With an NHL game being played at Michigan Stadium last year and another scheduled for Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium on New Year’s Day 2016, another Big Ten football venue – Penn State’s Beaver Stadium – seems like another logical location for a future Winter Classic game.
The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins have one of the fiercest rivalries in the NHL, so bringing that matchup to State College, which is right in the middle of the state, would make for an awesome atmosphere at 107,282-capacity Beaver Stadium. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman thinks so too, and he told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the league has discussed it.
“There’s been talk about it,” Bettman said. “I’m intrigued by the possibility. But it’s not anywhere close to fruition.”
While that’s at least somewhat promising for Pennsylvania hockey fans, it also got us thinking about what other college football venues could host hockey games.
Notre Dame Stadium – South Bend, Indiana
Built in 1930, Notre Dame Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in all of college football. The stadium currently holds 80,795 and a $400 million renovation project is on the way. Once those renovations are complete in South Bend, a Blues-Blackhawks game would be a great way to show it off.
Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Michigan did it, so you know the Buckeyes want to show that they can put on a better show at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. The Horseshow holds 104,944, so you’d probably need to bring in the Detroit Red Wings to play the Columbus Blue Jackets to fill the joint. It would be awesome.
Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California
California may not be the most outdoor hockey-friendly environment, but if a Ducks-Kings game could be played at Dodger Stadium last year, a game could totally be played at the iconic Rose Bowl. The San Jose Sharks-Los Angeles Kings rivalry has intensified with playoff meetings in three of the past four seasons. A game at the 92-542-seat Rose Bowl would be a ton of fun.
Michie Stadium – West Point, New York
This would be a bit more of an intimate environment than the others with a capacity of just 38,000, but an outdoor game at the United States Military Academy would make for a great aesthetic. There are plenty of NHL teams that could be involved, including the Buffalo Sabres, the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils.
Others: Neyland Stadium (Tennessee), Milan Puskar Stadium (West Virginia), High Point Solutions Stadium (Rutgers)
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
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