The best way to "fix the Winter Classic is to kill it," as an "over-hyped, well-documented regular season matchup is not enough to draw a casual fan," according to Clinton Yates of the WASHINGTON POST. That model is "too reliant on a good skate between two teams, which is completely unpredictable." The NHL "misplayed things when it branched out the 'outdoor hockey' brand to other events, creating the Stadium Series" in '14. That series "cannibalized the league’s big day." But, if New Year's Day "became THE outdoor hockey day in America, there might be a chance to reignite the novelty." Instead of one game outside, the NHL could "have three or four." A "bigger splash" also could be made with a game in Europe. An "all-day faux-pond hockey extravaganza is more desirable for casual fans than a hit-or-miss one-off" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/5). YAHOO SPORTS' Greg Wyshynski wrote there are several factors behind the Winter Classic's "ratings tumble." First, NBC "gets no ratings benefit from Canada," and this year's game included the Canadiens. Second, the venue "matters, and the fact that the last two Winter Classics were held in relatively new facilities with little appeal to the average fan played into their inability to hook viewers." Third, the Canadiens "blew out the Bruins, 5-1." But the "final thing to remember here is that the ratings for this event have increasingly become less of an issue for the NHL." Instead, it is "about what happens on-site," and on-site, the NHL and its teams are "making money hand-over-fist on gate and on merchandise" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/4).
KICKSTART THE STARS: USA TODAY's Kevin Allen writes the NHL is again trying to spice up its All-Star Game this season "by making it a three-on-three competition." The novelty "might help a bit, but it can’t change the fundamental reason the All-Star concept doesn’t work anymore." No player "wants to play hard enough in an exhibition to risk injury that would take them out of their regular competition." It is "no one’s fault that the All-Star concept doesn’t work," but rather it is a "byproduct of the evolution of the sport." The only way to make this game competitive again "would be to mix in nationalism." It "isn’t logical for players to risk injury in international tournaments, either, but players do because nationalistic pride takes charge of their thinking" (USA TODAY, 1/5).
