Flyers in Fenway? It's because of you
TV ratings from Philadelphia drive the decision.
Flyers in Fenway? It's because of you
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Based on all of the reporting that had been done up to this week, the NHL wanted the Washington Capitals to play the Boston Bruins in Fenway Park on New Year's Day. The league wanted another showcase of Alex Ovechkin, one of the league's signature player, its most exciting offensive player.
Instead, the Flyers apparently will get the spot as the visiting team.
The reason? You.
This is about television ratings. This is about the television ratings that the Flyers tend to draw, around the nation but especially in Philadelphia. NBC is driving the bus here. Ratings are driving the bus. And the Flyers are the NHL's old reliable that way.
A smaller city like Buffalo might get a higher percentage of its televisions to tune in to see the Sabres in this kind of a setting. But there is no big city like Philadelphia when it comes to these numbers -- and it's true in the NFL, too. Routinely, Philadelphia fans show up in big percentages to watch their teams, bigger percentages than New York or Los Angeles or Houston or (most of the time) Chicago. It is probably the best big city/high penetration combination that there is.
This has become a very big game for NBC. You have to know that the network wanted the Flyers. And again, with all due respect to Mike Richards and the fellas, they aren't the reason. You are.
Dear NBC, Flyers Penguins in Happy Valley would have drawn the biggest ratings hockey has ever seen in the regular season. You should have considered that before using the Flyers on this Fenway game. In another two or three years, it will have been enough time since the Penguins had played, sorry to all the small market teams that hadn't played.— cnova000- Dear CNOVA, Penn State has made it perfectly clear that they are not interested in hosting the game.— AreaMan
- We're #1!— P Even
- I would love to see the Flyers play at Citizens Bank Park or Franklin Field. We could never do this at the Linc since the Eagles are almost always in playoff contention.
- play on top of the spectrum— bigphillydad
- Orange crush in Boston? No problem.— elektrika
- Weather is too unpredictable in Philly for this game to be here— phasor
- If they did it here, it couldn't be planned. We're not a real cold weather climate. some years it's cold, some years not so much. In MI they can go weeks without breaking the freezing mark. It's unusual to go a week here like that.— dreinterests
- Dear AreaMan, Penn State is very much interested in anything that pays them a lot of $$--of course they would take the game at the Beav.— ChrisInConshy
Comment removed.- nice feel good story— jtap1981
- wow... let's go— Crash Davis
Thank God, I've been trying to get them guys out of town. Are they coming back?- Comment removed.
- Dear Idle Rich, couldn't hook up a Flyers/Bruins picture?— Burrell
- But ChrisinConshi, wouldn't they have to shave the Beav? What would JoePa say?— Bake McBride
- Comment removed.
- Who cares, it's hockey. no one watches hockey.— scars73
- Fenway = great for baseball, crappy for hockey. The game show be played in a football stadium. Lousy sight lines for hockey at Fenway. Oh well, who cares, I'll be sitting in my arm chair at home watching in HD.— jibberjabber
- Fenway = great for baseball, crappy for hockey. The game show be played in a football stadium. Lousy sight lines for hockey at Fenway. Oh well, who cares, I'll be sitting in my arm chair at home watching in HD.— jibberjabber
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Am I the only one who thinks the Winter Classic is a crappy version of a hockey game and just a gimmick by the NHL? The "game" in Buffalo a few years ago was a disgrace. There was so much snow that they had to zamboni the ice every 10 minutes and the puck still didn't move. Last year's game was better, but still not the same. The only people who benefit are the players because it makes them feel nostalgic. Personally, I'd much rather see a good hockey game indoors.— androoo
- I love this match up...Flyer vs Bruins on New Years Day will be fantastic. I can't wait to get my tickets.— Diamond Jim Brady
- hockey sucks Ray— GetRidofIguodola
- Emery-time.. Lets GO FLYERS— Nezhy
- When do tix go on sale.. we're taking over that joint— Nezhy
- I've got a hotel room booked. As soon as the announcement is official, I will purchase my plane ticket and put my calls in to my connections within the NHL to obtain my tickets. See ya in Bastan!— kprimo25
- As the late great Harry Kalas would say, "You're the greatest fans in the world!"— WPhillyguy
- better idea for nbc..FLYERS/ PITTSBURGH IN HAPPY VALLEY.. THE CAMERAS ARE ALREADY THERE FOR PENN STATE FOOTBALL.. IT'S SUCH A GOOD IDEA, NO WONDER ALL THOSE "SUITS" DON'T GET IT
- better idea for nbc..FLYERS/ PITTSBURGH IN HAPPY VALLEY.. THE CAMERAS ARE ALREADY THERE FOR PENN STATE FOOTBALL.. IT'S SUCH A GOOD IDEA, NO WONDER ALL THOSE "SUITS" DON'T GET IT
- Gee Mr. Bettman, imagine what a Flyers SCF would draw...
- Weather is the main concern when it comes to where to play this game, they'll never chose an area where it has a good chance of being above freezing, that would leave out Philly and Penn State, never happen!!!— FireChief
- Still don't know why it's not Boston vs. Montreal. That would be a ratings winner and it's a great rivalry. I'd wait until next year and have the Flyers play the Capitals at Citizens Bank Park although I'm not sure if it's cold enough for it here.— danward
Its not Montreal because canadian ratings don't count for NBC. This isn't a game for hockey fans, this is a game to try to get neilsen families to flip over at halftime of whatever bowl game they're watching. The only reason NBC let small market teams in 2 years ago was because they didn't expect it to get good ratings regardless. I bet the next couple will be New York, Colorado, or Minnesota, because they are the only american teams left that get good national ratings. I think next year it should be Dallas - Minnesota in the twins or vikes new stadium, then the next year Capitals - Rangers in Yankee or Giants stadium. I doubt NBC or the NHL would ever want a city matchup like Rangers-Devils or Ducks-Kings, because they want two markets to boost the ratings.— Pelti
This will be great. Hockey at Fenway? Its history in the making. Nobody cares about the Caps, Ovechkin or no Ovechkin. Go Flyers!
