Winter Classic at Dodger Stadium?

All, Baseball Jason McIntyre May 24th. 2012, 12:28pm

The average temperatures in Los Angeles in January: High of 68, low of 48. Naturally, Dodger Stadium, which is a James Loney ground ball away from downtown LA, seems like the ideal place to hold the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. From the LA Times:

The NHL has yet to award its New Year’s Day showcase to a warm-weather city. The Dodgers could offer baseball’s largest stadium and the iconic backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains. … “They put a man on the moon,” Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter said. “They can make it work.”

That seems like a logical comparison, Mr. Walter. As the paper notes, Wayne Gretzky and the Kings played a hockey game in Vegas in 1991 in 85-degree heat and the ice held up.

Wonder where most fans in LA will flock on New Year’s Day in January: A hockey game, or the Rose Bowl? Previously, the game has been held in Buffalo, Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It’ll be at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor in 2013. [LA Times]

aroundtheweb

77 Responses to “Winter Classic at Dodger Stadium?”

1
molemaninthemorning Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Huh. Honestly had no idea about the Vegas thing. From Wiki:
The process of keeping the ice cool in the desert heat required three times as much coolant as a standard NHL rink. There were few problems despite temperatures that reached 95 °F (35 °C) during the day and a game time temperature of 80 °F (27 °C). During the contest grasshoppers began to jump onto the ice, where they would freeze or drown in water used to maintain the ice, and by the end of the second period the ice was littered with the bugs.
I’m assuming they would have improved on the ability to keep the ice usable since then.
There’s actually a very good reason to hold it there: much lower chance of rain, rain is what fucks up the outdoor games.
2
spencer096 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:34 PM
“They put a man on the moon,” Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter said. “They can make it work.”
your rationale sucks, mark.
3
Geeezeus Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
As the paper notes, Wayne Gretzky and the Kings played a hockey game in Vegas in 1991 in 85-degree heat and the ice held up.
Other than the fact that a large number of grasshoppers swarmed the ice during the game and died/froze to the ice.
Dan Craig is a miracle worker, but a game in LA might be a stretch.
4
VladimirCrouton Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
No chance, unless Mr. Freeze is real.
5
Geeezeus Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
dammit mole.
6
spencer096 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:36 PM
if indoor temps for ice rinks are 63 degrees, shouldn’t they be fine?
7
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:37 PM
The Dodgers could offer baseball’s largest stadium
No shit? I know Dodger Stadium isn’t small, but I grew up in a time when stadiums were multi-purpose concrete bowls and all held at least 50,000-60,000. It’s weird to think of how much smaller stadiums have gotten in the last 20 years.
8
Geeezeus Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:38 PM
if indoor temps for ice rinks are 63 degrees, shouldn’t they be fine?
The NHL spent a couple mil on a state of the art ice plant. Problem is getting the ice to freeze in the first plance and then keeping the ice is reasonable shape during the game (say if the sun was beating down).
9
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
if indoor temps for ice rinks are 63 degrees, shouldn’t they be fine?
Indoor temperatures are more or less steady and there’s no sun to worry about. Not sure how much that matters, but it’s still not the same thing.
10
Watsonian Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
No shit? I know Dodger Stadium isn’t small, but I grew up in a time when stadiums were multi-purpose concrete bowls and all held at least 50,000-60,000. It’s weird to think of how much smaller stadiums have gotten in the last 20 years.
I was just thinking the same thing. All the new stadiums seem to be in the mid-40s. Except for that ugly thing in Miami. Isn’t that only 37?
11
Scouser Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
Geeezeus, that was pretty piss poor game 5 by both teams, wasn’t it? Marty’s brain fart, Richards shooting at his own goal, etc.
12
spencer096 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
they should just have a golf tournament at riviera instead.
13
johndewar Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:40 PM
Who is the big rival for the Kings? I honestly have no idea.
Part of what they’ve been able to do for these outdoor games is there is some element of a historical rivalry of some sort.
If they do this, I guess they could play either the Duck or the Sharks in some sort of “see, we CAN do hockey in California” kind of matchup.
I’d be more enthused by a Calgary-Edmonton matchup or a Vancouver-Chicago dust up if they were going to do a Western Conference winter classic
14
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:40 PM
if indoor temps for ice rinks are 63 degrees, shouldn’t they be fine?
they don’t have to worry about the sun indoors.
15
molemaninthemorning Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Except for that ugly thing in Miami. Isn’t that only 37?
Yep.
And of course then there’s the St Pete Times Whateverthefuckever Forum, holding up the rear.
16
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
The NHL has yet to award its New Year’s Day showcase to a warm-weather city.
They also have yet to establish an ice cube shop in an eskimo village. There’s a reason.
17
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
this wouldn;t be an issue if gretzky had stayed in edmonton
18
ohheelyeah Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
I love the “if they can put a man on the moon” arguments almost as much as I love the “anything’s possible if you ____” arguments. Really? Well why don’t you noodnicks BOTH get together and figure out how to get said man to the moon by walking there.
Also, Choo took Verlander deep in the 1st
/go tribe
19
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
It’s weird to think of how much smaller stadiums have gotten in the last 20 years.
not when you consider the decrease in TV ratings, a direct correlation of a dying sport. they should contract the whole league!
/JMac’d
20
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
I was just thinking the same thing. All the new stadiums seem to be in the mid-40s. Except for that ugly thing in Miami. Isn’t that only 37?
Yep, that’s Fenway small: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/nl/MarlinsPark.htm
My favorite part of that website is looking at past ballparks: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/PastBallparks.htm
21
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:43 PM
if indoor temps for ice rinks are 63 degrees, shouldn’t they be fine?
I wonder how much outdoor air movement has to do with the difficulty in maintaining ice. Something about physics, microenvironments and blah blah blah, but a moving medium (be it water or air) will melt ice much faster than a inert one.
22
payaso Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Who is the big rival for the Kings? I honestly have no idea.
The Galaxy and/or the Sparks.
23
Watsonian Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:44 PM
And of course then there’s the St Pete Times Whateverthefuckever Forum, holding up the rear.
Meh, I’d rather not think of that horrible place. I’ve seen a game there. Blah.
24
spencer096 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:44 PM
My favorite part of that website is looking at past ballparks: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/PastBallparks.htm
great link.
25
VladimirCrouton Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:44 PM
Also, Choo took Verlander deep in the 1st
/go tribe
2nd deck, 450 ft+ on a change up.
26
Geeezeus Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Geeezeus, that was pretty piss poor game 5 by both teams,
Good start for Jersey, then score effects took over. In layman’s terms, teams with the lead tend to sit back and thus typically get outshot badly.
I hate the trapezoid rule almost as much as the puck over glass delay of game penalty.
wasn’t it? Marty’s brain fart, Richards shooting at his own goal, etc.
27
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:46 PM
great link.
Get misty eyed at seeing the Mistake by the Lake?
28
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:47 PM
My favorite part of that website is looking at past ballparks:
I’m partial to Forbes Field, though not much is left. http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/ForbesField.htm
I had a class right next to home plate (it’s preserved inside a building at Pitt). The Mazeroski HR spot is marked in the middle of a road, and the RF wall forms the back of a different Forbes Field (where we’d always play softball)
29
Scalia Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:48 PM
Those of you looking for an actual basketball post fregarding last night’s game, Zach Lowe is here for you.
My favorite part of that website is looking at past ballparks: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/PastBallparks.htm
Really cool link. If in Cleveland, I wouldn’t recommend visiting Legends Field after sundown.
30
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:48 PM
I’m not sure that information is right. I’m fairly certain it’s right field, and the library is next to it, Posvar Hall is on top.
/to the googlemobile
31
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:49 PM
sounds like a disaster in LA. better than PHX, at least.
they don’t have to worry about the sun indoors.
ha! +1
32
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:49 PM
2nd deck, 450 ft+ on a change up.
Link? That’s a hell of a shot…
33
Scalia Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:49 PM
If in Cleveland, I wouldn’t recommend visiting Legends Field after sundown.
And, by Legends Field, I mean League Park.
34
spencer096 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Get misty eyed at seeing the Mistake by the Lake?
little bit…lotta great memories with my dad there when i was a kid. i can still see the giant ‘GATE D’ sign in my head and would always get excited as shit when we’d finally see it.
35
molemaninthemorning Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
They’re still shitty.
36
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
I love the video in the section on the Astrodome: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/Astrodome.htm
I always knew they had grass the first couple of years, but it’s still quite jarring to actually see how it looked.
37
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
snoop dogg will throw out first pitch at The Cell
reason #1245 the wsox are the coolest baseball team in chicago
38
ohheelyeah Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Link? That’s a hell of a shot…
I saw it on MLB@Bat on my iphone while taking a dump at work. It was massive, and made it to the 2nd deck.
/the homerun, not the turd
Also, the tribe are hitting a lot of deep balls, but nothing to show for it other than the solo shot
39
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Meh, I’d rather not think of that horrible place. I’ve seen a game there. Blah.
i’ll never forget my first indoor stdium, The Kingdome. It was just wrong
40
spencer096 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:55 PM
They’re still shitty.
lol
41
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:55 PM
i’ll never forget my first indoor stdium, The Kingdome. It was just wrong
My lasting memory of the Kingdome is the game where Randy Johnson struck out 21 only to have Mark McGwire hit a home run that basically hit the back wall of the stadium.
42
molemaninthemorning Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:55 PM
First place I saw a baseball game was Riverfront Stadium. God what a shithole.
43
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:56 PM
my memory is better
44
GloriousMullet Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:57 PM
“They put a man on the moon,” Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter said. “They can make it work.”
The NHL put a man on the moon?
45
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:57 PM
Randy Johnson struck out 21
huh?
My fav RJ memory was my first game in Pittsburgh, my first week of college. He struck out 17 but lost 3-1 or something to the eventual World Series champs (Arizona)
46
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:58 PM
He struck out 17 but lost 3-1 or something to the eventual World Series champs (Arizona)
That would be… he lost 3-1 or something to the Pirates, pitching for the eventual World Series champs (Arizona).
/please be gentle
47
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 12:59 PM
my memory is better
If you think the Kingdome sucked, you should read about the stadium it replaced: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/SicksStadium.htm
48
TK Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:00 PM
only to have Mark McGwire hit a home run that basically hit the back wall of the stadium
He was cheating.
49
Ty_Webb Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Hopefully some doucher Dodger fans show up and get pummelled by some hockey fans and as I mentioned last week Southern California refers to everything south of Long Beach and north of Mexico…
50
KC Resident Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:01 PM
“They put a man on the moon,” Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter said. “They can make it work.”
The NHL put a man on the moon?
Not directly. NASA just used an old hockey stadium as the soundstage to fake the moon landing.
51
Scalia Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:01 PM
Choo’s shot:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id=mlb&content_id=21718633&topic_id=8879220
52
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:01 PM
If you think the Kingdome sucked, you should read about the stadium it replaced: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/past/SicksStadium.htm
everything is better in seattle than other places. safeco, uw’s stadium. fish throwing
/the dream of the 90s is alive in the pnw
53
johndewar Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:02 PM
My lasting memory of the Kingdome is the game where Randy Johnson struck out 21 only to have Mark McGwire hit a home run that basically hit the back wall of the stadium.
For me, it’s this Dave Parker throw from the 1979 All-Star game. It’s the first All-Star game I remember watching on TV.
/I’m old
54
Ty_Webb Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:02 PM
they should just have a golf tournament at riviera instead.
+77
/for what I will shoot
55
Nathan Wind Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Buddy emailed me and said Kate Upton popped out a boob. Can anyone link me to that?
56
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Randy Johnson struck out 21
huh?
Mea culpa. It was 19.
57
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Buddy emailed me and said Kate Upton popped out a boob. Can anyone link me to that?
yup, http://www.google.com
58
Dental Dam Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:06 PM
My lasting memory of the Kingdome is the game where Randy Johnson struck out 21
?
59
payaso Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Hopefully some doucher Dodger fans show up and get pummelled by some hockey fans and as I mentioned last week Southern California refers to everything south of Long Beach and north of Mexico…
Yeah, some MS-13 Doyers fans are gonna be cowering from Biebs and crew.
60
Ty_Webb Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Buddy emailed me and said Kate Upton popped out a boob. Can anyone link me to that?
!!
61
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:07 PM
Buddy emailed me and said Kate Upton popped a boob.
Time to re-inflate.
/offers to help
62
Nathan Wind Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:07 PM
“yup, http://www.google.com”
Being your usual dick self, I see. Eat yourself, in that case.
63
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:07 PM
?
Someone else already caught it. It was 19. Still impressive.
64
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:07 PM
ha, chciago mayor called ron santo ron santos. his buddy obama also called comiskey park cominsky once
political nerds
65
Nathan Wind Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:08 PM
“Being your usual dick self, I see. Eat yourself, in that case.”
Actually, I may have you confused with another Kaiser. In any event, eat yourself.
66
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Someone else already caught it. It was 19. Still impressive.
You know what else is 19?
Kate Upton’s exposed breast. Somebody get on that for us working stiffs.
/waits
67
Ty_Webb Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:09 PM
Yeah, some MS-13 Doyers fans are gonna be cowering from Biebs and crew.
Bad Ass MF’ers
/4 guys pull one guy out of a car
//probably right about LA hockey fans though
68
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:10 PM
Yeah, some MS-13 Doyers fans are gonna be cowering from Biebs and crew.
biebs fresh from his salvadoran tour, leaves behind thousands of short dudes with strange haircuts
69
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:10 PM
It was 19. Still impressive.
Not really. Jamie Moyer and his 75 mph fastball has more games of less than 20 strikeouts than Randy Johnson.
70
Milk Steak To Go Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Didn’t Wisconsin and Michigan State (?) play outdoors in Camp Randall a few years ago. I recall the ice was incredibly difficult to maintain in 60 degree weather and ended up being a sloshy mess.
71
ms621 Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:11 PM
Not really. Jamie Moyer and his 75 mph fastball has more games of less than 20 strikeouts than Randy Johnson.
Don’t you have some diseases to cure or something.
72
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:12 PM
I recall the ice was incredibly difficult to maintain in 60 degree weather and ended up being a sloshy mess.
same for both sides, rub some icee on it
73
Wide Word of Sport (?) Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:16 PM
Don’t you have some diseases to cure or something.
Nah, I was given a gift basket and it made it all better.
74
Gerard Portmanteau Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:17 PM
I don’t know anything about hockey but if it slaughters grasshoppers let’s make this magic happen.
75
mizerle06 is sarah phillips Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:17 PM
“They put a man on the moon,” Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter said. “They can make it work.”
your rationale sucks, mark.
this is my favorite statement of all time. I’ve heard it no less than thrice this year already and have giggled each time.
76
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:30 PM
I don’t know anything about hockey but if it slaughters grasshoppers let’s make this magic happen.
them’s good eating….cookem up, shake on some chile/lime powder
/two minute warning
77
SenyorMadre Says:
May 24th, 2012 at 1:31 PM
your rationale sucks, mark.
this is my favorite statement of all time. I’ve heard it no less than thrice this year already and have giggled each time.
like that? oh yeah, you;re married too

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Winter Classic at Dodger Stadium?

77 Responses to “Winter Classic at Dodger Stadium?”

Leave a Reply