Winter Classic Tickets

Whenever talking about any hockey game images of ice, cold and snow are conjured up, but almost never are does one get to experience any of this while watching an actual game. That is unless that person is of the lucky fans that can grab up one of the coveted tickets to the NHL Winter Classic. Started in 2008, the NHL Winter Classic is a regular season game that is played in an outdoor stadium '“ a setting rarely experienced by hockey fans and season ticket holders alike. After the successful tickets sales of the first event, the NHL has made the Winter Classic an annual event and it has subsequently become one of the most popular competitions of the hockey season to attend.

The following year, held on January 1st, 2009 the second annual NHL Winter Classic once again filled thousands of seats as fans gathered in a dramatic outdoor setting to watch the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Chicago Blackhawks. The event returned to another famed baseball field and was held in the oftentimes brutal outdoor weather of Wrigley Field in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Because of the rare outdoor nature of this game, the NHL instituted a special rule to account for the possibility of inclement weather. Because of falling snow throughout the exciting game, the teams changed sides at the second half of the third period. When examining the ratings for this particular NHL game, it is clear that not only was this game a hot ticket item for all of those in attendance, but for viewers at home as well. Despite competing with many popular College Bowl football games, the second annual Winter Classic pulled in the largest televised ratings for a hockey game in 33 years.

The third annual NHL Winter Classic was once again held on New Years day of 2010 and fans were once again able to experience a hockey game in the open air. Ticket holders were treated to a showdown between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers. After an exciting game, the Bruins finally beat the Flyers with a score of 2-1 in overtime. By winning this grueling game, the Bruins became the first home team to win one of the the Classics. Choosing yet another illustrious venue, tickets to the latest Classic were sold to fans wanting to see an outdoor hockey game held at famed Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Due to the 2010 Winter Olympic, there was no official All-Star game and thus the Winter Classic was considered to be one of the biggest NHL events and coveted tickets of the year.

Although a regular season game, due to its rare outdoor setting, tickets to the NHL Winter Classic have become one of the most sought after games for all hockey devotees. Even thought it only occurs once a year, it gives the fans a chance to experience hockey game as it should be - in the bitter cold and harsh elements that made playing the fast paced game of hockey on the ice special in the first place

In 2008, the first NHL Winter Classic was played at the Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park New York and to an NHL record setting audience of 71, 217 ticketholders. Although the first outdoor game of the NHL was the year before in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, this was the first professional hockey game to be played outdoors in the United States. The Classic featured an intense battle between the Pittsburg Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres. With a final score of 2 to 1, the Penguins beat the Sabres and became the first winner of the Classic.