Sabres-Penguins in The Ralph a go
NBC will televise New Year’s Day Ice Bowl
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabresnhl/story/148324.html
By Tim Graham NEWS SPORTS REPORTER
Updated: 08/25/07 6:25 AM
Over the past two seasons, the Buffalo Sabres have grown in importance so much their games have become about more than mere hockey. They’re community events.
On New Year’s Day, the party is going to get a whole lot bigger.
The much-talked-about outdoor game between the Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins in Ralph Wilson Stadium finally is a go for 1 p.m. Jan. 1, multiple sources have told The Buffalo News. The game will be nationally televised by NBC.
Sources close to the Sabres claimed the Ice Bowl event was in jeopardy of being scrapped because financing construction and maintenance of an outdoor hockey rink was difficult, but a deal apparently came together this week.
The NHL is expected to make an official announcement Sept. 10 in Buffalo.
NHL spokesman Frank Brown on Friday would not confirm the game had been finalized.
“When and if we have something to announce we’ll make sure it’s announced loudly,” Brown said. The Sabres declined to comment.
Over the past 35 years, the average high temperature in Buffalo has been 38.3 degrees on New Year’s Day. In the past eight years, however, the temperature has reached 50 degrees three times, including a high of 52 this year.
But there are no guarantees when it comes to winter weather in Western New York. The high temperature was a bonenumbing 19 degrees in 1999.
Ralph Wilson Stadium seats 73,967 for football. Crowd capacity for a hockey game, with room for additional field seating, could be greater. It’s unknown if bleachers will be constructed to bring fans closer to the boards.
The Ice Bowl would be the first outdoor NHL game since the Heritage Classic between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens in November 2003. Despite a minus-18 degree wind chill, 57,167 watched in Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So who wants to come Join me out at the Ralph so some Hockey Fun?
I plan on going. My Stepmother (who is always cold) wants to go. Friends/Family from Pittsburgh will be coming up!
In fact I KNOW Penguin Fans will be coming in BUSES!!!!
I'm not sure if the Upper Deck will be sold, but otherwise I think the place will be PACKED!!!
Click to join NHLFA_Sabres
