Boston to Host 2016 Winter Classic?

kenneycb

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,233
Tuukka's refugee camp
jsinger121

jsinger121

@jsinger121
SoSH Member
Jul 25, 2005
17,720
Salem's Lot said:
I bet it's the long awaited game against the Habs at Gilette. That parking lot is going to epic.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Talk about a huge drinking day and lots of potential fights. Bruins/Kraft family better pony up for some extra police details.
 
cshea

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,442
306, row 14
Wouldn't there be Patriots scheduling conflicts? The first weekend in January is usually Wild Card weekend, so wouldn't they have to keep Gillette free for a possible Patriots playoff game? 1/1/16 is a Friday, I can't see how they could do both.

Edit: Now that I think about it, I guess they made it work for when they held games at Heinz and Ralph Wilson with possible NFL overlap, so I suppose Gillette isn't out of the question.
 
McDrew

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,092
Portland, OR
They don't necessarily need to host the Jan 1 game.  Assuming the Pats host the 2015 season AFC championship game, it would be on January 24th, 2016.  The outdoor game could happen any time after that.
 
R

Rinoblast05

New Member
Jul 6, 2009
64
Waterville, ME
I know the capacity makes this a non-option, but Harvard Stadium would be an interesting place for outdoor hockey. Only seating 30,000 people all but rules it out for the NHL (because why go there when you can have Fenway with more seats), but some sort of Hockey East/Beanpot-type set of games would be great.
 
Historically, the stadium did host hockey in the early 1900s. 
 
RedOctober3829

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,686
deep inside Guido territory
The Bruins will host the Canadiens in the 2016 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium, WEEI.com has learned from league sources.
The Jan. 1 meeting between the two clubs, which has long been speculated, will be the second Winter Classic the Bruins have hosted. The B’s defeated the Flyers in overtime at the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
The Canadiens, meanwhile, have never participated in the Winter Classic and will become just the second Canadian team to compete in the annual outdoor game. The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings in a shootout in the 2014 game at Michigan Stadium.
The Habs aren’t complete strangers to outdoor games, however, as they did play in the 2011 Heritage Classic against the Flames in Calgary.
It is unknown how preparations for the event will affect the Patriots, as Jan. 1 typically falls right around Week 17 of the NFL season.
 
Click to expand...
http://bigbadblog.weei.com/sports/boston/hockey/bruins/2015/01/19/sources-bruins-to-host-canadiens-in-2016-winter-classic-at-gillette-stadium/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 
RedOctober3829

RedOctober3829

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
55,686
deep inside Guido territory
The interesting part will be the timing with the schedule for the Patriots as the game will be taking place during Week 17 of the NFL season. One way to circumvent any scheduled conflicts with the NFL, given the great community demand for the outdoor rink, would be have the Patriots on the road for the final two weeks of the season.

But a source with knowledge of the process told CSNNE.com that the Patriots could actually host the Thursday night game at Gillette Stadium in Week 16, and then the NHL would begin constructing the rink at midnight once everybody had cleared the field.
 
Click to expand...
http://www.csnne.com/blog/bruins-talk/bruins-canadiens-winter-classic-gillette-stadium
 
T

TeddyBallgame'sDirtbagSon

New Member
Mar 1, 2009
558
Fenway > Gillette

Yes I know the sight lines at Fenway are awkward in places. The closer proximity to the fans in the infield more than makes up for it. At least some people will have good seats. In Gillette everyone will be so far away from the action that there probably won't be one good seat in the house. That said, I'm excited to watch on tv.
 
cshea

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,442
306, row 14
League makes it official.
 
2010 was an awesome experience, but in the years following, I've sort of thought I wouldn't go to another one. High prices, shitty view, the whole thing losing it's luster, etc. But I don't know. Part of me is a getting excited for this. 
 
Edit: Watching a game amongst 20,000-30,000 Habs fans is absolutely horrifying though. 
 
Lose Remerswaal

Lose Remerswaal

Experiencing Furry Panic
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2002
52,681
Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills
So the Pats will play on the road the weekend of Sunday Dec 27 and again on Sunday, January 3, after playing at home on December 20th.
 
That gives them 11 days to set up a rink.
 
There could be a home playoff game on January 10, I guess 9 days is enough to remove a rink?
 
Doesn't leave much time for an Old-timers game or for community events.
 
steveluck7

steveluck7

Member
SoSH Member
May 10, 2007
4,008
Burrillville, RI
Lose Remerswaal said:
So the Pats will play on the road the weekend of Sunday Dec 27 and again on Sunday, January 3, after playing at home on December 20th.
 
That gives them 11 days to set up a rink.
 
There could be a home playoff game on January 10, I guess 9 days is enough to remove a rink?
 
Doesn't leave much time for an Old-timers game or for community events.
Click to expand...
There was also some talk about them hosting the Thursday game (week 15) before the 2 road games so that would give them a couple of extra days of prep
 
TSC

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,476
Between here and everywhere.
That timeline is incredibly workable.

Average time to build, then ice an NHL sized rink is two to three days if the temperature cooperates. Add a day or two for extreme cold or heat.

Take down can be done in a day.

/guy who worked for the company that makes most of these outdoor rinks, including Fenway last year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom