So unlike another blog, we actually like to write about current events in the NHL. Today I wanted to touch on the topic of the NHL Outdoor Games, especially the Stadium Series. If you don't recall, when the NHL announced that they would have multiple Outdoor Games this season, a lot of people on twitter were upset that the NHL would ruin the Winter Classic. We actually disagree with that argument and believe that the Outdoor Games might be the best thing to happen to the NHL since Sidney Crosby.
One argument that the Stadium Series isn't ruining the Winter Classic is the fact that it would be weird to play a Winter Classic in LA. By having the Stadium Series, you're giving all of the warmer climate teams an opportunity to play an outdoor game. If you watched the Ducks-Kings game on Saturday, you have to realize that the atmosphere was awesome. The announcers said that the crowd was into it and fans of both teams were trying to out cheer the other team. Look at the celebrity drawing the game had also. Some of the biggest celebrities in Hollywood showed up for this game.
The NHL also picked probably three of the best venues to host an outdoor game for the Stadium Series. Dodger Stadium is the third oldest baseball venue in the US and has hosted some of the biggest baseball games ever. We don't even need to explain the significance of Yankee Stadium and Soldier Field is probably the second most famous NFL stadium behind Lambeau Field.
As we all know, the NHL has made some mistakes over the years, but with the outdoor games, they really hit the ball out of the park (no pun intended). The NHL is at the most, the third most popular North American sport (I put them in a tie with the NBA even though the NBA gets all of the media coverage, the NHL has better attendance numbers). If you take a sport played on ice outdoors, people are going to watch and I believe the NHL's ratings for all of the outdoor games have been the highest of any regular season NHL game ever besides maybe some Gretzky, Lemieux, or Crosby milestone game. The NHL also have put good matchups outdoors that will draw a crowd. The worst one they have done is Wednesday's Rangers-Islanders game and yet, the New York rivalry still will make it intense. The NHL has also put their brightest stars in the spotlight outdoors and those players have shined. Crosby in 2008, Datsyuk in 2009, Chara in 2010, Ovechkin 2011, Lundqvist 2012, and this year they put the team who draws the biggest road attendance outside in a stadium that holds 110,000 people with their American Rivals. Next years Winter Classic, the Caps and Flyers will also be a good matchup because of the proximity of the two teams and its now a division rivalry.
One of the biggest positives from the Outdoor Games is, it helps raise the salary cap. Without these games, the NHL doesn't generate near the revenue that they do with it and I would say 6 outdoor games generate the league over a Billion dollars that they wouldn't have otherwise. By taking the game outside, you allow your teams to spend more money on players and also you help grow the game to an audience that may not see it otherwise.
The only complain that I have about the outdoor games is that most of them take place during the afternoon. If you watched the 2011 Winter Classic or the Stadium Series game with the Kings-Ducks, the NHL just looks amazing under the lights. Every outdoor game should be at night.
I hope next year the NHL decides to do more than the Winter Classic because if you take this game outdoors, regardless of the teams, sign me up because I'm gonna watch. Every time I watch a game outdoors, I'm just in awe of how amazing each atmosphere is. The NHL found something special and I hope it continues.
Go Hockey.
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