Are you excited for the 2016 Winter Classic? If you are, you might be in a fairly small crowd of hockey fans. As the event prepares for its eighth installment when the Bruins and Canadiens skate at Gillette Stadium, anticipation and excitement seems to be at a new low. Has the event lost its wide appeal?
Last year’s disappointing ratings should tell the story, but we put up a simple poll on Twitter asking: “Has the Winter Classic lost its luster?” Below are the results:
The sample size here is extremely small and far from scientific, but it demonstrates that even passionate hockey fans aren’t that interested in the Winter Classic.
Remember how it seemed like every hockey fan was talking about the HBO series NHL 24/7? How often have you heard someone reference the version carried on EPIX?
Back in 2014, we ran an article about how the Winter Classic had lost its appeal. The continual use of the same teams, the increased number of outdoor games and a variety of other issues has transformed what should have been the prized NHL event into just another game that casual and non-fans have no real reason to follow. Even the more serious fans are fatigued because it’s been more of the same for years.
How can the NHL ramp up the excitement? Try something different. It’s ridiculous that teams are hosting their second Classic already when there are a ton of unique venues out there to host a game. Earlier this year we put together a list of 10 different locations we’d like to see host a game. Different teams and different locations would be a good start.
The Winter Classic will have no issue selling tickets, but ratings and excitement will continue to slide as long as the NHL sticks to the current format.
