Outdoor hockey—the game in its purest form—could be exactly what ailing small or non-traditional NHL hockey markets need to get a much-needed boost in attendance.
Until this upcoming season, the games have been mostly reserved for successful teams in good hockey markets. However, with the upcoming season expanding to five games and reports that 2014-15 could be the same, small and non-traditional markets should get a fair shake at hosting games too.
NHL source: expect 4 or 5 stadium games in '14-15: Winter Classic + 3 Stadium Series games + possibly a Heritage Classic. @SBJSBD
— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) September 20, 2013
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a franchise on the upswing that could greatly benefit from a game at Ohio Stadium.
2013 was a pretty dismal season for the Blue Jackets in terms of attendance. It was one of the worst years for the franchise, and the team has struggled to put seats in the stands since the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
Season
Average Attendance
Rank
Percentage
2012-2013
14,564
28
80.3
2011-2012
14,660
27
80.8
2010-2011
13,658
27
75.3
2009-2010
1 ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Jameson Sempey
Columbus Blue Jackets: An Outdoor Game Is a No Brainer
September 21st, 2013 by Jameson Sempey Leave a reply »
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