  Detx Member Username: Detx Post Number: 150 Registered: 07-2007 |
If so, I hope it is designed with a retractable roof. Outdoor games are the future of the NHL, and we should be leading the way here in Hockey Town! | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 3003 Registered: 10-2003 |
No there won't be any announcment any time soon. quote: Why, The igloo in pittsburgh has a retractable roof. It hasn't been used in so long it no longer opens. Just another useless feature that will be rarely used and adds a huge amount of cost to the building. | ||
El_jimbo Member Username: El_jimbo Post Number: 696 Registered: 12-2006 |
they need to announce sooner or later. Doesn't their lease with the Joe run out after next season? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4905 Registered: 02-2005 |
I'm sure the City would go year-to-year or even month-to-month with them. They can't afford to lose the Wings. They just need to bump up that insanely low rate, though. | ||
Rax Member Username: Rax Post Number: 373 Registered: 11-2007 |
A month to month lease? That's awesome. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 878 Registered: 07-2006 |
I would imagine he would announce it soon (in the next week or two), to take advantage of the goodwill towards the team right now - we all know it will involve some amount of public money, so now would at least quiet some of those voices. The only reason he might wait would be to avoid taking the spotlight from the players. I don't think outdoor games will ever become a regular event, not enough to justify a retractable roof, anyways. At MOST (and i am stretching here), there would be maybe one outdoor game per team. That's NOT worth the millions it would take to build it with a retractable roof. It would be easier to play at any number of outdoor venues, whether it's Comerica or Michigan Stadium. | ||
Detx Member Username: Detx Post Number: 152 Registered: 07-2007 |
"Why, The igloo in pittsburgh has a retractable roof. It hasn't been used in so long it no longer opens." Who cares if Pittsburgh let their roof fall into disrepair? And why should their mismanagement scare us away? "Just another useless feature that will be rarely used and adds a huge amount of cost to the building." It doesn't have to be useless. The outdoor games thus far that the NHL have hosted have been extremely popular, i.e., lots of people watching them on TV, fans attending, merchandise sold, etc. If it is built and used, it could generate more revenue for the Red Wings organization, which, last I heard, isn't filling seats like it used to. If you watched the Winter Classic this year you could feel that something special was happening. Outdoor games are not common now but I believe they will be more and more within the next 5-10 years. I would hate to see another team beat us to this and I think we have a great opportunity here to do something unique. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1820 Registered: 11-2003 |
The "Igloo" does not open their retractable roof for a couple reasons. After they installed the new scoreboard a few years back, they can only open two sections of the roof now. Also, the antiquated system they have to open the roof is extremely energy inefficient, so it uses a lot of electricity to open the roof of Mellon Arena. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 526 Registered: 11-2007 |
Detx, you are way off base here. It's not even midget level hockey outdoors when it snows. It's like playing baseball in six inch grass. It's a gimmick to fill huge stadiums, get some publicity and make big bucks once or twice a year. No fan in their right mind would want to watch outdoor hockey more than once or twice in their life. | ||
Emu_steve Member Username: Emu_steve Post Number: 649 Registered: 11-2006 |
Amen, Don. I played some adult hockey when I lived in MI and frequently it was outdoors (later indoors thankfully  ). Ever play hockey with wind chills in the minus teens. Ugh!! At least running in the minus teens one's body is in constant motion. That is not obviously true in hockey. | ||
Downriviera Member Username: Downriviera Post Number: 595 Registered: 02-2008 |
When I was a kid I was playing in an outdoor game at Hemlock Park in Dearborn, was on a breakaway when a big snowflake went in my eye and I lost the puck. I'll never forget that, nor will I forget some of the other breakaways I missed while playing indoors when I had no such excuse. | ||
Detx Member Username: Detx Post Number: 153 Registered: 07-2007 |
I think a lot of folks would love to watch outdoor hockey, especially in Detroit. 71,000 attended the Winter Classic in January to watch two small market, non-Origial Six teams. I understand about it being too cold or snowy that the game can be unenjoyable or unplayable. But that is what the roof is for. In those cases of extreme weather the roof can be closed. On a side note, here is a Datsyuk video I spliced together from various readily available internet clips... enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =ZG6K85moRxM | ||
Downriviera Member Username: Downriviera Post Number: 624 Registered: 02-2008 |
That was awesome! Datsyuk, more moves than Ex Lax. |
