NHL to have two outdoor games in Lake Tahoe in February
- Thread starter LadyStanley
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Whalers Fan
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It's so the league can sell/make up ads.
It'll also boost the overall ratings for the season going into negotiations, and throws NBC a bone.
LadyStanley
Registered User
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
Do people really make a special effort to watch these games on TV anymore? I don't know what the ratings are, but personally unless my team is playing in a "stadium series" game I don't give a crap about tuning in. And if it's my team playing, I would be watching regardless of whether the game is played indoors or outdoors.
NBC seems to still be very much on board with broadcasting them so I expect enough people are watching that the extra expense of broadcasting such games is worth it.
varsaku
Registered User
This is not for the regular viewers but to mainly draw in casual fans. Thats where the money is at. Thats the whole purpose of also the stadium series, to draw in casual viewers.
I can only speak for myself, but personally, yes. It’s a fine line to walk though. I usually don’t care who’s playing personally, but go out of my way to watch just for the spectacle. However, if they overuse the gimmick, I lose interest. Personally, I go out of my way to watch the Winter Classic, but all these extra “Stadium Series” games aren’t anything special anymore to me due to quantity. They’re no more interesting to me than any other regular season game.
These Lake Tahoe games sound intriguing and I’ll probably put at least some effort into making sure I’m free to watch them.
JohnLennon
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- Mar 26, 2011
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This Lake Tahoe idea sounds incredible to me. Count me in. I usually go out of my way to catch the Winter Classic and for me, this is even more interesting.
Too bad Los Angeles, even after TWO recent Cups and hosting a Stadium Series, and the number 2 tv market, can no longer be counted on to draw tv viewers in such a spectacle played somewhat near them. Maybe the NHL has somewhat given up on LA, as the Kings and Ducks just have too much to compete with including two MLS teams and the NFL once again.
Maybe the NHL had somewhat given up on LA, as there's too much competition now with two NFL and and two MLS teams to boot.
Las Vegas is what, only the number 38 or so tv market?
LA was counted on for years: wasn't LA vs Colorado a pre-season staple for years in Las Vegas, before the VGK arrived? And Rangers vs. LA played several exhibition games many moons ago in Las Vegas (including an outdoor game or two?).
Yes, it's good that Vegas will be shown as they have shown solid local TV ratings (and usually top neutral ratings when they're ever published), but according to my research, isn't the LA market much, much closer to Lake Tahoe than Vegas is? Heck, Nevada itself is huge, as it takes seven hours or so to drive from Reno to Las Vegas?
...
Pardon my east coast ignorance, but Lake Tahoe is partly in California and in Nevada? Is one part more popular or fun and thus gets more visitors? Is it mostly in California? Is most of it normal people living normal lives, over generations, or mainly vacationers and hotels and Airbnb? Does it take a few hours to drive the entire area? Average incomes overall, or mainly upper income and higher? It's always puzzled me as I hear about it, but have never visited. Are Sacramento or even San Francisco the nearest major airports? Isn't the Las Vegas airport much farther?
Why not Rangers vs. Bruins? Bigger tv market and Panarin, Kaako and Lafreniere to promote.
But interesting vrntue, and I'll watch both games.
Maybe the NHL had somewhat given up on LA, as there's too much competition now with two NFL and and two MLS teams to boot.
Las Vegas is what, only the number 38 or so tv market?
LA was counted on for years: wasn't LA vs Colorado a pre-season staple for years in Las Vegas, before the VGK arrived? And Rangers vs. LA played several exhibition games many moons ago in Las Vegas (including an outdoor game or two?).
Yes, it's good that Vegas will be shown as they have shown solid local TV ratings (and usually top neutral ratings when they're ever published), but according to my research, isn't the LA market much, much closer to Lake Tahoe than Vegas is? Heck, Nevada itself is huge, as it takes seven hours or so to drive from Reno to Las Vegas?
...
Pardon my east coast ignorance, but Lake Tahoe is partly in California and in Nevada? Is one part more popular or fun and thus gets more visitors? Is it mostly in California? Is most of it normal people living normal lives, over generations, or mainly vacationers and hotels and Airbnb? Does it take a few hours to drive the entire area? Average incomes overall, or mainly upper income and higher? It's always puzzled me as I hear about it, but have never visited. Are Sacramento or even San Francisco the nearest major airports? Isn't the Las Vegas airport much farther?
Why not Rangers vs. Bruins? Bigger tv market and Panarin, Kaako and Lafreniere to promote.
But interesting vrntue, and I'll watch both games.
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LadyStanley
Registered User
LA was also the visitor in Stadium Series vs Sharks.
VGK hasn't yet been involved in outdoor game. THis will be their first.
VGK hasn't yet been involved in outdoor game. THis will be their first.
Yes about Vegas....it seems especially prudent to capitalize now on the still-hot VGK brand; it maybe wouldn't be as appealing to have them involved in a big outdoor event when/if they've missed the playoffs five straight years. And if the Kings were still Cup contenders and the Avs floundering for years until recently, maybe it would have been the Kings vs VGK, not the Avs, in Lake Tahoe after all?
At least this event, and at two games, will give added sex appeal to the season....at least for me.
Reno Airport is actually closest followed by Sacramento.
It is in both states.
Nevada side has gaming, skiing etc. But, California is equally as fun skiing etc.
Income is generally higher.
JohnLennon
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- Mar 26, 2011
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You've kind of touched on it already in your post, but nonetheless: this event isn't made exclusively for the local markets. Yes, it helps to have teams from big markets, but as others have mentioned in this thread, this event is largely for casual viewers as well. Vegas might not be the biggest TV market, but they are:
1. An exciting, top 10 team in the NHL
2. Still the new kid on the block
3. Tons of fanfare and spectacle around their brand
4. An outdoor location (half) in their home-state
With no fans on-site, this will be a spectacle to draw in hardcore and casual hockey fans alike. I am really eager to see this. It draws on something kind of unique to hockey. As a Habs fan, I think the choice in teams is quite good. 4 exciting top teams in the league with great fanbases and all have chances to make a run for the cup this year. The Rangers can't say the same thing in that case.
What I'd like to know, and hopefully someone more knowledgeable can reply, but how cold does it really get at Lake Tahoe? Are we assured cold temperatures and a snowy landscape in February for the Winter Classic?
Yawn. The NHL and the outdoor games gimmick that was interesting like 13 years ago and now it’s lame and boring with crashing tv ratings for it.
Gnashville
HFBoards Hall of Famer
More Pierre McGuire asking someone “when you grew up in [insert city here] playing for the [insert team here] and [insert coaches name here] did you ever think you would be playing outside in the NHL and that this could happen?”
I like it! At the very least I like it more than another game at football or baseball stadium. Assuming COVID is under control, I realize things will be back to the usual stadium thing next season, but this could temporarily breathe some new life into the outdoor game concept, which at this point is pretty stale.
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LadyStanley
Registered User
31 Thoughts: Why 2020–21 NHL season is a step into the unknown
Friedman reports that Boston and Philadelphia were given option of playing two games in Tahoe, but rejected idea.
Friedman reports that Boston and Philadelphia were given option of playing two games in Tahoe, but rejected idea.
LadyStanley
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Chet Manley
Registered User
I really like the idea of outdoor games but playing them in cavernous stadiums have always seemed a bit awkward/odd. This might scratch an itch if they can get the rink into a picturesque location.
LadyStanley
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LadyStanley
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LadyStanley
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