Winter Classic at Fenway Park rated 5th of all sports events

[WestCoastJoe]

January 2, 2010

Commissioner Bettman Delighted With Winter Classic Success

By REUTERS

BOSTON (Reuters) - The NHL soaked up rave reviews on Saturday after another successful Winter Classic as commissioner Gary Bettman expressed delight at the event's phenomenal appeal.

The Boston Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 before a packed Fenway Park on Friday in the outdoor contest that has caught the imagination of the public and sponsors.

More than 300,000 fans entered a lottery for the 39,000 tickets on offer while television ratings have skyrocketed.

"If there is any indication to the traction this is getting from sponsors and advertisers -- business partner investment has increased at about 66 percent a year so the message is taking hold," Bettman told reporters.

"The business community has realized and recognized that this is a great way to reach customers, to reach sports fans, to reach our fans."

The NHL.com website said Bettman confirmed the league was in the process of choosing a venue for the 2011 Classic but when questioned by reporters he declined to be drawn on the future.

"There have been a lot of things speculated, there have been a lot of things brainstormed but we have not made any decisions and we are not close to it," he said.

"The thing that is forefront, if we were looking at the possibility in addition to doing another one next year, is the possibility of a second game in Canada with two Canadian teams."

SIGNATURE EVENT

While Bettman was strangely reluctant to announce plans for a fourth Winter Classic it seems inconceivable the NHL would not develop a game that has quickly become its signature event.

A poll of 1,100 senior sports industry executives in Sports Business Daily has rated the Winter Classic fifth among sporting events they were most looking forward to in 2010 ahead of the World Series, U.S. Masters golf, NBA finals and the Daytona 500.

The Super Bowl was top followed by the Vancouver Winter Olympics, soccer World Cup and NCAA basketball Final Four.

Having invested millions of dollars in state-of-the-art ice making equipment, the NHL will almost certainly stage a Winter Classic in 2011 and add a second game to satisfy hockey-mad Canadian fans who have felt slighted by the focus on the U.S.

New York and Washington have been mentioned by local media as possible venues for next year's event in the U.S. while Calgary and Toronto have expressed interest in hosting the outdoor spectacle in Canada.

[WestCoastJoe]

The Boston Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 before a packed Fenway Park on Friday in the outdoor contest that has caught the imagination of the public and sponsors.

More than 300,000 fans entered a lottery for the 39,000 tickets on offer while television ratings have skyrocketed.

The fans seem to love the event. Fenway Park. Great venue.

"The thing that is forefront, if we were looking at the possibility in addition to doing another one next year, is the possibility of a second game in Canada with two Canadian teams."

That would be nice.

A poll of 1,100 senior sports industry executives in Sports Business Daily has rated the Winter Classic fifth among sporting events they were most looking forward to in 2010 ahead of the World Series, U.S. Masters golf, NBA finals and Daytona 500.

The Super Bowl was top followed by the Vancouver Winter Olympics, soccer World Cup and NCAA basketball Final Four.

Ahead of the the World Series, and the Masters, and the NBA finals, and Daytona 500. Cool.

Only the Super Bowl, the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the World Cup and the NCAA basketball Final Four ahead of the Winter Classic.

Tickets to the Masters and to the NCAA Final Four have long been considered the toughest tickets in sports to acquire.

New York and Washington have been mentioned by local media as possible venues for next year's event in the U.S. while Calgary and Toronto have expressed interest in hosting the outdoor spectacle in Canada.

I suppose Vancouver is too warm. And what stadium would they use?

[Coast Mountain Lion]

New York and Washington have been mentioned by local media as possible venues for next year's event in the U.S. while Calgary and Toronto have expressed interest in hosting the outdoor spectacle in Canada.

I suppose Vancouver is too warm. And what stadium would they use?

Maybe they could make the temporary stadium at PNE slightly less temporary?

With Edmonton having already had it once, the most obvious one in Canada would be McMahon.

Rogers Centre with the dome open? Not really much of an outdoor winter experience. BMO field maybe?

Molson Stadium would work nicely, but it barely holds as many people as Bell Centre.

Ottawa... well they'll have a new stadium sooner or later but not now.

Taylor Field, Canad Inns Stadium and Ivor Wynne would be nice, but does The Great Satan (aka Gary Buckman) have the guts to stage a game in a Canadian city that doesn't have / used to have / wants to have an NHL team?

[TheLionKing]

Bettman should consider holding the next one in Phoenix. After all, hockey is flourishing down there right Gary ?