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It seems as if ever since the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers each participated in a Winter Classic, there has been clamor for the intrastate rivals to play each other in one of these special games.

The idea was to put the NHL showcase game between the two teams in Beaver Stadium, the home of Penn State's football team that seats over 100,000 people.

However, despite popular demand and both teams' willingness to have the event, a deal has not been reached, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. There are some remaining obstacles in the way, as it is difficult to decide which club would want to give up a home game. Also, the outdoor game is an event for the league, not the participating teams.

Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press explains the revenue deal and appeal of outdoor games in detail:

The NHL holds the power here, because the Winter Classic is rare in the modern sports world. Normally, players and franchises want to avoid marketing-driven, league-run sporting events... But the Winter Classic is alluring for everybody... The league essentially buys a home game from the host team. The NHL writes a check for the revenue from one home game (and rounds up, of course), then controls the event.

Even with all this in mind, the success of the Stadium Series, which Pittsburgh is participating in this season against the Chicago Blackhawks at Soldier Field on March 1, might sway the league to try and work out a deal between the Penguins and Flyers.

The NHL has already awarded the 2015 Winter Classic to the Washington Capitals, but as of now, no other outdoor games are planned for next season. Furthermore, the league will want to make a good impression coming off a potential future lockout, and what better way to do it than to start now by pitting two of its biggest rivals on the same stage in 2015 or beyond?