According to the Main Board, McKenzie is saying that a Detroit/Toronto WC is "all but done"...
And I don't want my post here to be misconstrued, but I'm wondering WHY exactly it was chosen as Detroit/Toronto? Those two teams don't play each other enough as it is currently to have a rivalry, in the past, sure, since they're both storied franchises.
But if the WC was supposed to be a game that features two teams that have had a gruesome rivalry, I'm wondeirng honestly why it wasn't the Avs vs. Wings at the Big House in Michigan?
I guess the Avalanche, since they're a Western Conference team, won't see the light of day at a Winter Classic.
(And don't say that Detroit is also a Western team, they're practically in the Eastern Conference as is, and the city is an Eastern Time Zone city)
Detroit and Toronto are original six teams with huge fan support. Easy choice if we take our Avs hats off for a moment.
I don't have my "Avs Hat" on at the moment, I believed I was asking a logical question...what exactly has Toronto done to be included in the Winter Classic? And it didn't even have to be the Avs, but could we at least have a WC that includes a Western Conference team that's not from Chicago or Detroit?
Toronto hasn't exactly accomplished anything either in the last several years, but true, I'll give you something, they do have a large fanbase. But if the NHL TRULY cared about "Growing the sport" they'd care a little more about items like WC selection not just being based on fanbase.
While I don't think it's the greatest matchup (Toronto's inclusion is a bit iffy I think, they're significantly worse right now than probably the last 6 teams to play in the WC), but there's no denying the drawing power of two of the top 5 most popular, original 6, franchises in the league, who are conveniently driving distance from one another, playing in something as fundamentally overblown as the Winter Classic.
Travel distance. Detroit/Toronto will attract fans from both teams. Not enough Avs (or other WC teams) fans in the area.
I understand...but I feel like the WC would sell out regardless, if it were Detroit vs ??, the Wings have more than enough fans to sell out, and fans of the away team would still go, just to be apart of the event.
Again, I'm not saying that next year should have been the Avs' year, quite the opposite, they aren't good enough yet, though they have some nice potential premier players.
But a team like Edmonton could have been a good selection, they have a whole crop of the game's up-and-coming players, but it's whatever, I'll still watch, because the WC is a great sporting event to witness, and 24/7 is awesome to watch, no matter what teams are involved
I think it'd be a fun WC. I love the whole idea of the WC, 24/7 and all the overblown spectacle and hype. What in sports these days isn't overblown and overhyped? My only complaint is that they shouldn't have a Heritage Classic the same year. Mix it up a little.
Avs frankly aren't ready to be a WC team. Not yet.
To be honest I think the collaboration with HBO is one of the best ideas the league has made happen in the past few years. It's a completely different level of watching a team, and I think that justifies how grandiose the whole thing is. I think it's just the right amount of footage without it becoming too intrusive to a team's season (though the Caps in the first bit of last years aside, all the teams that have been on it have done really well). For that reason I'm eager to hear confirmation of next years, it'll be cool to watch the parallels between Burke and Holland, Reimer and Howard, and especially Mike Babcock and Ron Wilson.
We'll get one eventually, if the novelty doesn't wear off by the time we'd be due for a Winter Classic (probably 2-4 years down the road).
I always hear Sports Authority Field as the potential site, but Folsom Field would be my choice. A rink at the foot of the flatirons would blow away every other site aesthetically (Fenway & Wrigley were cool, but mainly due to the history of those ballparks).
Sports Authority wouldn't work because of the potential of a Broncos late-regular season or early-postseason game.
Coors Field wouldn't be bad, but they could do like Detroit is rumored to do and have a rink at both Folsom for the main game and a rink at Coors for events in Denver (DU/CC, etc).
Why is everyone saying the 24/7 camera will be a distraction? Rangers came out of it and went on to lead the league. Didn't seem to distract them and they are a handful of days older than our team???
Detroit and Toronto are original six teams with huge fan support. Easy choice if we take our Avs hats off for a moment.
Honestly, I think it's this. An Avs/Wings game would sell out no doubt, and it would make a good story/compelling TV with the history, but I think the league just sees a team that isn't a national draw anymore that plays in a small/medium city. Our team isn't a media darling, and really doesn't have any players the league cares about marketing. This team will likely remain a afterthought until it turns things around and becomes a contender.
Agreed. 24/7 with the Avs would be pretty damned great.
This game is gonna be sold out because of Leafs fans, Detroit can't sell out playoff games, no way are there still enough Wings fans in Michigan to fill out the Big House. Especially at the high ticket prices.
If they were to do it here and wanted a college Stadium give me the Air Force Academy Stadium not Folsom. But realistically, it would have to be Coors Field. SA Field has too many variables.
There might not be a 24/7 for hockey next season. Ratings were down this year despite a pretty good matchup of Rangers vs. Flyers. I would be honestly surprised if they did it for Toronto/Detroit, since Toronto isn't an American team (which wouldn't draw on an American network).
Outside of that, I think it's an okay but not inspiring choice. Toronto needs more time to build into a legit playoff contender, and outside of being O6, there isn't a narrative between the two teams. No doubt it'll sell well but I think it would've made more sense to match Toronto up with Boston/Philly since there is more hatred, or Detroit with Colorado (when we get better... some day)/re-match against Pittsburgh. Or even a Devils/Rangers/Islanders variation of a matchup. Just something that actually has a legit rivalry instead of throwing two teams that have a lot of fans but no recent blood.
According to the Main Board, McKenzie is saying that a Detroit/Toronto WC is "all but done"...
And I don't want my post here to be misconstrued, but I'm wondering WHY exactly it was chosen as Detroit/Toronto? Those two teams don't play each other enough as it is currently to have a rivalry, in the past, sure, since they're both storied franchises.
But if the WC was supposed to be a game that features two teams that have had a gruesome rivalry, I'm wondeirng honestly why it wasn't the Avs vs. Wings at the Big House in Michigan?
I guess the Avalanche, since they're a Western Conference team, won't see the light of day at a Winter Classic.
(And don't say that Detroit is also a Western team, they're practically in the Eastern Conference as is, and the city is an Eastern Time Zone city)
Detroit/Toronto had a big rivalry before the Leafs moved to the east. Detroit will have no problem selling against the Leafs (even if it is that 100k stadium). And lets face it the heritage game between Detroit/Toronto will be hundreds times better then the Rangers/Flyers one.
