Twice the Winter Classic, Twice the Fun?

The Winter Classic on New Year's Day has been the NHL's latest marketing success for the past two years running. Now, the NHL plans to capitalize on this success by having two games on New Year's Day, starting in 2010.

It has been rumored that in addition to the also-rumored game at Fenway Park that will feature the Boston Bruins playing against the Washington Capitals, the Calgary Flames will also host a Winter Classic of their own in McMahon Stadium, the site of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1988 Olympics.

While this is still rumored and not yet official, the NHL should not be rushing into showing multiple outdoor games on New Year's Day just yet. The main reason for the Winter Classic's success is because it appeals to the casual person who does not follow every move the NHL makes and perhaps does not even fully understand the rules of hockey.

It is a spectacle that comes around but once a year, increasing the suspense of waiting for it and the pleasure of enjoying the game. The crowd the Winter Classic has been attracting may not be willing to watch multiple hockey games in one day. Most people don't even watch multiple games of other sports in one day.

Granted, the NFL has enjoyed high ratings for many years with its Thanksgiving Day traditional games. However, the NHL does not have the casual fan base that will have the games playing on television before, during, and after dinner. Only the NFL currently has that type of popularity where its games are practically planned around.

Hopefully, whichever way this rumor pans out, the NHL will end up with higher ratings and greater popularity. Any hockey fan can tell you that there is no greater sport than it, and it has been excellent to see the growth of the sport in the recent years.