Winnipeg To Host 2016 Heritage Classic

[BlueBall]

From Lawless in this morning's Free Press:

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/winnipeg-lands--heritage-classic-235188251.html

 

  Very cool news.  Big question now is, who gets first dibs on tickets?  Bombers or Jets season ticket holders?

[Jimmy Pop]

First dibs? Jets fans, no question. There's only 13,000 or so of us, so not too much to accommodate. I'm sure they'll give Bomber STH a chance at a presale or something, wouldn't expect more than that.

[Mike]

I feel like being a Bomber fan should give me the right to reserve my seat for the game.

[iso_55]

I'd think March 2016 would make the most sense as by that time the coldest of the cold weather would be finished with.

[Mike]

I'm guessing mid-February. March can get a little dicey. The last thing we would want is one of those random days where it's suddenly +5 out after a week of -20.

[sweep the leg]

I'm guessing mid-February. March can get a little dicey. The last thing we would want is one of those random days where it's suddenly +5 out after a week of -20.

Being +5 wouldn't cause many problems. It's not like they'll be relying on natural ice out there.

[Saidin]

I've heard/read that it isn't too much the Temperature that prohibits outdoor ice like that, it's the Humidity.  Hell I've heard that they can do a game like this in L.A. and not have too many issues (apart from humidity that is).

[The Unknown Poster]

I'd rather it be +5 than -20.  But this is a tough town.  -30 would be a problem though.

 

I'd advocate we play against the Wild for the invasion of Americans over the weekend.  great for the city.

[Jaxon]

 Biggest concern isn't temperature as much as rain.  Rain would be bad, very bad. 

[17to85]

 

I'm guessing mid-February. March can get a little dicey. The last thing we would want is one of those random days where it's suddenly +5 out after a week of -20.

Being +5 wouldn't cause many problems. It's not like they'll be relying on natural ice out there.

 

Yeah the community I live in here in Calgary has an outdoor rink and with their cooling unit they can keep ice up to +15 degrees, surely the NHL can do likewise. 

[Noeller]

There's talk the Bombers and Jets are going to work together on a joint project to have the Grey Cup in Nov 2015, and then the Heritage Classic in early 2016. Possible ticket combos and things like that. Either way, the city will be buzzing if it all comes together. Would love to be able to come home for all of that.

[Mike]

 

I'm guessing mid-February. March can get a little dicey. The last thing we would want is one of those random days where it's suddenly +5 out after a week of -20.

Being +5 wouldn't cause many problems. It's not like they'll be relying on natural ice out there.

 

 

Touche.

[The Unknown Poster]

It ends up being a windfall for the Bombers who will have an extra incentive for new season ticket holders that year, plus get cost sharing on upgrades and use TN's expertise in major event planning and execution.  I believe it was TN's people that "saved the day" after the first couple of traffic debacles this year.

 

Too bad they cant get rapid transit done by then.

[Jacquie]

I've heard/read that it isn't too much the Temperature that prohibits outdoor ice like that, it's the Humidity.  Hell I've heard that they can do a game like this in L.A. and not have too many issues (apart from humidity that is).

 

They did an outdoor pre-season game in Vegas in 1991. From the Kings website:

 

 

In 80 degree heat, 13,000 fans packed in the stands wearing shorts and t-shirts to watch the preseason matchup.

 

The weather itself did not provide difficulties during the game, but the conditions were less than ideal for creating the ice. Kings color commentator and former Kings forward Jim Fox was on hand to call the game with Bob Miller, but first he had to help out in preparing the ice.

 

“They had a sheet of ice in the back parking lot and they put a tarp over it elevated above the ice about six or eight feet to keep direct rays of the sunlight off the ice” said Fox. “But when they were taking the tarp down, they let the tarp hit the ice.

 

“That tarp was probably at least 100 degrees at that point, so there was some pretty significant damage to the ice, as the tarp and some wires had melted some huge gouges into the ice. They were really concerned about it, so they were hanging around trying to figure out what was going on and they asked me to go and check the ice. So I got a pair of skates from one of the players in the dressing room, and went out there to check it out.”

 

By game time the ice was fine, but other problems “jumped” in to the picture.

 

“There were these big giant grasshoppers jumping on the ice” said Kings President of Business Operations and former player Luc Robitaille. “They would land on the ice and freeze right there, so by the end of the second period they were everywhere on the ice and it was kind of funny.”

[Brandon]

The bombers if possible should see if they can package season tickets with a ticket to this game. That would easily get a boost in season ticket sales.

[TrueBlue]

Where do the temporary stands go?  Still having a hard time visualizing this.  The endzone concourses aren't that wide to erect bleacher seating from.  Not to mention the added weight.

[The Unknown Poster]

I believe they go beneath the jumbotrons.  hence why the TV's are so high.