The only Winter Classic(outdoor) game should be the All-Star Game + Skills Competition

[westc2]

if you aren't a fan of the teams playing in the Winter Classic, don't watch it.

 

[ClydeLee]

I never care about the Allstars game, but I love the skills competition, those are what fun things can be.

I liked, I think 2 Allstars skills contests ago, maybe the last. With the shooting pucks into scoring zones try. Imagine doing that where you've taken over a baseball stadium could be a cool idea. Just have to test the scoring system with practicing before doing it.

 

[PAZ]

I don't care about either, but they're separate events because it brings in more revenue.

 

[benfranklin]

Im into it. These outdoor games suck from a viewing perspective. Do multiple rinks and make it crazy like the NBA does.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

if you aren't a fan of the teams playing in the Winter Classic, don't watch it.

Not sure the NHL marketing folks would call that a win

 

[NYRfan85]

Moving the game to New Year's Eve was a dumb move by the NHL. The ratings tanked, and that was one of the big factors. You have to capitalize on everyone being hungover on Jan 1st and wanting something to watch besides college football.

Also, for the love of God, feature teams that are actually GOOD, not just the teams that are media darlings/big market teams. Everyone knew Chicago was going to be hot garbage again this season!

And stop putting the games in baseball stadiums, football stadiums are way better for this.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Imagine going through all the trouble of preparing a rink in an outdoor stadium just for an All-Star weekend. Another waste of time. What makes outdoor games special that the game at least means something. No point of doing this for something as meaningless as the All-Star weekend.

 

[TGWL]

Ratings would drop.
Players would stay away.
Doesn't work out.

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

There would be even less reason to watch it.

 

[1878rgw]

Change the locations.

Best outdoor game from the surrounding was in Pula 2012

https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/photos-roman-coliseum-in-croatia-hosts-outdoor-hockey-games/

Last Winter in Germany they held some outdoor games in the arena of a ski jump stadium, could be in Salt Lake or Calgary f.e.

Eishockey an der Skisprungschanze: Das "Hockey Outdoor Triple" in Klingenthal wird ein Spektakel! - Hockey-News.info - Alle News über das nationale und internationale Eishockey

Das ultimative Eishockey-Erlebnis: Drei Tage im Zeichen der schnellsten Mannschaftssportart der Welt – und das am Fuße der Skisprungschanze in Klingenthal. Anlässlich des zehnjährigen Jubiläums der Deutschen Eishockey Liga 2 (DEL2) wartet vom 16. bis zum 18. Februar 2024 in der Sparkasse...

hockey-news.info

 

[account deactivated]

Just stop having the same f***ing teams play in it over and over. Every team should have a chance to play in one.

 

[LeafsNet]

The NHL took something that was working and saturated the heck of it…there should only really be one outdoor game per season….maybe two.

Copy whatever you did in 2014 and just repeat it. I seriously haven’t watched a better outdoor NHL game before or since then.

Michigan Stadium…104,000 people….snowing….national television….8.6 million viewers….middle of winter….cold….two original six teams.

This isn’t rocket science. They haven’t even come close in the numbers since then.

 

[Section 104]

I watch Winter Classics and Stadium Series games faithfully

Elon Musk and Bill Gates combined don’t have enough money to pay me to watch an all star game skills competition

 

[LaCarriere]

Moving the game to New Year's Eve was a dumb move by the NHL. The ratings tanked, and that was one of the big factors. You have to capitalize on everyone being hungover on Jan 1st and wanting something to watch besides college football.

Also, for the love of God, feature teams that are actually GOOD, not just the teams that are media darlings/big market teams. Everyone knew Chicago was going to be hot garbage again this season!

And stop putting the games in baseball stadiums, football stadiums are way better for this.

You have to remember these are events that are announced a year in advance, with preparations likely starting even farther out.

This was probably planned soon after the Chicago drafted Bedard, since the city has Wrigley. The league was probably hoping Chicago would have been a bit better by now.

These games are also as much about the venue, history of the city, name recognition, etc as opposed to the quality of the teams.

Does every NHL city have a suitable place for an outdoor game? Would suck to see cities get stiffed because of a lack of a venue, concerns over weather, etc.