"I've heard people are excited," [NHL Commissioner Gary] Bettman said Wednesday at the UC before the Oilers-Hawks game. "No updates for now, though. A lot of parties are involved -- the Hawks, the Cubs. In the next couple of weeks, things will be finalized. There's no urgency. The game is going to be sold out."
Ticket sales won't be an issue, which explains why the NHL has seemingly dragged its feet on planning for the big game.
"There won't be a massive public sale like the one we had in Buffalo last year, when we used a 72,000-seat facility," Bettman said. "Season-ticket holders for the Hawks will be our first priority."
There are about 14,000 of them at the moment, and Wrigley is expected to seat about 41,000 for the game.
Bettman isn't sure where the rink will be located but suspects it will be in the back part of the infield.
I suck at Photoshop, so if anyone here wants to take this photo and do a rendering of what the rink might look like, go for it; email your Photoshops to me and I'll replace this photo with the best one:
Now, about tickets. How are YOU going to get some, if you want to go? The quote above says there are about 14,000 Blackhawk season ticket holders (that is, incidentally, more than three times what they had last year); the Detroit Free Press reported earlier this month that that the Red Wings would be allotted 5,000 tickets. Let's say the NHL takes 10,000 for itself, sponsors, etc. That'd account for 29,000 of the 41,000 seats. I would hope (mainly because I want to go) -- though there have been no promises made -- that Cub season ticket holders would get access to some, at least through a lottery, and then the rest would be sold to the general public.
This ought to be an exciting event and perhaps the toughest ticket for a regular season game in Chicago history. It will also show us what a video board might look like at Wrigley Field, because the NHL and the Blackhawks intend to put up a temporary board (probably on Waveland) -- they need it, among other things, to keep a visible clock on the game, as the existing Wrigley Field boards (the ones below the main board and the ones on the upper deck) would be pretty small.
0 recs | 45 comments
Cool idea....
I have a friend who just started at WGN. Her first task is to help plan this event. Wish I would be in town for this. Sounds like a lot of fun.
By Santo's Grace - October 23, 2008
Sounds like a cool job.
slocs55 - October 23, 2008
That is AWESOME!
PurpleLineToWrigley - October 23, 2008
Not a photoshop expert by any stretch
but heard the rink would run diagonally between 1st and 3rd with much of the rink near the edge of the IF dirt and into the OF.
As for the video board, I thought I remember seeing a rendition of that being placed in R-CF, between where the CF bleachers end and the left side edge of the bleacher box seats, at the back of the concourse.
Blackhawk ST holders were told that mid-Nov was the timeframe for tickets alocations to be determined. These seats are not p/o the ST package. There were hints that those of use who are full ST holders may be able to purchase add’l tickets. I’m hoping to get more than the 4 equivalent to my club-level tickets. After dropping over $16k on tickets I’m hoping for the best opportunities.
blackhawk24 - October 23, 2008
Get Em Quick
The Sabres Pens tickets were gone in an instant with 30, 000 more seats. As a penguins fan, Im glad I dont have to watch worrying about crappy ice surfaces hurting The Kid
Should be quite a spectacle though
bren - October 23, 2008
dear LORD, but I love that view ..
Only my wife’s face is sweeter and dearer to me.
And you can’t kiss Wrigley, unless you have severe social adjustment problems.
cubnational - October 23, 2008
Good seat locations
If you guys are looking for good seats and get to pick a spot for the game, try upper deck box seats near first base and third base. This will give you the best view of the game. There will be a lot of seats with terrible views of the game. I would not recommend terrace reserve for this game. my $0.02.
gocubsgo22 - October 23, 2008
I would agree, if the rink is placed where they say it will be.
Upper boxes will be prime seats. Lower boxes, a bit less so, and terrace reserved, bad.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
It will be cool............
………….to attend this event at Wrigley, but clearly Soldier Field would have been a better venue. For those who actually want to see the game, there won’t be many good seats at Wrigley. Bleachers too will likely suck because it will be impossible for most to see over the dashers.
tville - October 23, 2008
The low rows of the bleachers, probably true.
The higher rows might be better.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
CF might be okay too.
tville - October 23, 2008
Yep.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
requirement to buy a ticket plan
I’ve heard that the Blackhawks might require fans to purchase a ticket plan in order to get the single-game tickets for the Winter Classic. In other words, you’d have to buy tickets to three or four games in order to get the ticket to Wrigley. The White Sox use this scheme when the Cubs visit US Cellular and the Fire (as well as every other MLS team) do it for Beckham’s visits. It makes sense considering that demand for the 12,000 available tickets (or however many there are) will be much greater than games at the UC.
Does anyone know if there’s any validity to this rumor? I can’t even recall where I heard it but I think that it certainly seems like a possibility.
LaddieRenfroe - October 23, 2008
The partial plans..............
…………offered by the Hawks were snapped up quickly. The 9-game “Hull Plan” and 21-game “Mikita Plan” were sold out before the season started. That said, it was my understanding these packages would not entitle the holder to the Winter Classic.
So if that’s the case, I can’t see the Hawks now offering yet another partial plan that would include the option for Winter Classic tickets. Doesn’t make sense, and as Al points out, the Hawks are likely not sure just how many tickets they will have for distribution.
tville - October 23, 2008
Full season ticket holders only
can get Winter Classic tickets IIRC.
blackhawk24 - October 23, 2008
The White Sox don't use such a scheme any more.
