56,000 Expected at NHL's First Outdoor Game - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jenya · 11-22-2003, 12:57 PM

56,000 Expected at NHL's First Outdoor Game
All systems go for Heritage Classic

Saturday November 22, 2003

CANADIAN PRESS

EDMONTON, AB- Despite the cold, all systems are go for the outdoor NHL extravaganza Saturday.

A sellout crowd in excess of 56,000 is expected at Commonwealth Stadium to watch an Edmonton Oilers-Montreal Canadiens alumni game, followed by the first outdoor regular-season game in NHL history.

The weather forecast calls for clear skies, which negates the worry of snow, and a high of -9 C for the start of the show, with temperatures decreasing through the evening.

Nobody seems to mind. It was -14 C on Thursday, with a wind made it feel even colder, and preparations continued. Players will wear thermal underwear beneath their pads and the benches will be heated while the crowd will be bundled in layers of clothing.

"It would have to be freakin' cold," Cal Nichols, the Oilers governor on the NHL board of directors, replied when asked what would force postponement.

Wind, which would create a wind-chill hazard, is the main concern.

The Megastars alumni game will go ahead regardless of the conditions, the players promise. A postponement of the regular-season game would mean a move into the Oilers' home arena, Rexall Place - the former Skyreach Centre, for a noon Sunday start. Oilers season-ticket holders would get in and others with Saturday outdoor tickets would have to apply for refunds. The Oilers have insurance to cover a postponement contingency. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Canadiens and Oilers executives would confer if weather deteriorated to the extent a decision was required.

The Oilers are spending close to $3 million on the project, and they expect to net at least a $2-million profit when all is said and done. Singer Tom Cochrane is among entertainers hired by the Oilers, who will make the appearance of others a surprise.

Tickets for the outdoor games are valued at $21 for the lowest-priced Oilers season-ticket holder to $250 for single-game ducats in the lower bowl. Demand has been enormous. An American calling the Oilers office offered to donate $5,000 U.S. to charity if he could get his hands on two tickets. He couldn't be accommodated.

Scalpers have been packaging tickets with pucks or photos of players to get around the law, and they've been seeking as much as $2,500 for a pair of prime seats.

The Megastars game features a reunion of many of the men who helped the Oilers win five Stanley Cups in seven years beginning in 1984. Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Esa Tikkanen, Kevin Lowe, Randy Gregg, Charlie Huddy, Glenn Anderson, Dave Semenko, Marty McSorley and Grant Fuhr will be among those in the lineup. The Montreal team includes Guy Lafleur, Guy Lapointe, Kirk Muller, Bobby Smith, Larry Robinson, Guy Carbonneau, Steve Shutt, Chris Nilan and Claude Lemieux.

Add up all the NHL championships for each of the Megastars and the total comes to 129.

The highlight for many of the spectators will be the return of Gretzky in the Edmonton uniform he last wore in a game in 1988.

The Great One will not be as fast as he was during the 1981-82 NHL season when he scored a record 92 goals, and the hands won't be as supple as they were in 1985-86 when he earned a record 163 assists and an unsurpassed-to-this-day 215 points.

Doesn't matter.

When he glides on to the temporary sheet of ice in the stadium, his presence will touch off an outpouring of adulation.

Gretzky doesn't participate in oldtimers' games. He's making an exception this one time. He says he won't do another, which means this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those lucky enough to hold tickets - even if it means freezing their butts off.

"This will be my last game," Gretzky said during a media conference call Monday. "I just thought that probably it was only fitting that I play one more time and my kids had an opportunity to see me in an Oiler uniform."

The oldtimers will play two 15-minute, stop-time periods.

Some might say an active player does not belong in a game involving retired players but the novelty of the outdoor venue and the chance to reunite one last time on ice with his buddies from his Oilers days was such a strong lure that it snagged Messier.

The ice glistened beckoningly under afternoon sunshine Thursday as workers in hardhats scurried about. Crews with brooms were busy sweeping snow out of rows in the upper reaches of the stadium. Twelve centimetres fell Wednesday.

The NHL Players' Association will conduct an on-line auction through eBay.ca of the game-worn jerseys from the regular-season game and all proceeds go to benefit grassroots hockey programs in Alberta and Quebec through the association's Goals and Dreams Fund.

Attendance in Canada's northernmost large city will smash the NHL record of 28,183 for a Philadelphia-Tampa Bay game in the ThunderDome, now Tropicana Field, in St. Petersburg, Fla., on April 23, 1996.

The hockey record is 72,027 for a Michigan-Michigan State college game in the Spartans' football stadium at East Lansing on Oct. 6, 2001.

A contest that gave winners a chance to purchase tickets not gobbled up by season-ticket holders attracted more than 700,000 entries from as far away as China and Japan.

EricIdlefan · 11-22-2003, 06:56 PM

I would love to be there since I am a cold-weather freak!!!

