Day, makes sense to me. The players supposedly love to play in them so why not do that?

On Boxing Day a lot of people are back at work. Unless they have it at night, ratings would be pretty poor.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Not quite sure why fans would jump to pay a premium price to sit a mile away from the ice, though.

Because an outdoor game is a fun experience. I've only ever been to one but thoroughly enjoyed it despite the inflated prices. I'm probably good for another 10-20 years before going to another.

I think a lot of the people that like outdoor games are the same people that think sitting on the glass is actually a good seat and worth paying a ridiculous premium.

Sitting right at the glass is another worthwhile experience at least once.

No, you don't have perfect sightlines. It's going to be very hard to see in the corners. But it gives you a sense of the size, speed and physicality of NHL players and NHL hockey that you'll never get sitting further up in the stands. Definitely another one for the hockey fan bucket list.

 

[willy702]

On Boxing Day a lot of people are back at work. Unless they have it at night, ratings would be pretty poor.

You mean like New Years Eve?

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Seems like it's gonna be Panthers vs Rangers. Again the NHL doesn't get the ratings they've been getting this season. I would move the Winter Classic to the sunday after the SB and make it a two or three game day with multiple venues make it a spectacle again.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Seems like it's gonna be Panthers vs Rangers. Again the NHL doesn't get the ratings they've been getting this season. I would move the Winter Classic to the sunday after the SB and make it a two or three game day with multiple venues make it a spectacle again.

OK, but this year that's when they're holding the 4 Nations Face Off. Other years that's when they hold the All-Star game.

From the NHL perspective they want to add events.

New Years Day worked for them because they traditionally wouldn't play on Jan 1. NYE didn't work because traditionally lots of teams do play on NYE (it can be a fun way to celebrate NYE - go to a game, they set of fireworks

 

[QuizGuy66]

Blackhawks had other plans I guess so it's the Rangers . Good to see fresh blood like them get a chance.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

OK, but this year that's when they're holding the 4 Nations Face Off. Other years that's when they hold the All-Star game.

From the NHL perspective they want to add events.

New Years Day worked for them because they traditionally wouldn't play on Jan 1. NYE didn't work because traditionally lots of teams do play on NYE (it can be a fun way to celebrate NYE - go to a game, they set of fireworks

Move the All Star game I mean you hit the 41 games mark early in the calendar year. You can have the All Star game before february or hell even hold the All Star Game and the restart make it with the Winter Classic.

 

[TGWL]

Leave us out of it! Panic move my the NHL after such a bad showing.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Move the All Star game I mean you hit the 41 games mark early in the calendar year. You can have the All Star game before february or hell even hold the All Star Game and the restart make it with the Winter Classic.

Another thing is they went Blackhawks when they were going to rebuild and now they go Rangers in the middle of their worst season in a while.

 

[jkrdevil]

January 2 is the date. It’s a Friday no NFL or CFP games. Assuming a night game.

Feb. 1 date for Tampa. That’s the Sunday between NFC/AFC Chanpionship games and the Super Bowl. Olympics begin the following week. Wonder when the ASG will be.

 

[GKJ]

I don't understand how they'll keep the ice decent in 80+ degree weather...?

Technology has evolved since the last time they did it 34 years ago

 

[GKJ]

January 2 is the date. It’s a Friday no NFL or CFP games. Assuming a night game.

Feb. 1 date for Tampa. That’s the Sunday between NFC/AFC Chanpionship games and the Super Bowl. Olympics begin the following week. Wonder when the ASG will be.

The all star game is supposed to be a big sendoff for that.

 

[jkrdevil]

The all star game is supposed to be a big sendoff for that.

I guess the ASG would be the Feb. 7. That’s before the Men’s tournament starts. But it is also the day of the Olympics overall and a day before the Super Bowl. That’s a right spot. Unless the they want to go back mid-week that week (say Thursday).

 

[Major4Boarding]

I don’t think that can work. Raymond James has to be held open for Jan. 25 in case the Bucs make it and host the NFC Championship. That would in theory only give them 6 days to build rink and set-up. More time is usually needed I believe. Last time the had a Winter Classic in an NFL stadium was 2016 and the Patriots were on the road the week before and after giving the league time for set-up and tear down.

Plus, I’m assuming they will do what they had planned in 2022 and have the ASG that weekend (Jan 31) and then go off to the Olympics. The ASG is a contractual obligation to ESPN so they have to have it unless they replace it with something else like they are with the 4 nations (They can’t give away Olympic rights).

I’m thinking Saturday, March 1 the weekend following the Olympics.

So it’s the day (Feb 1st) after the main Gasparilla Day parade. Gasparilla is always held the last Saturday of every January. Gasparilla is essentially a month long event broken up into different segments. Children’s parade then the main parade and other events trickled in between and even after those two events.

It’s smart to have it centered around Gasparilla. Tons of people already in the area. Hell the Lightning already have jerseys ready-made for such an event. Should they choose to use them that is