NHL’s Winter Classic Becomes A Great Holiday Tradition

I wasn’t in the room at the NHL office in New York at the time, but I am sure that when the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens first approached the NHL with the idea of holding an alumni and regular season NHL game outdoors in a football stadium, there were probably several raised eyebrows. The first question may have been, “You would like to do what?”

Despite the cold weather at the 2003 Heritage Classic, the event was a huge success and an instant hit with hockey fans. With over 55,000 people in the stands at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium braving the bone-chilling cold, the Oilers and Canadiens Alumni entertained the crowd before the NHL game got underway. Looking to stake a claim to the huge television audience in the United States during the holiday season, the league expanded on the idea and created their annual Winter Classic, which has been held every year since 2008.

The NHL has designed a unique experience with the Winter Classic and the game not only thrills their fans, it is also an extremely marketable event. As the NCAA football bowl games increase in number and the major games move away from their traditional January 1st time slot, the NHL has positioned themselves quite well, with a captivating event at a time of year when sports fans are looking for high profile events to watch. The distinctive and varied venues the league has chosen to host the game, like Boston’s Fenway Park, Chicago’s Wrigley Field and this year’s game at Citizen’s Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia, not only creates a fabulous fan experience for those in attendance, it makes for great television too.

From an alumni perspective, the Winter Classic has also become a great way to connect today’s fans with the legends of the game. Having the alumni involved brings back many wonderful memories for fans of all ages. Where else can you see Bobby Clarke and Mark Messier facing off against each other? Eric Lindros making a perfect pass to former linemate John LeClair or 66-year old Bernie Parent stealing the show by stacking the pads to make a save? I often say that although our hockey heroes leave the spotlight of the NHL, they do not leave the hearts and minds of their fans – having an alumni event on such a large stage is the perfect reminder of why we love the game.

While many of today’s NHL players learned the game at their local arena, hitting the ice early on a Saturday morning as their parents watched from the stands, the outdoor and backyard rinks was where the fun and the love of the game was nurtured. We all skated with friends after school and on weekends, or took to the streets to play ball hockey. The games would continue after the sun went down, while parents called from the backdoor saying the phrase that none of us wanted to hear – that it was time to come inside. When we heard those words, the usual response amongst my group of friends and I’m sure it was the same with yours, was “just five more minutes!”

Looking back at the original 2003 Heritage Classic with NHL Alumni Executive Director Mark Napier in our first conversation a few years ago, we discussed his experience in the outdoor event. As the only player in that alumni game to have played for both teams, he won a Stanley Cup with each team too, I was curious as to why he played for the Montreal Canadiens Alumni squad and not the Oilers. When I asked him why he suited up in the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge, he laughed and said, “I played for the team that asked me first!”

So, as the hockey world shifts its focus towards the NHL All-Star game and the race for playoff positioning in the second half of the season, there is no doubt that the NHL has found the winning formula and created a wonderful new holiday tradition with the Winter Classic. It will be interesting to see where the event is heading next – the countdown to 2013 has begun.