NHL Lockout: Will the Next Cancellation Include the Winter Classic?

October 22nd, 2012 by Steve Silverman Leave a reply »
Gary Bettman seems intent on spoiling the party.

Could the Winter Classic be the next event to go if negotiations don't bring about a solution to the NHL lockout?

Given Bettman's track record, you can't say he is bluffing when he said the time for cancelling that event is rapidly approaching.

After he characterized the NHL Players' Association's Oct. 18 counteroffer as a step backwards (source: CBSSports.com), the atmosphere around the negotiations between the league and the players turned pessimistic again.

The league has made great inroads the past few years with its presentation of outdoor hockey on or around New Year's Day. This year's Winter Classic is scheduled for New Year's Day at the University of Michigan's cavernous Michigan Stadium.

That legendary college football stadium holds well over 100,000 fans and is scheduled to host a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bettman said the event is in jeopardy. "Under these circumstances and uncertainty, we're not going to commit millions of dollars if we don't think we're playing," Bettman told the Detroit News. "The Winter Classic tim ...

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