2021 Winter Classic

Just announced that target field and the Wild will host next new years day.
No opponent named yet.

belletaine wrote:

Just announced that target field and the Wild will host next new years day.
No opponent named yet.

I really hope it’s not the Blackhawks. They’ve been in more winter classics than any other team.

I did immensley enjoy the Blackhawk/North Star alumni game before the last Stadium Series game at TCF a few years ago. That was the most fun game I’ve watched in a long time. I grew up on that old rivalry. Learning that Al Secord couldn’t make the game because he’s an airline pilot and had a scheduling conflict shocked me! Al Secord a airline pilot?? I know old Al has taken some shots to the head because I’ve seen it. Him and willy Plett banging on each other with no helmets was always fun to watch!

biggill wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>belletaine wrote:</div>
Just announced that target field and the Wild will host next new years day.
No opponent named yet.

I really hope it’s not the Blackhawks. They’ve been in more winter classics than any other team.

Agree. They’re in it like every other year.

The Jets or Av’s would be entertaining.

I went to the outdoor games. Horrible way to watch a game. Way too far away even in good seats. It was all about the atmosphere, and I wasn’t impressed with that much either. The absolute worst thing was the crowd at the alumni game. Those tickets were selling for $5. The crowd was not a normal wild game patron. I thought that game was fun to watch though. Most of the people there though were falling down drunk and fighting. I had brought someone from out of town with me. What an embarrassment that was, so proud of the home crowd that day. I think MN is the only venue to not sell out an outdoor series game at least up to that game. That surprised me a bit. I will not go to the winter classic here, but I’m sure they will sell plenty of tickets if they are smart and have the game against Winnipeg. Plenty of Canucks will pay up and come to the game.

Hey now don’t be hating on the Hawks! haha.
Went last year and it was a good experience but I don’t think I would go again.

Tampa got snubbed again.

These outdoor hockey games are honestly kinda getting old. They were cool when they first started doing them. Seems like now there’s several pro games and a college game or two every year being played outside and they have to hype it up beyond proportion.

Wouldn’t bother me of the Blackhawks didn’t play in another one next year at Target Field.

I am pretty confident it will not be the Blackhawks. It will be either Jets, Blues or Avs. Jets would be the biggest draw, Avs probably the biggest rivalry and Blues just because of the recent Cup win.

I think it will be interesting if they pull a Gopher UND hockey game together for the night before. That would be a fun game to attend.

I’m sure it’s all about the money and big name exposure but I would think Allianz field would have been a better venue as a soccer stadium.

It’s turned into a gimmick and a yawner. I watched a couple minutes on that slow ice yesterday and felt like I was watching a beer league game.

This is one of those where I set aside my personal feelings of would I or wouldn’t I go, and just say I’m totally in favor of hosting this game and I think it’s a great deal. It’s good for the economy and we’ve got sports stadiums to pay off. There seems to be plenty of people willing to spend lots of money to buy tickets, travel, lodging, huge bar tabs, etc. Let’s do it.

My guess as far as opponent is that the deciding factor will be economics. These events cost millions to put on, so where’s the bang for the buck as far as playing a team whose fans are willing and able to travel and spend $$$$ while they’re here.

Obviously, if attend any Wild games at all or if you’ve ever been out to the MoA when the Jets are playing in town, this makes Winnipeg the clear leader in my mind.

To any other fans, a weekend of outdoor hockey in MN is a frozen hell to be endured and survived, not enjoyed. To Winnipeg fans, it’s a tropical vacation to a sunny paradise with shopping, entertainment, and–let’s cut to the chase here–cheap beer and booze. The come, they drink, they stuff their suitcases full of shopping conquests, they drink, they watch a hockey game, they go home happy. Win-win.

I’m not kidding, during the last playoff series against the Jets, the loser TMSF season ticket holders that sit next to us scalped their tickets to Jets fans. So next to us was a Jets couple who–I kind you not–was wearing shorts and flip flops and had actually driven their convertable down from Canadaland for the game and to enjoy the tropical climate. No, really, he had pictures. At game time, it was 30 degrees and snowing lightly…

Grouse

I agree the Jets would definitely bring the most people to town BUT the league is looking at the media aspect of it as well. Will that be a popular enough for people to watch TV? In that regard the Avs and Blues certainly have that advantage.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out and what is all planned surrounding the game.
I hope they only do former Wild players for the “celebrity” game if they have one. Would be lame to use former North Stars IMO.

CaptainMusky wrote:

I agree the Jets would definitely bring the most people to town BUT the league is looking at the media aspect of it as well.

They like to play up the history/traditional rivals/old school hockey etc aspect of these games, so IMO that points to the Jets and the Blues.

St. Louis would have the media viewership advantage, but at some point you have to think the league would look at the cost of all those empty seats because I cannot see Blues fans traveling north for this game at all.

But then again, if empty seats were an NHL concern, they would have yanked Florida and Arizona’s teams years ago…

Grouse

I think it will be Winnipeg too. Was press vs stars a nationally appealing matchup?

By the way, islanders and Ottawa draw less fans. Tampa #6 MN #17

Personally if I went to an outdoor game it wouldn’t be to see a game.

The Tampa owner wants to bring an outdoor game here. It won’t be the new year’s day game ever, but one of the others.

Yes, you could play a outdoor game here, but I think you’d need to block out 3-4 days in the schedule in case you needed to move it based on weather. Also, a game at Amalie as a back up option. That would be a nightmare to plan though.

personally i think it should be the Wild and Winnipeg. put the rink on LOTW’s and the blue line on the U.S Canuck border!!!!!!!!!!

OK i stole that from Maxie on channel 4!!!!!!!!

mplspug wrote:

By the way, islanders and Ottawa draw less fans. Tampa #6 MN #17

Florida, not Tampa. Of course it’s easy to miss that for reasons nobody understands, there is a second franchise in that state. Certainly the good citizens of Miami and vacinity seem to have no idea.

Some teams come and go from the bottom of the attendance list, but Florida and Arizona have been fixtures in those cellar dwelling slots for years.

I agree Ottawa should be on the hit list, but the league will never again allow a Canadian franchise to be yanked. Especially while Canadian cities are screaming for franchises while all the expansion and the worst financially struggling teams are south of the border.

Grouse

mplspug wrote:

I think it will be Winnipeg too. Was press vs stars a nationally appealing matchup?

I cant believe the league is happy with the ratings from that one. Terrible ratings I think it was the worst Winter Classic ratings ever.

glenn57 wrote:

personally i think it should be the Wild and Winnipeg. put the rink on LOTW’s and the blue line on the U.S Canuck border!!!!!!!!!!

Now that’s an idea I can get behind, and the split the pot raffle could be for biggest fish caught during the game.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mplspug wrote:</div>
By the way, islanders and Ottawa draw less fans. Tampa #6 MN #17

Florida, not Tampa. Of course it’s easy to miss that for reasons nobody understands, there is a second franchise in that state. Certainly the good citizens of Miami and vacinity seem to have no idea.

I know, that’s why I replied with the 2 teams beneath the Panthers and Yotes.