99% of the time we watch NHL games streamed live on our mobile device or on your TV, they take place indoors in a stadium where you have the technology to create the perfect ice and a great atmosphere for the crowd . It also provides protection against rain, snow, hot temperatures and freezing temperatures. But wait. Protection against snow and sub-zero temperatures? Yeah, it seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? After all, the game of hockey was first played outdoors shortly after its invention. Before the National Hockey League existed, games were already played indoors. It was to accommodate fans, maintain ice conditions, avoid legal issues, etc.
If true hockey fans had their way, all games would be outdoors, but unfortunately Florida and Carolina hardly ever get below freezing temperatures and most of the snow will melt in Canada once the playoffs begin.
Basically, reality sucks, so we have to improvise.
It was decided that hockey needed to go back to its roots, like when it was first played in the 19th century on a small patch of ice where a group of geniuses decided it was a great idea to hit a 3-inch piece of rubber with thin pieces. . of wood while lounging around using 5-millimeter-wide by 2-inch-high steel blades. And no, I’m not being sarcastic, I really think it’s great.
Suppose we go back to 2003, the year before the first NHL outdoor game in the modern era, and ask ourselves this question:
“How do we make outdoor NHL games work?”
For it to work, the conditions must be met. First of all, the weather has to be cold enough. Second, the technology needs to be in place for the ice to hold in case the weather warms up a bit. It can only take place in December, January or February because it is obviously cold in those months. Someone has to make money, so the owners have to be convinced it’s a good idea (fast forward to 2016, every NHL team wants an outdoor game now). It’s become a big hyped event, so seats, jerseys, and other merchandise will sell out, so fans need to express interest in it, but more importantly, there needs to be an emotional connection for fans.
I can think of a million other reasons, but you get the idea.
As I write this now (February 19, 2016), both the Stadium Series and the Winter Classics have been incredibly successful since the first official Winter Classic in 2008 when Buffalo hosted Pittsburgh. TV ratings are down slightly for 3 years in a row, but merchandise and ticket sales are mostly sold out.
Reason #1: Great excuse for goalies to get new gear just for the game.
Granted, there’s a greater purpose why goalkeepers build gear just for the big date. Some of the gatekeepers sign it and auction it off for their favorite charities and that’s amazing, but some of them just want it because you only live once. Outdoor games have really inspired some cool pad designs and also goalkeeper skins. Just look at Bryzgalov’s 2012 Winter Classic mask when he played for the Flyers. He has some of Philly’s biggest sports icons infused into a mask. I think he designed the skin that way because he wanted his skin to be the center of the universe for that game only, but who am I to judge?
Reason #2: On the way to HBO’s classic winter series.
If you haven’t watched any of the ‘Road To The Winter Classic’ episodes, you must because they are great. If you want to see the personality and deep insight into the lives of NHL players, look no further than this because it will illuminate what some NHL players are really like in their personal lives. You see some of these guys at their best, but also at their worst. Unless you have NHL All-Access or Center-Ice, this won’t surprise you that much, but without the Winter Classic, these miniseries wouldn’t exist.
Reason #3: The new jerseys introduced for the game. Some are quirky and very cool.
It’s hard to believe that there are already 29 jerseys featured between the Stadium Series and the Winter Classics since 2008. Why so many? Honestly, using the outdoor games is more of a way to test the market for new t-shirt designs and concepts. Only a handful of teams wear these new jerseys once a year outdoors and maybe a few more times indoors, so why not? The 2015 Stadium Series game between Los Angeles and San Jose was especially a new twist on the design because no one is used to seeing a 3-layer ice cream trifle design on a hockey sweater. Also to me, they look better once the game happened when players were wearing them on the ice. The Philadelphia Flyers were inspired to bring back their old uniforms permanently after they were reintroduced in the 2010 Winter Classic against Boston. It was the same case with the 2008 Winter Classic when Buffalo brought back their Winter Classic jerseys permanently.
Most of these featured t-shirts are great designs with a lot of symbolism and have received a lot of positive reviews.
Reason #4: Create unforgettable experiences.
For those who attended an outdoor NHL game, congratulations, I hope you had a great time and I’m sure it’s an experience you’ll never forget. For those that don’t include me, we will finally have our day and I would go to one no matter how cold it is outside. As is tradition for me and a couple of my family members and friends, we actually celebrate our own “Winter Classic Day” by eating breakfast while watching the game after a long night of partying. I did this tradition within my inner circle and we love it. I can’t wait until next year and I hope my favorite team (Winnipeg Jets) have their date. I don’t even care if it’s just a Heritage Classic, I’d still go.
Reason #5: Great promotion for the hockey game.
This is perhaps the most ambiguous reason on the list, so I’ll explain it. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, the main root of hockey is outside on a patch of frozen ice; it is most likely a pond and that is how it was first played. It took almost 100 damn years for someone to say that maybe a handful of NHL games should be played outdoors like in the old days when the NHL didn’t exist yet. At first, some of the owners, NHL board members, and others thought it was too risky to have an outdoor NHL game on such a large scale. When it was first tried unofficially in 2004 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens, it was met with great acclaim. Due to the mess created by the infamous NHL lockout in 2005, other priorities took over the league’s agenda, and finally, in 2008, the first official Winter Classic was held in Buffalo when the Sabers hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a huge success and everyone wanted a piece of that outdoor frozen money cake. It was successful because major league hockey finally went back to its “roots” and people loved it because it expressed the fans’ emotional and historical connection to the game. The players felt it was an honor to play outside and I really think so. The merchandising and marketing of the event was very well done and everyone (especially the fans) was happy at the end of the day.
