Hockey East is 2-for-2 when it comes to hosting successful Frozen Fenway events.
The doubleheader involving the University of Maine-University of New Hampshire and Vermont-UMass drew 38,456 for two games on Saturday night after the first Frozen Fenway two years ago pitting Boston College and Boston University after a women’s game between New Hampshire and Northeastern attracted 38,472.
Should Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna try to convince Boston Red Sox officials to make Frozen Fenway an annual event? Would it be better to continue to hold it every other year so it doesn’t lose its luster and doesn’t risk damaging the field?
Should Bertagna always make sure at least one of the games involves an attractive matchup of rivals (such as BU-BC, BU-Northeastern, BC-Northeastern, Maine-New Hampshire) to ensure a good turnout?
Take a year off and then pit HE Notre Dame vs BC in the “Catholic Classic” ;)
Jesus saves, but Gretzky scores on the rebound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The second game is the “Bear Den Classic” between the Black Bears and the Brown Bears of Brown!
No…..maybe every 3 years….this is a gimmick…..the fans get hosed.
I think every other year. There are not alot of teams in Hockey East to begin with (compared to NHL and their annual Winter Classic) to make it special as an annual event. I love the idea of Notre Dame vs. BC when Notre Dame enters the league. In the next go-round of Frozen Fenway, if the matchups were 1: UMass Lowell/Merrimack vs. BU/UNH/Maine then the headliner be BC vs. Notre Dame, I think that would draw well. Try to rotate every team in at some point (hence the Lowell/Merrimack game) and get three of the big draws in each year.
How about UMaine vs. UNH at Alfond Football Stadium some year?
A game at Alfond Stadium would be cool, but it is a football stadium and should only be used as such.
No offense to Alfond Stadium and the University of Maine, but much more notable football stadiums have been used for such exhibitions. For example, Michigan Stadium-aka The Big House was used for a Michigan vs. Michigan State hockey game known as “The Big Chill”. The stadium was near or at its capacity with a reported attendance of 113,000+. There is also talk of the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium with the Detroit Red Wings against someone (a rival I would imagine, maybe even the team from Ohio). I feel like if the benefits (ticket revenue, sponsors, rentals) outweigh the costs (ice making/maintenance/logistics) then it could be worthwhile for the University to draw more fans and alumni to Orono.
I just don’t want the ice system to ruin the field. And personally, the hockey program hasn’t done anything recently to earn an outdoor game on campus.
Valid points. The turf may be more suitable (versus the natural grass of Fenway Park) to handle the ice sheet and other wear associated with the game. I doubt that the University of Michigan had to tear up and replace their FieldTurf after their game 2 years ago. And while the hockey team may not have “earned” the opportunity to do this, the event may draw some interest to fans, alumni, donors and potential recruits and be a building block for years down the road. It was just an idea.