Flyers/Bruins to play in Fenway Park

[ChickenMan]

The Boston Bruins will host the Flyers at Fenway Park on New Year's Day as the NHL's annual outdoor game.

Faceoff is at 1 p.m.



http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20090715_Flyers_to_play_at_Fenway_on_New_Years_Day .html

[Cobblestone]

xcoolx I hope to attend.

[NHwildEcat]

I will be attending!!

[89Hen]

Weird. I read this three weeks ago. The article I read said the next year after will be Capitals/Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

[UNHWildCats]

Weird. I read this three weeks ago. The article I read said the next year after will be Capitals/Rangers at Yankee Stadium.
as the commish joked, it was the worst kept secret... everyone hyas known, but today was the official announcement.

They held it at Fenway with a mockup of where the rink will be.

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/07152009scoreboard600.jpg


http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/07152009fenway600.jpg


http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/07152009classic600.jpg

[Cobblestone]

as the commish joked, it was the worst kept secret... everyone hyas known, but today was the official announcement.

They held it at Fenway with a mockup of where the rink will be.

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/07152009scoreboard600.jpg


http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/07152009fenway600.jpg


http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/07152009classic600.jpg

Very cool. It looks like this will be one tough ticket to get. No way will I pay a scalper. xrulesx

[AshevilleApp2]

Weird. I read this three weeks ago. The article I read said the next year after will be Capitals/Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

I may have been dreaming, but I seem to recall that the NHL decided to have two outdoor games this year.

[ISUMatt]

The Boston Bruins will host the Flyers at Fenway Park on New Year's Day as the NHL's annual outdoor game.

Faceoff is at 1 p.m.



http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20090715_Flyers_to_play_at_Fenway_on_New_Years_Day .html

Yikes, I reported this a long time ago!!!

[tribe_pride]

I may have been dreaming, but I seem to recall that the NHL decided to have two outdoor games this year.

According to WIkipedia - The NHL is in negotiations with the Calgary Flames to host a second outdoor game on New Years day at McMahon Stadium, likely against another Canadian opponent

[ISUMatt]

According to WIkipedia - The NHL is in negotiations with the Calgary Flames to host a second outdoor game on New Years day at McMahon Stadium, likely against another Canadian opponent

I had heard they scrapped this idea, but maybe not

[89Hen]

as the commish joked, it was the worst kept secret... everyone hyas known, but today was the official announcement.
A buddy of mine called me all pissed off this morning because he was hoping the Caps would be in it. I told him this was old news and not to worry because the Caps were going to play the Rangers 1/1/11.

[89Hen]

It looks like this will be one tough ticket to get. No way will I pay a scalper. xrulesx
That's what I was thinking. I'd love to go, but I can't shell out $300 a ticket. xoopsx

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

That's what I was thinking. I'd love to go, but I can't shell out $300 a ticket. xoopsx

There are discussions about a Chestnut Hill Beagles-Boston University match-up in the following days. You might get a chance to see a game in the venue for significantly less money that way. I'm not sure they fill Fenway on their own unless they fool the Beagle's fans into thinking it's the Beanpot or that it's a basketball game against Duke or North Carolina. ;) :D Might have a second game along with it. Northeastern-UMass should be the "undercard" IMHO.

Many folks on the America East forum were talking about how if Hockey East was smart, they'd schedule a full slate of games at Fenway. All the schools are within about four hours of Boston (8 of 10 are much closer) and they all have significant alumni population in Greater Boston. Or at a minimum a doubleheader with UNH-Maine (or Vermont) and Northeastern-UMass.

Stay tuned for possible college games at Fenway.

[Cobblestone]

There are discussions about a Chestnut Hill Beagles-Boston University match-up in the following days. You might get a chance to see a game in the venue for significantly less money that way. Stay tuned for possible college games at Fenway.

I've heard the same talk. I think it'd be a great idea and even though I don't think it'd sell out Fenway, I do think it'd be a good draw. If that game does get scheduled I'll go for that instead of the Bruins game which I am sure will be an outrageous ticket not to mention the difficulty of availability.

[NHwildEcat]

There are discussions about a Chestnut Hill Beagles-Boston University match-up in the following days. You might get a chance to see a game in the venue for significantly less money that way. I'm not sure they fill Fenway on their own unless they fool the Beagle's fans into thinking it's the Beanpot or that it's a basketball game against Duke or North Carolina. ;) :D Might have a second game along with it. Northeastern-UMass should be the "undercard" IMHO.

Many folks on the America East forum were talking about how if Hockey East was smart, they'd schedule a full slate of games at Fenway. All the schools are within about four hours of Boston (8 of 10 are much closer) and they all have significant alumni population in Greater Boston. Or at a minimum a doubleheader with UNH-Maine (or Vermont) and Northeastern-UMass.

Stay tuned for possible college games at Fenway.

It would be fun to see the UNH team playing at Fenway!

[NHwildEcat]

I may have been dreaming, but I seem to recall that the NHL decided to have two outdoor games this year.

Yeah, I do believe this is a no go, at least this year. I think the NHL realized that people are not going to sit down for two outdoor games, especially when you have all the bowl games going on that day too...maybe an idea for the future?

[UNHWildCats]

Yeah, I do believe this is a no go, at least this year. I think the NHL realized that people are not going to sit down for two outdoor games, especially when you have all the bowl games going on that day too...maybe an idea for the future?
well the games would be in two different cities and thus seperate fan bases so attendance/ticket sales wouldnt be an issue.

