Winter Classic 2008 - Sabres Vs. Penguins

Sometimes we do get lucky in Buffalo and this is one of those times! On January 1, 2008 at 1pm, The Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins will make National Hockey League history by playing the first regular-season outdoor NHL game in the United States.

Tickets went on sale September 18, 2007 For the Winter Classic (or which is more commonly being called the Ice Bowl) and sold out in less than 10 minutes...did we mention that Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills and the location of the Winter Classic holds more than 73,000 people? (I think they should have put a limit on how many tickets people could buy) Less than 30 minutes after tickets sold out, they started appearing on EBay; some for as much as $1,000 per seat.

Seats were said to range in price anywhere from $29 to $225 per seat. It has also been rumored that they may sell additional 'partially obstructed view' seats for a mere $10 in order to get as many fans as possible at this history making event. So how much is too much to pay to be a part of NHL history?

The lucky 16,000 or so Sabres seasons ticket holders were reserved a spot for this noteworthy event, but most of the rest were out of luck. On November 22, 2003, the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers drew a crowd of 57, 167 to their Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, but the crowd at the Ralph is going to surpass that attendance by thousands.

So why host this momentous event in Buffalo? Many think its due to the cold weather (all previous outdoor games have been played in Canada where its nice and chilly), some think its because the heartbreak kids have come so close over the past few years that they deserve a little recognition for their efforts, but I'm convinced that its because, with little else to do during the cold winter months, Buffalo residents have learned how to throw one heck of a party! And where we're good partiers...we're even better tailgaters!

So you out-of-towners coming in for this fantastic event, bring your snow suit, bring your grill, bring your blankets and heaters and tents and most important...bring enough beer to keep your warm! It's cold out there at the Ralph in January, but what a way to ring in the New Year! Let's hope the Sabres can keep the good luck in Buffalo and make some NHL history!

Let's Go Buffalo!