The Boston Celtics have had cursory conversations about playing an outdoor NBA game at Fenway Park.

"I've gotten into it. I really like the idea," Celtics' president Rich Gotham said. "I think if you can find a way to sort of differentiate the game and make it fun for fans, that's a great thing. And the Winter Classic certainly does that.

"Even when Fenway stages certain events, like football games, it just makes it more special for people involved and the fans. I think if you can do it, great. At the same time, my job requires me to be pragmatic, so you'd need to look at the hurdles."

The biggest obstacles are the weather and scheduling, Gotham said. The Celtics can't play basketball outside during the winter. The best times to play outside are late October or early April though those dates could conflict with the Red Sox.

The Phoenix Suns played preseason outdoor games from 2008 to 2010 in a tennis stadium in Palm Springs.