The NHL is taking the line from the Field of Dreams “If You Build It They Will Come” to heart regarding the annual outdoor games they hold.
Over the weekend, the spotlight was on the State of New Jersey as MetLife Stadium was the site for the 2024 Stadium Series. It was a two-game set on back-to-back nights. In Game One, the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers. While in Game Two, the New York Rangers came back to beat the New York Islanders 6-5 in overtime.
Both games saw record crowds pack MetLife Stadium for outdoor hockey. The NHL saw 150,018 people watch two regular season games between the two games. The Devils and Flyers drew 70,328, while the Rangers and Islanders drew 79,690. The Devils and Flyers lost seats because of the stage that was set up for the Jonas Brothers concert.
If you factor in the 2024 Winter Classic attendance of 47,313 between Seattle and Vegas and the 2023 Heritage Classic attendance of 55,411 between Edmonton and Calgary, along with the 2024 Stadium Series attendance, a total of 252,742 fans watched outdoor hockey games.
But again, it is not just about the game on the ice. It is about the atmosphere and everything around these outdoor games and what they mean to the states and cities that host them.
Some have argued that outdoor games have gone stale or are getting tiresome. This weekend, the four fan bases showed that these outdoor games are not stale and do matter. Both games had huge implications on the standings. Both were playoff-type games that were very physical. There was a fight in the Rangers and Islanders game, while the Devils and Flyers showed they are not afraid of the rough stuff either.
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The Devils trailed the Flyers in the standings and knew this was a big game. It was all they talked about. Returning to their original home of the Meadowlands for the first time since May 8, 2007, gave them a little extra motivation to win. Also, having Gaslight Anthem sing your goal song live after every goal was special.
It was not a split crowd either. It was a heavily favored Devils crowd in Game One against the Flyers. The Devils faithful made sure on a National level, they could be heard, and they were loud and proud. It was cool to see Stadium Series Park as an ode to the Garden State of New Jersey, with the parks and people walking around and street hockey set up.
In Game Two, as NHL Chief Content Officer Steve Mayer stated last week to Full Press Hockey, “You wouldn’t know the Devils and Flyers played the night before,” and he was right. Everything switched to the Battle of New York. This time, the atmosphere was more pro-Ranger than pro-Islander. It was a reminder that Bergen County, NJ, is Rangers country.
Back in the day, it was said that when the Devils played at the Brendan Byrne Arena, the Rangers had eight home games a season. There would be more Rangers fans at Devils home games than Devils fans. It was the truth that happened again for one day in February.
To see an ode to football during a hockey game was special. To have legends of the game on hand was great as well. The NHL knows how to put these outdoor games on, so they continue to host them.
Of course, the arrival outfits have been a tradition over the last couple of years for the NHL’s outdoor games. The Devils arrived in Soprano’s tracksuits, while the Flyers paid homage to Rocky. The Rangers arrived on Fire Trucks sporting FDNY and NYPD jerseys. Even though the Islanders rode the Fire Trucks, they wore suits to arrive at the game.
That is why the NHL holds these outdoor games for the spectacle because it is a spectacle. Normally, the game is secondary because of the poor ice conditions. But the ice conditions were great this time around, and the play indicated that. All four teams could skate fast and find room to move the puck. Both games were excellent.
The NHL will continue the tradition of outdoor games next year as THE Ohio State University will play host to the 2025 Stadium Series between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings. That game will happen on March 1st, 2025, and the NHL hopes to get 110,000 people inside the Horseshoe.
On January 1st, 2025, the Chicago Blackhawks will host the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field for the 2025 NHL Winter Classic.
Until people stop attending these events, they will remain on the schedule. And they should because it is truly an amazing experience.