Where should the next Ice Bowl be?

I'm assuming we all agree the NHL is going to do this outdoor thing again somewhere. They sold more than 71,000 tickets and had their highest regular-season TV rating since 1996 with Tuesday's game at the Ralph so they have a right to tell any nay-sayers to go pound. (And seriously now, what kind of a Scrooge must you be to go on and on, whether in a blog or a newspaper or anywhere else, that you didn't have fun Tuesday?)

You may have read my story in Tuesday's preview section on past outdoor games. While doing the research, I came across plenty of chatter about potential future sites. Didn't have room to include it in that story but we can ponder it here:

1). Montreal -- Next year is the Canadiens' 100th anniversary but the Big O has a roof and the CFL place only seats about 20,000. Hmmm.

2). Detroit -- There has been talk of Comerica Park but the biggest rumors center on Ford Field, which would be indoors but allow 80,000 and be a good prep for the 2010 NCAA Frozen Four there. The CCHA is pushing a doubleheader with another Michigan-Michigan State meeting followed by a Red Wings NHL game. That would make for some atmosphere.

3). Pittsburgh -- How about a Sabres-Pens rematch on New Year's Day of 2009 in Heinz Field?

4). Toronto -- Open the Rogers Centre roof and let the snow and cold air come in!

5). New York -- You know this has to be in the talk. New Yankee Stadium surely could be in play. Same for the new Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands.

6). Penn State -- The Flyers are pushing this one and insist there would be more than 100,000 on hand for a game with Pittsburgh at Happy Valley, about midway between the two cities. Said Flyers winger and Pittsburgh native R.J. Umberger, "That would be insane."

7). Boston -- The Red Sox have explored a game at Fenway Park but most of the talk has centered around the area colleges like Boston University and Boston College.

So if not the Ralph, where would you put a game?

---Mike Harrington

Comments

[Johnny V Lovejoy]

Why should Philly get an Ice Bowl? So they can injure 1/2 the Penguins roster and accumulate a world record 60 games of total suspensions LIVE on national TV? Personally, I think the big markets can bite my white butt. Buffalo goes out on a limb to host this thing, experiences huge success and now New York and Boston want to ride our coattails to their own success? Take your Fenways, your Yankee Stadiums, your Penn States, your Soldier Fields and your Rogers Centres and shove them up your collective BIG market BIG a$$es.

[boonies]

according to Arbitron the Ice Bowl ratings were slightly above hockey's nearest competitor.... the little white dot on the screen when you turn off the tube at night

[boonies]

according to Arbitron the Ice Bowl ratings were slightly above hockey's nearest competitor.... the little white dot on the screen when you turn off the tube at night

[John]

It's been done. Let's do it again every four years, not every year, then it will die of overexposure. The NHL needs to worry about improving its overall product, not one gimmcik after another. I loved the Winter Classic, but would not love one every year. The ratings were much better than the STANLEY CUP (how sad is that), but they still were very low nationally further proving that hockey has lost more than a little.

What has happened to hockey? In the 1990s, it was ready to pass basketball and the IHL was threatening to become another WHA---a major league. But, can somebody tell me what happened?

[Jeff]

MOST people couldn't care less about HOCKEY. The fact that the ICE GIMMINCK, I mean ICE BOWL got big TV ratings in Pitt and Buffalo is of no real significance.

The NHL typically gets HORRIBLE ratings on a national level---which is why you don't see much of it nationally televised. Getting great ratings (for an NHL broadcast) is NOT impressive overall......unless you're so hard up for good news, that you'll take ANYTHING!

[James Z Kaisertown]

Bowling gets a 50 rating in Buffalo. lol

[James Z's Trailer]

Sue, know what you're talking about before you open up your piehole.

The game got a 38 RATING in Buffalo, but a 50 SHARE.

Two different terms, which you are obviously oblivious of.

But that's OK, because you're living in an armpit anyhow.

[Glenn W]

Denver would be a poor choice. You have just as good of a chance of having a 60 degree day or a 0 degree day.

Besides, no one would care - Denver is not a real hockey town. They love their Broncos and that's about it, even though there are 4 professional sports teams there.

Due to weather considerations, I would think the best bet would be somewhere around the Great Lakes, either in the US or Canada. Anything west of the Rockies has crazy weather in January, and anything in the Midwest is too isolated...although Calgary would probably work out - not sure what they have for facilities, though.

[SUE]

"....with the Buffalo and Pittsburgh markets posting ratings of 38.2 and 17.7, respectively. " --Forbes--

James, I guess you rounded up to 50, huh?

My point is that Buffalo is the armpit of America, and we've become a joke.

[James Z's Catwoman]

Hey Sue,
The Ice Bowl got a 50 share in Buffalo....what's your point?

[SUE]

largest NHL audience since 1996? that really isn't saying a lot. a 2.6 share is tiny! the pats-giants game got like a 30 share nationally...and a 50 share in metro boston! nobody cares about hockey anymore

[Stan]

What does this nonsensical
"highest regular-season TV rating since 1996" stuff REALLY mean?

Are there enough disclaimers in that little assertion?

Let's see....

It was the highest rated (NHL, regular season) game in 10 years!

Wow.

That ain't worth bragging about.

[Tom-Tonawanda]

Barry Melrose said Soldier Field in Chicago. Good showcase for Patty Kane if that happened.

[Baji]

How about Colorado? Denver could field such an event. The weather would certainly fit as well.

[James Z Kaisertown]

Detroit, Toronto and then Vancouver.

[Jason]

Maybe there could be a game played at Lambeau Field? I think it wouldn't be a bad idea for the NHL to go to a neutral site for one of these things. Besides, Wisconsin is a HUGE hockey state and an undercard featuring the Badgers would draw tons of interest.

Or, what about Mile High?

[Reggie Dunlop]

I don't care where its played, I just want to be a part of it as player/coach.

[Mike Harrington]

I'm with JP on Minnesota. But no venue yet. Have to wait at least a couple more years until the Twins and UMinnesota build their outdoor places to take the place of the Metrodome and then I would hope the NHL would hop on it!

[JP]

Have it on some frozen pond in Minnesota, true pond hockey

[Adam]

"The Red Sox have explored a game at Fenway Park...".

The Red Sox "explore" 81 games per year at Fenway Park...

[dave]

Phoenix...They draw about 11,000 a game, so putting an outdoor game there would help expand hockey on the west coast, and in Phoenix.- Which is a very important market for the NHL to capture since its the 5th largest market in the US...AND they have a very large population of snow birds from those cites mentioned above so people would go. Also, the game could be played at night which would look cool and the temp at night in Phoenix is 46 degrees. You can play the game at Sun Devil Stadium right in the college district so you would get a young crazy crowd. So it would, could, and should work.

Furthermore, the Coyotes have a first rate sales team that does not leave one stone unturned and would ensure the sell out.

Also, the coyotes have this great plan called an "All you can eat plan" which allows fans to eat as much popcorn, nachos, peanuts and soda a fan can eat/drink until the start of the 3rd period. Which would be perfect for a game like this.

GO YOTES! GO SABRES!