The Univ. of Michigan's hockey team "will play an outdoor game for the third consecutive season," this time against Ohio State at Progressive Field in January, according to David Goricki of the DETROIT NEWS. UM, OSU and the Indians are expected to hold a news conference in Cleveland tomorrow to "formally announce the event," which UM coach Red Berenson said will be held on Sunday, Jan. 15. Asked if UM is playing too many outdoor games, Berenson said, "It's unusual to think we're playing three outdoor games in three years, but I feel each one is unique. It's so popular and they've gone off so well" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/16). In Cleveland, Bill Lubinger reports "discussions about staging hockey at the 43,000-seat Progressive Field were actually the seeds" for the ballpark's "Snow Days" festival this past winter, but the Indians "couldn't put a hockey game together" in time. Indians VP/PR Bob DiBiasio said, "We're always looking to add unique events to this facility" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 6/16). The Indians last Saturday hosted a musical festival at Progressive Field, headlined by Brad Paisley, and the AP's Tom Withers noted an "outdoor hockey game would be the latest attempt by the Indians to generate revenue with their downtown ballpark" (AP, 6/15).
