Will Beaver Stadium host the next NHL Winter Classic?

Clearly the NHL is interested in pursuing another game, but is being cautious to avoid a blunder in either location or matchup in front of their biggest national TV audience. In just 2 years, the Winter Classic has become the NHL's Super Bowl. It is a game that turns sports fans into hockey fans.

"I have no idea where we are going next," Bettman said. "It won't be a perfect science, but hopefully when we make the decision, it will turn out to be a good decision like this one.

"It is something that we know can be a special part of our game if we do it right."

Playing in State College would add flavor to an already fiery rivalry. Not only could it break the NHL attendance mark (71,204, set last year in Orchard Park, N.Y.) with 107,202 possible fans at Beaver Stadium, but it would be nearly equidistant from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Rumors are that Fenway Park might make the Bruins a front-runner. But if Bettman's comments about Penn State have any veracity, the Flyers may be in the hunt.

"The possibility of having the Penguins and Flyers play at some point in Happy Valley is intriguing and on the list of opportunities that we have and will explore," Bettman said last May.

6 months ago Run Up The Score Comment 14 comments 0 recs |

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Not even a huge hockey fan

but I’d watch. Also I think its funny that they would do this here, instead of another northen school with a rich D-1 hockey tradition.

by Roland86 on Jan 2, 2009 3:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

that would be freakin sweet!!

i would go in a heart beat!!!

but then again, that might start another riot…could be fun though

by amandakt on Jan 2, 2009 8:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

it would be nice to see

however, i remember last year the same rumors/comments were made (and even included rendell). I would love to see it happen, I may even attend, but i can’t imagine they would A) have the Pens participate (just participated last year against Buffalo) or B) have it in close proximity to a stadium the game was just held in. However just typing this I realize that many places are out of the question due to the weather at the time of occurrence . ill be excited to see how/if this comes to fruition. what are anyones thoughts about repeat participants?

For the glory

by lionalum05 on Jan 3, 2009 12:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

i think it is a valid point

but there are several things that could make it a go…
1) HUGE stadium, more tickets, more chance for profit. w/ the econmy these days everyone is looking for an easy way to make a quick buck and this is the simplest way to make a TON of it real fast.
2) INSANE instate rivarly game would draw a huge crowd and a lot of media, advertising. i remember the talk when they faced each other in the playoffs last yr…

throw in how Hot the pens have been the last couple yrs…well i don’t think this will happen next yr, but a yr or two down the road could feasibly work real well….i’m getting excited just thinking about this…

by amandakt on Jan 3, 2009 12:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Except

That I am pretty sure it was like 40 degrees on New Years Day. You can’t play hockey in standing water.

I was grilling in a t-shirt for the Steeler game last Sunday, it was like 60 degrees out. They would have a real stong concern that the weather would suck (or not suck enough as the case may be).

"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008

by jesse. on Jan 3, 2009 12:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not gonna happen...

Everyone and their brother wants the next winter classic…I assure you State College, PA isn’t going to be the one to get it.

New York City, Boston, St. Louis, Minnesota, Columbus have all been tossed around in discussions as the next US city…and it is far more likely that an NHL city is going to get the game than a college town.
Until the NHL wises up and starts doing more than one outdoor game per season, the Beave isn’t going to see one for at least a decade.

by NittanyBadger on Jan 3, 2009 1:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

eventually

but not for 5 or 6 more years. There will be one in Canada I think between 2 of the original 6 teams.

JoePa in '09

by JGuiher on Jan 4, 2009 8:24 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Paterno

This would be awesome…but do any of you seriously think that Paterno would ever let this happen?

by Tom63 on Jan 6, 2009 10:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

good point

but he was going to allow that concert in beaver stadium earlier this year before the NCAA got all pissy about it.

maybe he’s becoming a lil soft in his old age about his field?

by amandakt on Jan 6, 2009 10:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Logistical issues

I read somewhere that it won’t happen because there’s a chance there wouldn’t be ample parking space, especially if the ground is covered in snow/ice. You figure that ~20,000 students walk to the stadium for football games, so assuming you don’t get nearly that many students at the hockey game, you would have to find several thousand more parking spots near the stadium for non-students to park. If the fields surrounding the stadium were covered in snow and ice, you drastically reduce parking availability.

That being said, I’d love to see hockey at Beaver Stadium. Go Pens

by psuquinn on Jan 6, 2009 3:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Interesting point

"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008

by jesse. on Jan 6, 2009 4:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

good point

you think i would of realized that b/c i used to work for parking/traffic at PSU. duh?

though, they could put ppl in the IST lots, out at the conference center, and some other random places. they would have to shuttle ppl in but there is always CATA. it would be difficult, but doable (and think of how much money the U could make in parking fees…i couldn’t yell at ppl scalping tickets to football games, but if i saw you trying to hock a parking pass…ooh you’d be in trouble)…

by amandakt on Jan 7, 2009 2:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I see dead Presidents

This would be a huge economic boost to the State College economy at a time when all the football gear has been put away for the winter. The benefit to the NHL is that they probably could sell 110,000 tickets and pay less per seat than a major league ballpark that has to cover an enormous debt service. Even casual sports fans would interested in this one.

The State of PA could justify all of this by telling the taxpayers that all proceeds will be used to hold down in-state tuition fees. Remember it’s all about politics.

Reg4

by Regulator4 on Jan 7, 2009 12:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'd like to see it too

I hate the Pengyunz and Flyers, but I’d be inclined to attend a Winter Classic at Beaver Stadium.

I think they might not open the upper end zone decks for this though, so attendance would be 85,000.

If they do this I want to see it used to push D-I hockey at Penn State.

Re: Snow — CATA could be utilized to shuttle people into the stadium. They did this in 1995 for the Michigan game if I recall. Of course if there was snow, the odds of the game actually being played all the way through due to snowballs would be pretty low :p

Blogging about D.C. Baseball since April '04. Penn State alum. Also partial to the Washington Capitals, New York Yankees and Yale football.

by WFY on Jan 8, 2009 11:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs