Monday, March 10, 2008

Hockey in the House that Ruth built?


Some are calling it sacrilege, to have the final event of the hallowed house of Ruth to end up being a hockey game. But it would appear that hurt feelings of the baseball crowd asied, that is exactly what may happen on New Years Day of 2009.

Negotiations are apparently underway to feature the New York Rangers on the ice at Yankee Stadium, the next participant in the NHL’s newfound joy of playing in the outdoors.

With a new Yankee stadium set for a Spring 2009 debut, the historic old site is destined to be knocked down after this current baseball season, so time is of the essence to get an outdoor festival played in New York. A development which means that the previously rumoured outdoor game at Chicago’s Wrigley field is probably on the back burner for a couple of years at least.

The Rangers have apparently been coveting an outdoor game for a couple of years now, while the New York Islanders have it seems been courting the Yankees for a few years as well, hoping to promote an all New York showcase for the famed baseball stadium.

Alas, for the Islanders the short straw may be theirs, reports have it that the NHL and NBC would rather see one of the original six teams help close out the stadium, perhaps the Bruins, though the Red Wings now seem to be the league favourite.

If so, it’s a bit unfair to the Islanders who had the idea first and were in the process of putting the plan together, have laid much of the groundwork with the Yankees and were hoping to benefit from a once in a lifetime experience for New York hockey fans .

Though in the always emotional New York market, the slight will surely only add to the bitter rivalry that already exists between the two New York teams. A festering situation that will linger long after the feel good farewell to the Bambino's backyard is long gone... Now that's New York...
.

No comments: