Buffalo/Pittsburgh Outdoor game

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:02 am

Redhawk 95, when i played up in NH we played in a covered Sports Arena there was no refrigeration system its was 100% natural coool weather ice. At times it was so cold the buildings heaters would be turned on to keep the ice a quality playable surface. I know there were lots of rinks like this back then, but even now my old school has remodeled the whole building built new locker room facililties and gone with chillers. now the kids dont have to be bussed to ice, and the season starts off just right.

jpfalcon09 · Post by **jpfalcon09** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:03 am

Schadenfreude wrote:
NY-BG-FAN wrote:Buffalo is the best hockey town in the United States hands down.
Detroit has had NHL hockey since 1929. Meanwhile, the Sabres aren't as old as the Rochester Americans of the AHL.

The Red Wings really are front and center in winter. Detroit is a huge market, so the Pistons and the Lions have their loyal fan bases. But the Red Wings are No. 1, by far, at least in the downriver suburbs where I grew up.

They are a bit like the Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys are to football. Most places the Red Wings play, red jerseys come out of the woodwork. Some games here in Columbus have been half Red Wing fans.

Many of the Red Wings fans on the road come from those who have been transplanted out of the Detroit area from their jobs. The economy in Detroit is awful right now, mainly because the automakers are losing money, laying off people or sending them somewhere else. Detroit always will be the place for hockey in America, and while Buffalo has a very rich hockey tradition and their hatred with Toronto, it still doesn't compare to the tradition and history the Wings have had since 1926.

I agree with your comment about the Packers and Cowboys, and even to an extend they're comparable to the Red Sox and Yankees. Phoenix last year raised ticket prices last year for 2 games, the games that Detroit came in to play because of all the Wings fans in the area. They felt they could make a better profit off those two games because they were guaranteed sellouts.

The debate about "bandwagoners" is a pretty moot point. The Wings haven't enjoyed much playoff success since they won the Cup in 2002, outside of the WCF last year. For many Detroiters, that would be reason enough to turn their attention elsewhere, but they really haven't since the Tigers play when the Wings are mostly done with the season.

The main reason why the Wings are where they're at is because they were right in the middle of everything when the NHL had it's best years, the mid and late 90s. The Colorado rivalry, 3 SCF appearance and 2 Cup wins helped to solidify a fan base that perhaps weren't completely sold to the game of hockey. The fact that they also hold the record for most consecutive years in the playoffs doesn't hurt much either, and us Wings fans already know we've made the playoffs before the season starts, we just see it as a 7 month tune up for the playoffs.

hockey fan · Post by **hockey fan** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:23 pm

Both Buffalo and Detroit are great hockey towns, but I think that if the Bruins hadn't stunk out loud for an appreciable part of the last century, Boston would be Hockeytown.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:25 pm

jpfalcon09 wrote:Buffalo has a very rich hockey tradition

I thought that was worth repeating.

I agree with the pro-Detroit post, naturally. But I don't mean to insult Buffalo as a hockey town at all. It's a good one. They ran the NBA out of town, and there aren't too many hockey teams that can say that.

redhawk95 · Post by **redhawk95** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:31 am

MACMAN wrote:Redhawk 95, when i played up in NH we played in a covered Sports Arena there was no refrigeration system its was 100% natural coool weather ice. At times it was so cold the buildings heaters would be turned on to keep the ice a quality playable surface. I know there were lots of rinks like this back then, but even now my old school has remodeled the whole building built new locker room facililties and gone with chillers. now the kids dont have to be bussed to ice, and the season starts off just right.

nice! there was a rink like that in hamilton, ohio and we skated on it several times. you dressed in the car and HATED to get out to play!

moneymaker02 · Post by **moneymaker02** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:50 pm

redhawk95 wrote:
MACMAN wrote: I know there were lots of rinks like this back then, but even now my old school has remodeled the whole building built new locker room facililties and gone with chillers. now the kids dont have to be bussed to ice, and the season starts off just right.

Why is that a big deal? thats how it was for me in school, we played at a 4 rink arena and we drew about 2,000 people for each one of our games. Buffalo support towards hockey is far superior. and by per capita, i bet buffalo has more varsity teams that are fully funded by the school like mine was.

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:54 pm

redhawk95 wrote:
MACMAN wrote:Redhawk 95, when i played up in NH we played in a covered Sports Arena there was no refrigeration system its was 100% natural coool weather ice. At times it was so cold the buildings heaters would be turned on to keep the ice a quality playable surface. I know there were lots of rinks like this back then, but even now my old school has remodeled the whole building built new locker room facililties and gone with chillers. now the kids dont have to be bussed to ice, and the season starts off just right.
nice! there was a rink like that in hamilton, ohio and we skated on it several times. you dressed in the car and HATED to get out to play!

never hated playing...but i hated having to remember what edge for what temps in the early going untill they got everything sorted out.

PegCityFalcon · Post by **PegCityFalcon** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:55 pm

As a Canadian I will say Hockeytown in general is Toronto or that Quebec city that I do not dare name. If looking at who has the best fans...your not in the right part of the country. Those are in Minnesota. They watch thier hockey from highschool to Juniors to University to NHL. They had their team taken away, they came back and were still in full force. As for the hockey city in the United States with the most tradition, that easily goes to the Bruins. To call Buffalo a "hockeytown" is laughable. They should call St.Cathrines/Niagra a hockeytown because that is whom many of the Sabres fans are. I drive from BG to Buffalo twice a year to watch my Leafers play the Sabres. We easily overrun HSBC each time. "GO LEAFS GO" "we may have ben unable to win a cup in the last 41 years, but hay Sabre fans at least with have one...or 13

"

jpfalcon09 · Post by **jpfalcon09** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:07 am

PegCityFalcon wrote:As a Canadian I will say Hockeytown in general is Toronto or that Quebec city that I do not dare name. If looking at who has the best fans...your not in the right part of the country. Those are in Minnesota. They watch thier hockey from highschool to Juniors to University to NHL. They had their team taken away, they came back and were still in full force. As for the hockey city in the United States with the most tradition, that easily goes to the Bruins. To call Buffalo a "hockeytown" is laughable. They should call St.Cathrines/Niagra a hockeytown because that is whom many of the Sabres fans are. I drive from BG to Buffalo twice a year to watch my Leafers play the Sabres. We easily overrun HSBC each time. "GO LEAFS GO" "we may have ben unable to win a cup in the last 41 years, but hay Sabre fans at least with have one...or 13 "

I would definitely agree with the Toronto/Buffalo rivalry, I think it is one of the top 5 most volatile rivalries. When the Leafs fans invade the Joe it's similar, and hopefully after this season they will visit every year. No doubt about the best hockey fans being in Minnesota, I think it shows in their ability to get an NHL franchise back, a multitude of college powerhouses and a great influx of high school and Junior talent. I just want the weekend to get here so the season can finally start!