The Countdown to the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic

The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Washington Capitals in the 2011 Winter Classic. What does this mean for Pittsburgh? Some are predicting that it will mean a financial boost for ailing businesses in the hospitality industry while others are saying it will pale in comparison to the Stanley Cup Finals. Whatever the bottom line is monetarily, there is no denying that the Winter Classic is on every hockey lovers mind.

The pitting of captains Crosby and Ovechkin is sure to be a prime source of debate as New Years Day draws closer; it's already been blamed for verbal arguments that have erupted into off-ice fights amongst fans and it is a safe bet that Pittsburgh Police will be out in full force to try and control the bedlam. Tickets for the event were cherry-picked within hours of their release and average selling prices for seats in the field levels are well over $800.00 (and that is a conservative number). Sure, that's a lot of money but fans justify it by asking, "How many times will Pittsburgh ever get to host the Winter Classic?"

Both Washington and Pittsburgh are strong hockey towns; both teams are hungry and packed with talent and that raw magnetism was clearly evident when HBO Sports started their 24/7 series. Following both teams and showing the best and worst sides of the world of the NHL it allowed an almost all-access pass to see players, coaches and venues in their purest forms. While it was interesting to see some of the behind the scenes events that HBO captured, in my opinion it candy-coated the brutal truth surrounding the rivalry between the two teams. If you doubt my words, wear an Ovechkin jersey to any local bar and see how long it takes for you to get served.

Local businesses are hoping that tourists will spread some of their green around but being a local, well, I am a little embarrassed to see merchant jacking up prices as well as hotels charging ludicrous fees for things that were otherwise included with your stay. And as expected, there are more than a few people who have been ripped off when buying Winter Classic tickets online. There are even sites that are selling packages for airport pickup, hotel lodging and sight seeing but without Winter Classic tickets. Try to argue it with them and they will tell you that you should have read the fine print.

Hockey fever has hit Pittsburgh and it shows no sign of slowing; and yes, before you even ask, there are people jumping on the Winter Classic bandwagon every day. My personal favorite was the man who strolled into Primanti's wearing a Winter Classic jersey ... tucked into his pants. When everyone laughed at him he was completely clueless. Someone needs to show him the "Bruins Hockey Rules" (check out the now infamous Jersey commercial here)