They did do that, but no longer do.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
my brother and I haven't yet determined how we are going to get tickets.
but we will be there. come hell or high water I will be at Wrigley Field new years day.
mjk83 - October 23, 2008
Mike I told you, three options to us getting in there:
1) Getting lucky and getting tickets through the public sale
2) Scalping
3) Committing murder
Oh and for all you who may be wondering, the rooftops haven’t decided what they’re doing about the game yet. I sent an email a month ago and they said they haven’t made arrangements. I saw Bucky skate against Brutus at Lambeau, leaps and bounds my favorite NFL stadium. I need to see the Hawks play the Red Wings at Wrigley, leaps and and bounds my favorite MLB stadium. I’m seeing this game live. End of story.
TkGoUWGB - October 23, 2008
Oh and so people don't frown on me too much
Note that murder is the 3rd option, not the 1st or 2nd. That would have been a little morbid otherwise.
TkGoUWGB - October 23, 2008
I hope you get tickets via option 1 or 2.
Just sayin’.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
well now option 3 is right out
too many people know about your plans tk……..
I have to determine how much I can to pay scalpers with everything else going on in my life right now.
mjk83 - October 23, 2008
I suppose it depends on who the object of your 'affection' would be
I’m sure there’s more than a few names that would probably take you out of murder and put you in the ‘justifiable homicide’ category…
Just sayin’…
ballhawk - October 24, 2008
I know what this realy means, but I like how I read it better...
MikeOxbyg - October 23, 2008
Any word as to when the tix will go on sale to the public?
Jayo525 - October 23, 2008
No dates were told to 'Hawks ST holders
n/t
blackhawk24 - October 23, 2008
It would be sorta cool...
if they could get the clock on top of the scoreboard to function as a game clock. Have it turned into an old-school countdown clock kinda like you see on scoreboards sometimes in movies about basketball from the 50s, 60s & 70s. I’m reasonably sure there’s a way that it could be done… but I’m 100% sure that no one would want to bother trying to get it to work.
MillsChC - October 23, 2008
They used to use it that way for Bears games.
The mechanism probably still exists, but I’m guessing there’s no one still working there who knows how to hook it up.
Further problem: it probably doesn’t time more than 15-minute periods because that’s all you needed for football.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
Separate clock?
At least in the photo at this link, the football clock was separate from the time of day clock.
http://www.bracephoto.com/images/players/Untitled-60.jpg
The football clock had a minute hand and a second hand. The minute hand traveled 360 degrees in 15 minutes. If it still exists, it would need to be modified for hockey.
AlSpangler - October 23, 2008
cool photo
It would have been neat to see a Bears game at Wrigley Field.
mjk83 - October 23, 2008
Wow...
so the whole section where they show the number of outs & the teams’ hits totals was removable back then? Wonder if it is still removable or was it welded in place after the Bears left town.
MillsChC - October 23, 2008
It's probably still removable.
That clock only kept time to 15 minutes, so even if it exists in some storage room, somewhere, it wouldn’t work for hockey.
That photo has to date from 1937 or 1938 — because the ivy was barely started.
Al Yellon - October 23, 2008
wow, that is a really neat photo
In da bears final years they had a different clock, much smaller I think
stadiumguru - October 23, 2008
Hoosiers
Been there; done that; that would be extremely cool
Weeghman Park - October 23, 2008
This would probably be the hottest
regular season ticket in Chicago sports history. The only games that I could see topping this would be some of the classic college games at Soldier Field in the 30s-60s, and the closing of any famous stadium(yankee, original 6 arenas, etc).
Now that I’m not traveling with my Badgers to a bowl game on New Years(or at all), I’m definitely opening up the wallet on this game(which isn’t saying much for a college student, but still). Hopefully I’ll luck out with tickets over the phone, or stubhub will be nice to me
stadiumguru - October 23, 2008
I got our Badgers losing this weekend to Illinois
and just making it a completely wasted season. I can’t believe how we have fallen this year.
dtpollitt - October 23, 2008
yeah, it has been a depressing season.
hopefully we’ll be able to pull an upset against Illinois, Michigan State, or Minnesota and get those 6 wins, and hopefully go to Detroit. Any bowl is better than no bowl, even if it is a 6 hr trip to Detroit the day after Christmas.
stadiumguru - October 23, 2008
Sounds like a hell of a roadtrip. Pack plenty of liquor.
willie mays hayes' gloves - October 23, 2008
Probably the best football
that will be played at Ford Field this year. I drove there for Packers/Lions during the monsoon weekend in September. The Lions are awful. Period. I like that downtown area though. Make sure you go to Detroit Brewing Company.
TkGoUWGB - October 23, 2008
haha, yeah
remind me again why the lions aren’t playing high school teams? There games would be more competitive then.
Ford Field on the other hand…that is an amazing place to see a football game. Basketball not so much, but football is amazing. I’ll be there for the frozen four in 2010, so I’ll see how it holds up for hockey.
stadiumguru - October 23, 2008
santoswoodenlegs - October 23, 2008
Fits perfectly. Ship it.
willie mays hayes' gloves - October 23, 2008
Well played!
MrNFL - October 23, 2008
I was thinking something similar...
ryan89 - October 23, 2008
What are the odds of
a temporary jumbo-tron or a large inflatable screen somewhere?
LPLancer23 - October 23, 2008
100%
Chances are it will be on a building or in areas on the field where it won’t interfere with the sightlines.
TkGoUWGB - October 27, 2008
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