Sports

Puck Droppings: NHL considers Yankee stadium for outdoor hockey game

by ryan | March 10, 2008 at 12:35 pm

733 views | 0 Recommendations | 1 comment

This years outdoor hockey game in Buffalo was so successful the NHL is reaching for the sky in its hunt for a new venue. Rumours of Wrigley field and now Yankee stadium as possible locations are circulating. As a hockey fan I think it'd be a mistake to try and ride on the back of baseball's popularity and put the game in a non-hockey town. The success of the game in Buffalo was because the crowd was terrific and the players into it. It had nothing to do with the stadium. Again it seems like the NHL is distancing itself from its base and pandering to people who don't care about hockey.

The NHL, New York Rangers and New York Yankees are closing in on a deal that would see an outdoor hockey game played at Yankee Stadium in 2009, reports the New York Daily News.

With the success of the Winter Classic between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres this past January, the NHL has been looking into the possibility of holding more outdoor games. Since the Yankees will be moving into a new stadium in 2009, the proposed hockey game would be the final sporting event held at old Yankee Stadium.

"It's something we've spoken both to the Yankees and to the city about but it's not a done deal," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Daily News. "There are still other possibilities and a lot of moving pieces."

The newspaper went on to report that the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils would not be the first choice as the Rangers opponents for the game. It is believed the league and their broadcast partner, NBC, would be looking for a team from another U.S. television market.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

ChefRC

at 07:31 on March 17th, 2008

I went to the current Yankees Stadium to get game tickets when I looked across the street at the new Stadium being built. This is a picture of the facade and main entrance facing 161 St and the Macombs Dam Bridge.

ChefRC has contributed a photo to this story.