When you hear the expression “less is more”, take it to heart. In a world of excess where an abundance of everything is just a mouse click or cell phone away, it is always nice to enjoy certain traditions.
What makes a tradition particularly special is the infrequency with which it may occur. Would you enjoy your birthday as much if you celebrated it once a month? Why don’t we celebrate the last day of every month like we do in December? What if Dave Matthews went on tour every summer? Wait, that last one is a poor example.
Gary Bettman held a press conference last Monday announcing that the 2014 Winter Classic would be held at Michigan Stadium, featuring the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. No surprise there because the two were scheduled to meet in the Classic this past January 1st. Obviously the lockout forced the cancellation of the game, but the NHL did the right thing by bringing the game back to Michigan for the 2014.
All was right with the world. Two Original Six rivals face off in an outdoor game in front of what will certainly be a record crowd. The league re-alignment next season means that the Red Wings and Maple Leafs will be reunited in the same division as well. Bettman should have ended the press conference at this point. What makes the Winter Classic special is the uniqueness of the game. It is the only outdoor game in the NHL season, and it has largely supplanted college football as the game to watch on January 1st.
Bettman announced that the game in Michigan would kick off a six game series that would feature games in New York, Chicago, Vancouver and….are you ready? Los Angeles. Yes, there is an outdoor hockey game scheduled for southern California. The other venue has not been named, but the official announcement is expected to take place in the next two weeks but here are the tentative dates and games.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings at Dodger Stadium, January 26, 2014
New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils at Yankee Stadium, January 26, 2014
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders at Yankee Stadium, January 29, 2014
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field, March 1, 2014
Ottawa Senators vs. Vancouver Canucks at B.C. Place, March 2, 2014
Don’t get me wrong, I love the concept of a glorified, over commercialized pond-hockey game. The problem is that when you water down the idea of said game, it loses a ton of its’ significance. The games will all sell out and will be commercial successes across the board financially. However, it is the equivalent of hockey “jumping the shark”, or “selling out” just to sell out some big venues.
Hockey has an image problem, to say the least. The happy commissioner posting up in front of a pedestal with positive announcements is something that the NHL needed badly, but this oversaturation of the sport’s regular season showcase is an error. There will be exposure on the major networks, and the league will put its best foot forward. The games will be a major draw, fun for the players and the fans. These are the good things.
The negative of Bettman’s announcement is that it diminishes the actual Winter Classic. Does the January 1st game become “a” Winter Classic” or is it still “the” Winter Classic? Bettman has set the bar so that every year different cities will start bidding for an outdoor game at their local football or baseball station. If there was an idiot-proof concept in the NHL it was the outdoor hockey in a football stadium on New Year’s Day. Sure the tradition is only five years old, but it was something very special about the NHL. Gary Bettman has now managed to taint the concept of outdoor hockey, and yet somehow I’m actually shocked.