Atomic Sports Media: The Great Outdoors

I decided to broaden my American sport horizons further by doing a piece on the National Hockey League. I've been a Pittsburgh Penguins fan for a long time but I've never had an active interest in the NHL as I have in the NFL. However, a ground-breaking game came about on New Year's Day: the Penguins vs. the Buffalo Sabres... in an outdoor match. I wrote for Atomic Sports Media to commemorate the game, and the options it brings to the League.

Read the article at Atomic Sports Media by clicking here, or continue below...


Predictions are wonderful things.

In late September, I discussed the options for American sports in exploiting the potential of the European market. Since then, the NFL, NBA and NHL have all played games in London. However, one comment I made really stood out, even if the event was on domestic soil. It was in regards to pulling in a big audience from a potential European crowd:

“The NHL would run into problems (with outdoor games) though. … Like back in 2001 during The Cold War game between Michigan and Michigan State at Spartan Stadium, they’d have to adapt a field to get the maximum amount of people to watch. Even then, it would have to be two amazing teams to really pull in the crowds. And 75 percent of them wouldn’t see the puck.”

As a Pittsburgh fan I was alerted to the news quite quickly that, on New Year’s Day 2008, the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic would be taking place between the Sabres and the Penguins at the Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Associated Press played up the Michigan link to the point that “Michigan” was the third word of every sentence. Not that one can blame them, of course, given that both Penguins forward Adam Hall and Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller were present for Michigan State in the famous 3-3 draw.

Coincidences didn’t stop there. The Penguins’ Georges Laraque and the seemingly unbeatable Ty Conklin also played in the 2003 Heritage Classic, an event set up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Edmonton Oilers joining the NHL in 1979. This too was modeled on The Cold War game but seemed more of a unique celebration than a serious attempt at an event for the future. The real pulling power was in the MegaStars game that preceded the game, featuring Wayne Gretsky amongst others. The fact that the main event was against the Montreal Canadiens probably had something to do with it, too. Regardless, you cannot deny that drawing 57,167 fans was an achievement for a regular-season NHL game.

This number would be smashed by the 71,217 that bore the brunt of sub-zero temperatures in Buffalo. The game -- the first outdoor NHL contest in the United States -- proved how the future of the league could unfold, returning to the sport’s outdoor roots. A thrilling match saw the Penguins win in a shootout after battling through a scoreless third period and overtime.

Sports Illustrated put the popularity of the game into perspective the following day:

“The Penguins-Sabres game in snowy Buffalo drew a 2.6 overnight rating and a 5 share on NBC. Those were the best numbers since a six-game regional telecast on Fox drew a 3.0 overnight rating and a 7 share on Feb. 3, 1996.

“The Winter Classic ratings also surpassed Wayne Gretzky's final game, which was broadcast on Fox on April 18, 1999, and drew a 2.5/6.”

Even the Capital One Bowl between the Florida Gators and Michigan Wolverines, in which Chad Henne beat Heisman winner Tim Tebow to the MVP award and claimed the win for Lloyd Carr in his final game, was well behind in even the Detroit market (although it IS Hockeytown).

Sidney Crosby, a proud Nova Scotian who grew up playing hockey outdoors, also supported the roofless adaptation: “When you see 70,000 people jammed into a stadium to watch hockey, it's a good sign. The atmosphere and environment, I don't think you can beat that.”

As is American tradition in anything of slight historical value, throwback jerseys were worn. While the Sabres adopted their white jerseys of 1978-96, the Penguins went for the classic powder blue jerseys of 1973.


Some things did change, however, namely the rules, which were adapted for outdoor conditions. The teams swapped ends halfway through the 3rd while a zamboni cleared the ice of any extra snow that landed. Overtime was also divided, but the main bonus came in the shootout, where the goaltenders could choose the end they wanted (both Conklin and Miller chose the favorable west side).

The military preparation of the rink from Dec. 24 and overall fan participation made the whole event resemble an NFL playoff game. Many said the tailgating was better than at a Bills’ game. It was almost as if fans were trying to mock the weather and establish their fanaticism by braving the elements, some naked from the waist up.

For an indoor sport, and with the madness that football fans naturally have, this was many hockey fans’ only chance to prove their worth in the eyes of the nation. Having said this, the amount of Steelers and Bills merchandise may have led a neutral fan to believe that this was just another football game on a frozen gridiron.

So, it was all good. The players loved it, the coaches loved it, the fans turned out in droves and Eddie Olczyk called it “one of the best events I've ever been a part of as a player, coach or broadcaster.” Then again, he wasn’t really as a coach – not a talented one, anyway.

So what about the future of outdoor hockey?

First, the negatives. As I originally said four months ago, just how many people can see the puck? I struggled to see the football during the NFL’s dalliance in rain-soaked London, and I was 14 rows from the front. It’s pretty obvious why all but four hockey arenas have fewer than 20,000 seats.

Tell me this too: How successful would an outdoor hockey game be in the Pacific or Southeast? Unless they changed to roller blades halfway through the second period, I can’t see an outdoor game in Phoenix going too well. They should have never moved from Winnipeg.

Still, home-field advantage would hardly matter given they have to convert a field to make it work. The strategic placement of games in halfway house stadiums would no doubt be the natural way forward as fan support would dictate home-field advantage (Canadiens playing the Coyotes in, say, Chicago. The Triple C Contest, you could say).

There’s also a precarious balance that the NHL must understand. Once in a while, maybe (bi-)annually, would be a great money maker. Any less and it wouldn’t be a celebrated event. Any more and people may lose interest and not fill the stadiums.

Either way, the NHL is finally seeing the benefits of harnessing the outdoor game. Still desperately trying to shake the image brought about by the 2004-05 season, regardless of revenue and profit growth, the way to change opinions is to get more people on board. Even if the next outdoor game is half as fun to watch as the Sabres and Penguins, new fans will come and ratings will be high.

It’ll happen again soon. Trust me.