The Winter Classic

For a league that has a tendency to take two steps back every time they take a step forward the NHL got a nice break on Saturday night.

The 4th annual Winter Classic was scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh. Mother Nature had other ideas and rain ended up pushing back the start time from Noon to 7 PM Central time.

It ended up turning out better for the NHL that anyone could have imagined. Instead of going against three different bowl games like it had in year's past the only competition was the Fiesta Bowl.  

The result was the highest rated broadcast for hockey on network TV in 36 years.  

Washington ended up defeating Pittsburgh 3-1 thanks to two goals by Eric Fehr.

Yes, the conditions were not ideal but there was something magical about watching these two teams playing outdoor under the lights. Playing in the rain is no different than playing in the snow which I'm guessing these players probably did a few times when growing up.

The big question now is does the NHL keep it in Primetime or do they go back to playing in the afternoon?

While the rating is nice the fact that Crosby was playing Ovechkin was a big factor in how many people watched. I'm not sure the rating would have been much different if the game would have been played in the afternoon instead of at night.

Another question is where do you play next season? According to Pierre LeBrun from ESPN.com Philadelphia is the front-runner for the 2012 Winter Classic. I don't have a problem with this as the Flyers have a strong fan base and is a good hockey market however I have a suggestion that is a little outside the box.

Next year New Year's Day falls on a Sunday. That usually is when the NFL plays Week 17 of the regular season. I can't imagine the NHL would want to go head to head with the NFL (if there is a season next year) so the obvious choice would be to play the Classic on January 2nd.

However January 2nd just is another day to most people. Unless it is your birthday or wedding anniversary there just isn't a lot of things special about it.

My suggestion is to make the 2012 All-Star Game the Winter Classic & hold it the week after the Super Bowl on either February 11th or 12th and I have the perfect venue for it.

Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

I know it's a little outrageous but you can make a case for it & I'll give you the following reasons why. 

1. It's an iconic venue: 

Look at how well the Winter Classic was received when it was held at Wrigley Field & Fenway Park.

With the old Yankee Stadium being torn down there aren't many iconic stadiums left standing in the United States. Lambeau Field fills that void. 

2. It's the best choice for a Neutral site: 

Wisconsin doesn't have an NHL team. The closest teams are in Detroit, Chicago & St. Paul. In theory I guess you could have any one of those teams play in Lambeau as the host but I think any home team would prefer to play the Classic in their city.

By holding the All-Star game there no team gets left out from hosting a Winter Classic down the road.

3. It's a great place to showcase the NHL best players: 

One thing the NHL has failed to do in the past is market their stars. When Gretzky retired in 99 they didn't have anyone to pick up the torch & carry the league forward.

They have done a good job marketing Crosby & Ovechkin since they came in the league after the lockout but there are other great players that may never play in a Winter Classic because of where they play.

Steven Stamkos may be the 3rd best player in the league but Tampa Bay is not going to be a good TV draw for the Winter Classic.

Last year's MVP Henrik Sedin plays in Vancouver. Canadian teams aren't going to be showcased in the Winter Classic because the Canadian Markets don't factor in TV Ratings in the US.

By holding the All-Star Game at Lambeau Field the NHL can showcase & promote all the great players the league has to offer. Plus by holding it outdoors I think more players would be willing to play in the game instead of skipping it to get some rest which happens in other All-Star games (NBA, Pro Bowl).

4. The Timing is perfect for the event:

The last possible date for the NFC Championship would be on January 22nd. By holding the All-Star Game after the Super Bowl would give the NHL plenty of time to build an outdoor rink at Lambeau.

It wouldn't be the 1st time the All-Star game was held in February. Before the lockout the NHL regularly held their All-Star Game after the Super Bowl.

There usually is a void in sports between Super Bowl Sunday & March Madness. By holding an All-Star game after the Super Bowl the NHL would be the focus of the sports world for at least one weekend.

5. Lambeau has hosted an outdoor game before:

Back on February 11, 2006 Wisconsin hosted Ohio State at Lambeau Field in the Frozen Tundra Classic. The Badgers won by a score of 4-2 in front of 40,000 fans. I'm guessing an NHL All-Star game would sell out Lambeau Field.

I bet there would be plenty of fans that would travel not only to check out the game but to check out the Stadium for the 1st time as well.

Now is any of this going to happen? Probably not but I think it is worth looking into.

The main purpose of the Winter Classic is to help promote hockey & the NHL. If you can find a better time & place to showcase the best players in the NHL than an All-Star game I would love to hear it.