News Article: Lightning in running to host outdoor game

[Stormbreaker]

Lightning in running to host outdoor game

"Tampa is absolutely on the shorter list of places that we're considering (for an outdoor game)," NHL executive vice president Steve Mayer told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "I think given the stadium, given the team, given the market, I think it's a great candidate."

The sites for the 2020 and 2021 outdoor games will be announced this offseason.

"The way we're doing the ice (for outdoor games) has changed and evolved over the years. It can handle extremes," Mayer added. "You can never play an afternoon game. But nighttime (in Tampa) it gets cool and could easily handle an outdoor game."

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[RDTBay4]

If they make this happen I'll be there for sure. Awesome!

 

[Bolt32]

I wouldn't mind facing a Detroit in Tampa if we do that. They are a legit rival to us I think. I don't know what other team would you like to see us play against in Raymond James?

 

[The Gongshow]

If they make this happen I'll be there for sure. Awesome!

I'd definitely fly out to Tampa for an outdoors game.

Could see it be against Detroit or Montreal. I wouldn't mind a Tampa vs Chicago outdoors game as well

throwback 2004 jerseys for the game too!?!?

 

[Werewolf]

I wouldn't mind facing a Detroit in Tampa if we do that. They are a legit rival to us I think. I don't know what other team would you like to see us play against in Raymond James?

Bolts v Panthers ... need them Panthers to up their game a bit though. Red Wings are pretty much owned by the Lightning.

Leafs v Bolts at Raymond James would be great games. The rivalry should build up over next several seasons.

 

[Bolt 45]

I feel like we should be on the short list of teams that get considered to play in an outdoor game. But host one? Seriously? I love hockey, and I love Tampa, but this is ridiculous. I'm actually embarrassed about this.

 

[Hoek]

They had it in LA. Can't be much worse.

It needs to be against the Panthers or some other team that doesn't travel well here. Don't want it getting ruined by other fans. :p

 

[HoseEmDown]

Problem with the Panthers is that they don't have any fans and Tampa doesn't have enough to fill Ray J. They will do it there against an original 6 team, maybe Detroit but I can see Montreal or Boston being options.

 

[RDTBay4]

Problem with the Panthers is that they don't have any fans and Tampa doesn't have enough to fill Ray J. They will do it there against an original 6 team, maybe Detroit but I can see Montreal or Boston being options.

You serious? It would sell out easily just due to the nature of the event.

 

[HoseEmDown]

You serious? It would sell out easily just due to the nature of the event.

I can't see them selling 50-70k tickets easily.

 

[These Are The Days]

I don't understand why we just can't do a game on the road and have someone else hold the event.

But in any case you're giving Tampa 2 or 3 years notice to sellout a game in light of that we may win another championship in that time. If we did then selling out Raymond James would be no problem

You've got 30,000 bandwagon fans ready to jump on for a few years at the moment of Stamkos raising Lord Stanley. If he ever does

 

[Rschmitz]

This is nuts, it was like 80 degrees the other day. No way it would turn out the way we'd want it to.

I do think we could fill the place up as long as the tickets were affordable

 

[These Are The Days]

Agreed, it's crazy to think we'd ever host a game. It would just be smarter if we went on the road

 

[VoluntaryDom]

that would be loads of fun

 

[Hoek]

It was warmer in Colorado than here when they had their outdoor game. I thought it was crazy at first but the more adamant they are about it, I think it's not that impossible. It only needs to be around 50 degrees ideally and we easily hit that most nights in peak winter.

Lightning hosting an outdoor game is a matter of when, not if

Lightning CEO Steve Griggs said the team worked with meteorologists to figure out the average temperatures in January and February, taking into effect El Nino and La Nina climate currents.

"We’ve done our homework," Griggs said.

They compared Tampa’s average temperatures to those recorded at the outdoor games played in Los Angeles and Denver. Mayer said the temperature at Denver’s Coors Field on Feb. 27, 2016, for the Avalanche-Red Wings game was around 70 degrees, higher than it was in Tampa that day.

"The way we’re doing the ice (for outdoor games) has changed and evolved over the years. It can handle extremes," Mayer said. "You can never play an afternoon game. But nighttime (in Tampa) it gets cool and could easily handle an outdoor game."

 

[Rschmitz]

It was warmer in Colorado than here when they had their outdoor game. I thought it was crazy at first but the more adamant they are about it, I think it's not that impossible. It only needs to be around 50 degrees ideally and we easily hit that most nights in peak winter.

Lightning hosting an outdoor game is a matter of when, not if

No meteorologist can predict a year ahead. It's nice right now outside, but just a week ago it was 80 and a week from now it could be 80, it's just impossible to plan IMO but I applaud the effort.

 

[These Are The Days]

It was warmer in Colorado than here when they had their outdoor game. I thought it was crazy at first but the more adamant they are about it, I think it's not that impossible. It only needs to be around 50 degrees ideally and we easily hit that most nights in peak winter.

Lightning hosting an outdoor game is a matter of when, not if

Well seeing that certainly does make me come around to the idea just a little bit more. Thanks Hoek.

If the Lightning played a game in Raymond James then the stadium just might actually see a sellout for a Tampa team again.

Like Schmitz said you can't predict a year ahead but I'd be willing to bet a drink that it's 50 degrees out at 8 PM on New Years day with decent weather provided it's not's raining

 

[Rschmitz]

If we can have a game outside, it would shut a lot of people up about hockey in the south. We have a game and there are puddles of water on the ice and players falling down or getting hurt, it's a lot of egg on the face.

 

[Sky04]

Is Peca not a direct replacement for Paquette, isn't he a center as well? Speed and creativity, seems to fit the bill.

 

[Rschmitz]

If it were me, I'd move Gourde to wing and put Peca on the third line C

 

[CupsOverCash]

Is Peca not a direct replacement for Paquette, isn't he a center as well? Speed and creativity, seems to fit the bill.

Could happen soon. Paquette gets hurt a lot.

 

[Felonious Python]

Well seeing that certainly does make me come around to the idea just a little bit more. Thanks Hoek.

If the Lightning played a game in Raymond James then the stadium just might actually see a sellout for a Tampa team again.

Like Schmitz said you can't predict a year ahead but I'd be willing to bet a drink that it's 50 degrees out at 8 PM on New Years day with decent weather provided it's not's raining

I'd figure that any game TB would host would be part of the Stadium Series. I don't think NHL/NBC is bold enough to put the Winter Classic outside the 8-10 teams that exist in their bubble.

We'd also be getting an American Arbitrary Six team as our opponent on that day. Probably Chicago. No thanks. Finding the right opponent is hard enough.

 

[Felonious Python]

From a NHL.com long read: Lightning owner building legacy of winning, community involvement

He is pushing Commissioner Bettman to have an outdoor game in Tampa to be held at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"We compared the weather in Tampa to the outdoor games in California," Vinik said, "and in Tampa, Florida, in the middle of February, if you pick the right time, chances are 90 percent our weather is better so there's no reason we can't have an outdoor game. I remind the Commissioner about that all the time, just as I did for the All-Star Game, and that one worked."

February would confirm a Stadium Series game, and not a Winter Classic. Hopefully that would mean that the Lightning would get more control over programming as well because it doesn't need to fit the Winter Classic formula.

 

[chasespace]

Could host it in Tropicana. Gives that stadium vibe but won't have to pray the weather doesn't go all Florida on you on gameday.

 

[Felonious Python]

Could host it in Tropicana. Gives that stadium vibe but won't have to pray the weather doesn't go all Florida on you on gameday.

The Trop doesn't fit the gimmick. It's a non-retractable dome.