The Deal Seems All But Done: The Philadelphia Flyers Are Going To Fenway

The news looks and sounds as if it is all but official now. The 3rd annual Winter Classic will be played in Fenway Park. And the opponent that the Boston Bruins will face is not the New York Rangers, not their rival Montreal Canadiens, not the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, and not the Washington Capitals, a team that the NHL really wanted in this game and was considered one of 2 finalists if you will, in the negotiations of who is going to Fenway on New Years to play the Bruins. Instead, NBC decided that the Capitals and Ovechkin citing their playoff series with the Rangers, were not a strong enough ratings pull and instead convinced the NHL that the other team that was being strongly conisdered would play in the Winter Classic. That team, as I'm sure you've figured out by reading the title, is the Philadelphia Flyers. From The Daily Times in Delaware County.

Multiple league sources confirmed to the Daily Times that the Flyers will be the opponent for the Boston Bruins in the next NHL Winter Classic, to be played at Boston’s Fenway Park Jan. 1.

Despite springtime reports that the Flyers were out of the running as Boston’s foe in the next outdoor game, they recently were brought back into the discussion by NBC, which will broadcast the contest.

The NHL lobbied to pit the Washington Capitals against the Bruins in an effort to showcase Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin and his exciting, young team.

However, sources say NBC trumped that decision, telling the NHL it wanted the Flyers instead of the Caps in order to draw a better television audience and increase advertising revenue.

NBC was disappointed with ratings between the Caps and New York Rangers in the opening round of the playoffs, which surely played a role in being tepid when it came to having Washington playing in its biggest hockey telecast.

After some bargaining sessions with NBC, the NHL relented and agreed to have the Flyers participate, with the Caps as a possible 2011 opponent against the Rangers in a game that could be played at Yankee Stadium.

When asked by the league, the Flyers indicated they would be a willing participant in the 2010 contest, but wanted the option of an outdoor game against the Pittsburgh Penguins to remain high on the league’s to-do list. Sources say the league has agreed to that stipulation.

As a huge fan of the Winter Classic, I must say that I am extremely excited that the Flyers will have a Winter Classic game to their name. If you've never seen it, these games are always a blast to watch and the outdoor atmosphere of a hockey name is seemingly unparalleled. The only problem I had with the Flyers playing the Bruins this year would be the fact that all of a sudden the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia Winter Classic would seem like an inprobability, but as long as it is high on the NHL's to-do-list, I'm all for heading up to Fenway. Besides, if this is any indication of the pull that NBC has with the NHL and this event, they can only ignore the Battle of Pennsylvania for so long. While they certainly would not have the Flyers again next year, I would not be surprised if the Flyers battle the Penguins outdoors on New Years as soon as either 2012 or 2013.

Once the NHL officially confirms what multiple league sources have already said was a done-deal, I'll let you know. Or if everything I've been reading (the above link is not the only place I have seen this) is false, I'll let you know as well.