What I remember reading before and I could be wrong is that the NHL only currently has one outdoor rink setup. Maybe they decided the cost to obtain a second setup wqasn't a wise investment in the current economy.

[NHwildEcat]

well the games would be in two different cities and thus seperate fan bases so attendance/ticket sales wouldnt be an issue.

What I remember reading before and I could be wrong is that the NHL only currently has one outdoor rink setup. Maybe they decided the cost to obtain a second setup wqasn't a wise investment in the current economy.

If that is the case then it is a smooth move...but good point on the two games and affecting two different markets...more than likely a game in Canada would be a big draw up on TSN, while the current version is the league's bread and butter in the states...makes sense.

[89Hen]

There are discussions about a Chestnut Hill Beagles-Boston University match-up in the following days.

Or at a minimum a doubleheader with UNH-Maine (or Vermont) and Northeastern-UMass.

Stay tuned for possible college games at Fenway.
Throw in a Hahvad-Yale game too. xthumbsupx

[89Hen]

Yeah, I do believe this is a no go, at least this year. I think the NHL realized that people are not going to sit down for two outdoor games, especially when you have all the bowl games going on that day too...maybe an idea for the future?


well the games would be in two different cities and thus seperate fan bases so attendance/ticket sales wouldnt be an issue.
I think NHE is talking about a TV audience. 60 minutes of hockey is all we can expect your casual fan to watch. The first game of this new series was cool because it was the first, it was snowing and there were tons of people there. Wrigley, Fenway, Yankee Stadium are the draws now IMO. An outdoor game in Calgary with two Canadian teams does not sound attractive to your average Joe in America IMO.

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

Throw in a Hahvad-Yale game too. xthumbsupx

Hahvad-Cornell might draw better, but now we'd be venturing out of New England. The Big Red travels extremely well in hockey from what I've read.

From discussion on the USCHO forum, it looks like it will be a BC-BU game with either a Providence-Vermont or UNH-Northeastern women's "undercard". Neither undercard is getting any support. Providence has a weak attendance history and a game between any two of UMass, Northeastern, UNH, Maine and Vermont would draw more fans. No women's game is going to provide an attendance bump at all. Not being sexist, just honest.

Looks like the college game will be the following weekend, Jan. 8-10th. FWIW, UNH has home games scheduled with UMass-Lowell and UMass-Amherst that weekend. IIRC Husky Alum said Northeastern had the same two teams on their schedule that weekend. Any of those four games would be a significantly better option than a game involving Providence (or Merrimack). But I think Providence and Vermont are involved with some schedule juggling to make the BU-UCH game happen which may be why they're involved.

For me, I'll consider going if the UNH women play, but only if there isn't a conflict with a Wildcat hoop game. And the lessor of two evils is a Rat Dog rather than a Beagle. ;) :p xrotatehx xrotatehx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

I think NHE is talking about a TV audience. 60 minutes of hockey is all we can expect your casual fan to watch. The first game of this new series was cool because it was the first, it was snowing and there were tons of people there. Wrigley, Fenway, Yankee Stadium are the draws now IMO. An outdoor game in Calgary with two Canadian teams does not sound attractive to your average Joe in America IMO.

Agreed. And you had natural rivals in the Red Wings playing the Blackhawks last year. And this year, while the Flyers aren't an Original Six match-up, Philly-Boston is always an interesting rivalry. Lots of great games between the Celtics-76ers and Bruins-Flyers over the years. Especially for old pharts like me who recall the Wilt-Russell battles, the Big Bad Bruins and Broad Street Bullies, Larry and Dr. J, Andrew Toney AKA the Boston Strangler, "Havlicek stole the ball", etc. And if the fans from both cities are lucky enough to experience a Red Sox-Phillies World Series, then this will be a fantastic follow-up!

Now, a Canadians-Maple Leafs in Montreal match-up would be pretty attractive, but that game wouldn't be in Calgary. The game needs a combination of an interesting venue, attractive match-ups, a fan base with some history of pond hockey who aren't going to sit like mummies in the cold, etc. Seeing the players and fans treating it as such a special event last year kept me watching over the competing football games even though I didn't have a dog in the fight.

Now the real issue at hand is how UNH's Ty Conklin continues his streak playing in the Winter Classic. IIRC, he was the netminder for Edmonton in 2003, Pittsburgh in 2008 and Detroit in 2009. He's currently signed with the St. Louis Blues for the 2009-10 season. xoopsx The Anchorage, Alaska native should be adept at outdoor games, eh? :p

[ngineer]

In my 'view' I don't think much of the layout. Really lousey seats for most. Very far away from the ice. Everyone will need binoculars.

[UNHWildCats]

ya now that I look at it... they should do it from the right field foul line out to center field and then put in temp bleachers on the side in shallow right field in towards the infield.

[EPJr]

http://cdn.nhl.com/bruins/images/upload/2009/07/wc_logo.gif
Flyers-Bruins to hit the ice at Boston's Fenway Park

BOSTON -- Standing along the warning track near the first-base dugout, Boston Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino pointed to the seats above the famous Green Monster and said those would probably be the best in the house for a hockey game.

Lucchino then turned his body slightly to the left and motioned over to what he called "Coca-Cola Corner," the area down Fenway Park's left-field line, and said those could be just as good.

The fans that get to sit in those prime seats on New Year's Day for the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will be the envy of New England sports fans and hockey fans everywhere. More than likely it will be the only time they'll get to see an NHL game inside the country's oldest standing ballpark.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=442699