11-22-2003, 12:57 PM	#1
Jenya Supervisor Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: Canmore, Alberta Posts: 3,359	56,000 Expected at NHL's First Outdoor Game 56,000 Expected at NHL's First Outdoor Game All systems go for Heritage Classic Saturday November 22, 2003 CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON, AB- Despite the cold, all systems are go for the outdoor NHL extravaganza Saturday. A sellout crowd in excess of 56,000 is expected at Commonwealth Stadium to watch an Edmonton Oilers-Montreal Canadiens alumni game, followed by the first outdoor regular-season game in NHL history. The weather forecast calls for clear skies, which negates the worry of snow, and a high of -9 C for the start of the show, with temperatures decreasing through the evening. Nobody seems to mind. It was -14 C on Thursday, with a wind made it feel even colder, and preparations continued. Players will wear thermal underwear beneath their pads and the benches will be heated while the crowd will be bundled in layers of clothing. "It would have to be freakin' cold," Cal Nichols, the Oilers governor on the NHL board of directors, replied when asked what would force postponement. Wind, which would create a wind-chill hazard, is the main concern. The Megastars alumni game will go ahead regardless of the conditions, the players promise. A postponement of the regular-season game would mean a move into the Oilers' home arena, Rexall Place - the former Skyreach Centre, for a noon Sunday start. Oilers season-ticket holders would get in and others with Saturday outdoor tickets would have to apply for refunds. The Oilers have insurance to cover a postponement contingency. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Canadiens and Oilers executives would confer if weather deteriorated to the extent a decision was required. The Oilers are spending close to $3 million on the project, and they expect to net at least a $2-million profit when all is said and done. Singer Tom Cochrane is among entertainers hired by the Oilers, who will make the appearance of others a surprise. Tickets for the outdoor games are valued at $21 for the lowest-priced Oilers season-ticket holder to $250 for single-game ducats in the lower bowl. Demand has been enormous. An American calling the Oilers office offered to donate $5,000 U.S. to charity if he could get his hands on two tickets. He couldn't be accommodated. Scalpers have been packaging tickets with pucks or photos of players to get around the law, and they've been seeking as much as $2,500 for a pair of prime seats. The Megastars game features a reunion of many of the men who helped the Oilers win five Stanley Cups in seven years beginning in 1984. Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Esa Tikkanen, Kevin Lowe, Randy Gregg, Charlie Huddy, Glenn Anderson, Dave Semenko, Marty McSorley and Grant Fuhr will be among those in the lineup. The Montreal team includes Guy Lafleur, Guy Lapointe, Kirk Muller, Bobby Smith, Larry Robinson, Guy Carbonneau, Steve Shutt, Chris Nilan and Claude Lemieux. Add up all the NHL championships for each of the Megastars and the total comes to 129. The highlight for many of the spectators will be the return of Gretzky in the Edmonton uniform he last wore in a game in 1988. The Great One will not be as fast as he was during the 1981-82 NHL season when he scored a record 92 goals, and the hands won't be as supple as they were in 1985-86 when he earned a record 163 assists and an unsurpassed-to-this-day 215 points. Doesn't matter. When he glides on to the temporary sheet of ice in the stadium, his presence will touch off an outpouring of adulation. Gretzky doesn't participate in oldtimers' games. He's making an exception this one time. He says he won't do another, which means this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those lucky enough to hold tickets - even if it means freezing their butts off. "This will be my last game," Gretzky said during a media conference call Monday. "I just thought that probably it was only fitting that I play one more time and my kids had an opportunity to see me in an Oiler uniform." The oldtimers will play two 15-minute, stop-time periods. Some might say an active player does not belong in a game involving retired players but the novelty of the outdoor venue and the chance to reunite one last time on ice with his buddies from his Oilers days was such a strong lure that it snagged Messier. The ice glistened beckoningly under afternoon sunshine Thursday as workers in hardhats scurried about. Crews with brooms were busy sweeping snow out of rows in the upper reaches of the stadium. Twelve centimetres fell Wednesday. The NHL Players' Association will conduct an on-line auction through eBay.ca of the game-worn jerseys from the regular-season game and all proceeds go to benefit grassroots hockey programs in Alberta and Quebec through the association's Goals and Dreams Fund. Attendance in Canada's northernmost large city will smash the NHL record of 28,183 for a Philadelphia-Tampa Bay game in the ThunderDome, now Tropicana Field, in St. Petersburg, Fla., on April 23, 1996. The hockey record is 72,027 for a Michigan-Michigan State college game in the Spartans' football stadium at East Lansing on Oct. 6, 2001. A contest that gave winners a chance to purchase tickets not gobbled up by season-ticket holders attracted more than 700,000 entries from as far away as China and Japan.

11-22-2003, 06:56 PM	#2
EricIdlefan USA 250th! Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 12, 2003 Location: East TN Posts: 68,236	I would love to be there since I am a cold-weather freak!!!
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