News Article Penguins outdoor game at Penn State looms against Flyers

[pilldoc]

By Dave Molinari and Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

BOSTON -- The Penguins' rivalry with Philadelphia might be going to a new level.

Or at least to a different setting.

The Penguins and Flyers have had informal talks about playing an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium on the Penn State campus.

"It would be great for Pennsylvania hockey," Penguins CEO David Morehouse said Friday.

The talks have been between Morehouse and Flyers president Peter Luukko, who confirmed them to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Luukko told the Inquirer that Penn State is "very interested" in being the site of such a game.

Because the Penguins are committed to play an outdoor game against Chicago at Soldier Field next winter, they likely would not be able to play the Flyers at Penn State until at least the 2014-15 season.

A Penguins-Flyers game most likely would not be a Winter Classic, which is a specific annual event on the NHL calendar, but would be one of the "satellite" outdoor games that will begin taking place in 2013-14 in places such as New York's Yankees Stadium and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

The official website of Penn State athletics lists Beaver Stadium's capacity as 106,572, although numerous football games there have drawn crowds of several thousand more.

Read more: http://www.post-gaze.../#ixzz2VcYEi3CB

[AJgoal]

I dunno. The Winter Classic and Heritage Classic are great, but I think they may be oversaturating it with these new outdoor games. It's hard enough to get good conditions for one.

Also, I would like to see two new teams in the next WC. Hockey doesn't only exist in Boston, Philly, New York, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago. Nice to see the Leafs in it next year, even if they are the Leafs. But let's not have either team be a repeat in 2015...

[doom88]

@AJgoal

I agree. I can't believe it took so long to get Detroit and Toronto going, and Boston Montreal needs to happen too. Canada plays the game, why not involve them and their rabid fans? Even pitch it as a friendly US vs Canada game.

I'm a little worried about over saturation, but I guess it is still going strong. If it makes the league healthier, might as well. They have to compete in the US with the NBA, college basketball fall through March, pro and college football fall through winter, and the MLB in the spring. I'm glad they are doing something, because doing nothing will get them nowhere.

Okay, now the Penn State location: LOVE IT. They could do this annually and it will never get old. Maybe extend it further and do a mini Atlantic cup tournament over a week, all outdoors. All the members can drive there relatively easily.

If the NHL reads this and does it, I am reserving my intellectual property rights, pay me handsomely and give me lifetime tickets. Thanks.

[pilldoc]

Agreed, but you are kind of forcing the cities in the northern part of country to be hosting them. You really can't have a Tampa Bay vs. Florida unless it is in a neutral northern city.

I agree though, more Canadian teams should be given a chance along with teams such as Minnesota / Buffalo / etc.....

[doom88]

Buffalo isn't in Canada?

[sarsippius]

This is the game they should have played instead of Flyers-Rangers in 2012

[hf101]

I agree though, more Canadian teams should be given a chance along with teams such as Minnesota / Buffalo / etc.....

I could be wrong but I thought it was rumored Minnesota would be hosting the Winter Classic in 2015 at Target Field. With the change of divisions next season it sets up a southern team like Dallas to play in MN.