Details are starting to emerge about hosting the Winter Classic in the nation’s capital (Capitals Insider, The Post). Among other things, the Washington Nationals are aggressively courting the game that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the Washington Capitals will host on a New Year’s Day within 3 years. You are on the clock, Bettman.
Local venues mentioned as possible sites in addition to Nationals Park include RFK Stadium, FedEx Field in nearby Landover, Md. FedEx Field, while able to handle the event, is probably too big. It can be hard enough watching football from the upper reaches of that stadium, to say anything for hockey. It also lacks the cachet of being actually in Washington, though the monuments are visible from the upper concourse looking west. It would be a return to the Caps roots though, as FedEx Field is directly across the Capital Beltway from the site of the Capital Centre.
RFK Stadium certainly would have cachet and for the lower level at least, would provide a decent layout since the stands tightly wrap around the football field/pitch. Plus, they bounce and that would look pretty sweet. The downside is that RFK will be over 50 years old at that point and showing every day of that advanced age. Additionally, a college football game is played around Christmas time there, so that probably eliminates it from consideration. That leaves Nationals Park which will be about five years old by then. The ballpark is where I expect the game to wind up and that has merit too. It is 15 blocks form the Capitol, is the most modern of the facilities. Would it be as neat as hosting the Winter Classic in Wrigley Field or Fenway Park? No, but it was good enough for the Pope. Plus, they sell half-smokes there.
The National Mall has been mentioned by many, but Capitals owner Ted Leonsis debunked that, explaining that it would be too big an undertaking to build for one game, plus it would obviously lack many of the amenities desired by fans, the league, TV, etc.
Strangely Baltimore’s Camden Yards and whatever the Ravens stadium is called this month are contenders for Washington’s Winter Classic. Obviously, the Baltimore idea is absurd and akin to telling the Chicago Blackhawks they get to host the game, but have to do it in Milwaukee or telling the New Jersey Devils they are hosting, but in Philadelphia. Given that it is the NHL, one cannot simply dismiss the possibility out of hand.
As for the upcoming Winter Classic that will have the Caps visiting Heinz Field to play the Pittsburgh Penguins, Leonsis said that as part of the deal, all season ticket holders will get a chance to buy a ticket for that game. While that seems look good bargaining on his part, I can’t help but think the same thing will be expected of the Caps. Do you really want 10,000 visiting fans to come down for it? No, neither do I and I bet Pittsburgh fans aren’t thrilled about all that Caps red in their city either.