Sellout Expected For College Hockey Doubleheader At Fenway

FSG Expecting More Than 37,000 Fans For Its Frozen Fenway College Hockey Games

Fenway Sports Group is expecting a sellout crowd of more than 37,000 for Friday's Frozen Fenway college hockey event, a doubleheader that will conclude a month-long string of outdoor hockey events rooted by last week's NHL Winter Classic. Unlike that event, FSG served as the promoter for Frozen Fenway, assuming sales responsibility and financial risk, while the NHL remained involved largely in a rink maintenance capacity. FSG execs said the event has already exceeded initial expectations. "It's definitely a different thing," said FSG President Sam Kennedy. "Our roles (with the NHL) have sort of reversed in this case, and this time, it's going to be a more local and regional event, a different feel and flavor. But we're very excited." Sun Life is the title sponsor for the event, and Kennedy said their participation was "a classic FSG story." Kennedy: "We met with them a while back to pitch the entire portfolio we represent, particularly some other things, and it was later that the conversation came around to this. But it's really worked out." The doubleheader will feature a Univ. of New Hampshire-Northeastern Univ. women's game followed by a Boston Univ.-Boston College men's game (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal). BU and BC are "expected to unveil commemorative jerseys" for the game (BOSTON HERALD, 1/8). The forecast calls for a "snow shower and temperatures around 30 degrees" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 1/7).

ENJOYING THE GREAT OUTDOORS: BU coach Jack Parker said, “It’s the largest crowd we’ll probably ever play in front of in our lives. That’s something they’ll remember forever. … I think this event is so unique that it has to be rated up there as one of the greatest things we’ve ever done.” BC coach Jerry York added, “I never thought it would captivate the New England area the way it has. It has caught the imagination of hockey fans. Some of these people who come to the games, it will be the first college games that they’ve seen” (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/8). ESPNBOSTON.com's David Albright noted Friday’s game marks the “third major outdoor college hockey game in the past nine years.” Michigan State and Michigan tied 3-3 in front of 74,554 fans at Spartan Stadium in ’01, while Wisconsin defeated Ohio State 4-2 at Lambeau Field in front of 40,890 in ’06. There are two other outdoor games on the schedule. Wisconsin on February 6 will host Michigan at Camp Randall Stadium, where the crowd “could reach 80,000.” And next season, Michigan will host Michigan State at Michigan Stadium “in front of what should be a crowd that exceeds 100,000” (ESPN.com, 1/7).

EVENT TOO BIG FOR ONE TOWN: In Boston, Donna Goodison reports the NHL Thursday “shot down” Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s “efforts to make Boston the permanent home of the league’s annual outdoor Winter Classic.” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in a letter to DeLeo said, “The dictates of fairness require the league to share the Winter Classic experience with other cities. One truly special attribute of the Winter Classic is its uniqueness, and we intend to preserve that precious resource on behalf of our clubs, our business partners and our fans.” However, Bettman “didn’t rule out bringing back the Classic to Boston at some point” (BOSTON HERALD, 1/8). Kennedy said, “We would consider having hockey at Fenway in the future but it’s probably a bit premature. We need to see how the facility will respond to some of the changes, winterization, see how the field responds on April 4 against the Yankees when we open up. We also need to see how the staff responds” (MLB.com, 1/7). Meanwhile, NESN’s Jack Edwards noted the “general intoxication” of New England over the Winter Classic and said, “It was an amazing thing, even peripherally, to participate in this and just to be around the edges of it. … They know how to do it right. Their presentation was fantastic. They got everybody enthusiastic about it" ("The Instigators," NESN, 1/7).