Winter Classic Commercial Can Be Summed Up In One Word -- FREAKINGAWESOME

During halftime of the Bears/Vikings game last night, NBC aired a commercial for the 2009 Winter Classic game where the Red Wings will visit Wrigley Field to take on the Blackhawks. Whatever team was behind this commercial, I applaud you. You hit the nail right on the head.



Via PuckDaddy

Winter Classic Random Drawing Now Open

For all of those who have been eagerly awaiting the exciting moment of filling out a form and then hoping your entry gets picked for "public" Winter Classic tickets, well wait no longer! The drawing is officially open and accepting entries. Good luck and have fun waiting a month for the drawing to happen "on or about December 4, 2008."

Blackhawks and NHL Announce Public's Long Shot at WC Tickets

If you're a Cubs fan, then you're all too familiar with this process. The awesome news came out yesterday that the Blackhawks and the NHL will hold a random drawing for the opportunity to purchase Winter Classic tickets. Registration will begin tomorrow around 11am CST and end on Friday Nov. 28th at 10:59 CST.

What does this mean for those of us in the public? It means the public will be going head to head with ticket brokers/scalpers/people who are buying tickets only to resell them in an all out battle to see how many email addresses you can register with. Not only will you make a few more email addresses that you will otherwise never use, but you will ask friends to sign up as well and then hope they don't stab you in the back if they do win the superawesometotallysweetandgreatfun random ticket drawing!

I'm frustrated to say the least, because I know sometime in early December, all my registrations will receive some email saying, "Hey hockey fan! Thanks for your interest in the Winter Classic at historic Wrigley Field. Unfortunately, you were not selected for the opportunity purchase tickets, but we do thank for your interest. The suits that are taking your place will be sure to talk about nothing hockey related and only catch a few minutes of the game in between portfolio and stock market talk. Oh, and don't forget, there are still tickets available!! Just check our best friends over at StubHub. There's plenty of options available, if you don't mind spending a month's rent on a ticket! Thanks again!"

Pretty sure you know how I feel. Anyway, good luck with the random drawing...and if you've got an extra, ah screw it, sell it for big profit and enjoy the money.

Winter Classic Seating Chart and Prices Announced

Just got news that the NHL has released the seating chart and prices for the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. There are only three sets of prices and one undetermined price (for limited view seating) and they are as follows: $325, $275, $75. For clearer information regarding where those prices correspond where seats are, see the picture below:



It also appears that partial season ticket holders (like myself) are not included in the pre-public sale purchase (if there even is a public sale). I am somewhat upset, but at the same time, do understand the need to put Blackhawks, Red Wings and Cubs (because it’s their building) full season ticket holders before people like my friends and I.

As for my thoughts on the whole pricing and seating chart, I am not a big fan. Chances are, it’s probably going to be really cold. I know the odds of me scoring good seats at face value are slim and I definitely do not think it’s worth $600-$1000 to sit in the better seats. If I were able to get my hands on a bleacher seat at $100 or less, then yea, I’ll probably go. Outside of that, I’d rather save the ridiculous sum it is going to cost to sit in a semi-decent seat and use it for airfare, hotel and ticket accommodations for Notre Dame’s bowl game in a warm climate in January. Yes, the Winter Classic at Wrigley is a once in a lifetime event. But I’d rather watch the game on HD television in my warm apartment or listen to it on the radio from a beach in Florida/Arizona/California than pay a greedy ticket scalper $600 to freeze my butt off. Sure, I won’t get to say “I was there,” but that’s no big deal. I’m looking more forward to the day when the Hawks win the Cup at the UC and 20 years after, I can say “I was there.”