Shut up! Just shut the hell up!

I want to vomit with the amount of complaining and moaning that so called die-hard fans are spewing out over the announcement of possibly the greatest thing the NHL has ever done since announcing an outdoor game – announcing six more outdoor games!

You mad about it? Can it, jerk. Let me get this straight – the issue you’re having with the best way to enjoy a hockey game is that there’re too much of it?

“That’s the issue here. Six outdoor games dilutes the brand by eroding the special-ness of the Winter Classic, but not just by flooding the market with similar, less special events to follow it. It’s also the way that it underscores the cynical cash-grab aspects of the whole thing.” ~Harrison Mooney, Puck Daddy.

Really? A cash grab? You mean the entire sport of hockey is not based on making money? The NHL has not been selling tickets, jerseys, airtime, and even the digitally plastered commercials on the board glass? Are we five-years old and still watching the game with the novelty factor, going on the premise that the game is about heart and dedication? Are players playing because they love their team and not the paycheck, specifically after a third lockout? Please, don’t be that naive; we know it’s about the money.

The fact is that Winter Classic is a special occasion, and I argue against the suggestion that it will negatively impact other similar games. It’s like saying that one playoff game is less special than the other. If you are a fan of something you will care about it just as much and you will not be diluted to anything.

Our own Mitchell Tierney wrote about How Many is too Many NHL Outdoor Games. With all due respect, I could not disagree more.

Let us not forget that if we were to continue to have these “Winter Classics” they would only happen between the BIG clubs and happen only once a year. That is malarkey.

Think about the experience an outdoor game creates. It is a memory that makes you a hockey fan forever and just brings overall excitement to an otherwise very long season. Adding something meaningful to an otherwise a slightly jaded All-Star game experience is only a GOOD thing for the sport and for the fans.

Cash grab? No doubt, but so is everything…technically.

Stop pretending that Winter Classic was special because of its exclusivity. If you actually go to an outdoor game it will still feel special – try it! You won’t get the diluted effect of “just another home game”, but instead will feel the refreshing roar of a huge stadium packed with rabid fans. It won’t get old because it’s surreal everytime and especially compared to the other 40 home games your team will have.

The weather might be a bit warm, but that is okay with me too. I love the outdoor scene and will be “pee in my pants” happy when I have a chance to get to see the Islanders vs Rangers, and Rangers vs Devils play in a huge stadium. While you watch the game on TV and moan about the “ruined” experience and the “special factor” the people at those games will be enjoying an awesome experience and kids who will visit those games will have faces filled with excitement and enjoyment.

So maybe for the jaded hardcore fans it losses is specialty factor and authenticity… There will always be fans who find the experience amazing and I am one of them.

And that’s the last word.

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photo credit: Aaron Frutman via photopin cc