SEATTLE, WA – An evolving process since the event’s inception in Buffalo in 2008 is the way the event is marketed. What began as a game staged in the elements has evolved into a magnificent event with a well-planned lead-up providing anxiousness, excitability, and revenue streams.
What began as taking the game outside, reverting to a time when the game was played outside, has become much more than that. Just like many players did has a young skater, the Winter Classic remains largely susceptible to weather conditions which often led to extreme cold, snow flurries and an illuminated ice surface without boards. If there wasn’t enough daylight to keep playing once the sun went down, clever players might moved their cars parallel to one another to shine their headlights on the ice, just to keep playing even once darkness fell. I did this once at a lake behind Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis where I played as a kid.
As the outdoor environment continues to endure, but, in some ways, wanes, new elements are added and the timing of unveiling these new pieces is well-place. The evolving Winter Classic event sequence includes the designing of uniquely special logos which bring about the local nature of the host city. Each team has their own distinctive logo which has some historical or city-based significance and the event stage is designed to fill space, keeping the eye and imagination active and watchful.
After the January 2nd announcement, made from Boston during the 2023 edition of the tentpole event when the Bruins hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins, there was relative silence about the game until the early Summer months.
On June 3rd, at the NHL Commissioner’s pre-Final press conference, the primary logo for the Winter Classic, along with other special events, was unveiled. Unique to the area, topography and positional status in the United States, the logo exudes all things Seattle while incorporating the hallmark elements of the Winter Classic brand which has run consistent through the 15-event duration.
Four elements combine to construct the primary mark; compass, typography, nautical rope and water.
The compass is the centerpiece of the mark with the needle pointing to the Pacific northwest. The typography represents the evolving classic event script with waterline encased in the live area. The nautical roping is emblematic of the city’s connection to maritime activity. Water ties to the city being surrounded by this natural element and the numerous piers which resemble its character.
The next event piece involved the unveiling of the logos and jerseys of the two combatant teams. This took place the day before Thanksgiving on November 22nd, perfect timing for those looking for ideas for gifting and clever timing for a league built on good timing for revenue-generating purposes.
First the host Seattle Kraken, who tied their hockey history of being the first American city to lift the Stanley Cup to their threads.
Inspired by the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans, the blend of the classic logo with the slight variations to the original Seattle team’s NHL crest and the Kraken colors, makes for a splendid choice to skate in for the event.
The primary “S crest, the position normally held by the tentacle of the Kraken has been replaced with the team moniker on the red letter. The barber-stripe motif is a direct throwback to the original Metropolitans style Player names and numbers resemble vintage-era with layered felt providing the classic, throwback feel. The event patch adorned on the right shoulder to make the look complete.
For the visiting defending Stanley Cup Champions Vegas Golden Knights, a nod to the city’s early days. Bright gold has been replaced with heritage gold while classic white has been replaced with vintage white, an almost crème look, like the uniforms the Ottawa Senators wore in Vancouver for the 2014 Heritage Classic.
A majestic “V” primary crest is adorned with filigree petal accenting shapes with decorative chain stitch, injected into the names and numbers, as well, on the jersey. The Vegas wordmark is stitched cursively on the pants and is complemented with barber-pole socks to complete the look.
Just about a month later, as interest began to surge a little more than a week leading up to the big game, an artist rendition of the event stage was unveiled. Rink positioning and many accenting elements tying the nautical theme together are fully apparent.
The rink will be positioned between the foul lines of T-Mobile Park with one edge of the rink at just inside second base, the further parallel edge of the rink a little deeper into center field. The benches are on the outfield. Center ice is lined up with the batter’s eye where the eye of the Kraken is prominent. side of the rink.
Both teams will enter the stage along platforms designed to resemble docks just slightly above oceanic topographic maps glossed in deep navy, all to convey the region’s water of Puget Sound, just steps from where the game will be played. Their introductions to be symmetrical to the stage, Vegas will enter from the 3rd base side while the Kraken will enter from the 1st base side.
Exposed areas of illustrated water within the snow and ice landscape will feature an auxiliary ice rink and boats, including shipwrecked vessel capsized by the mysterious sea creature, the Kraken. The iceberg floating behind the team benches in centerfield features the continuing theme of an NHL compass representing the Pacific Northwest.
The NHL on TNT set will broadcast from a boat house erected in left field, overlooking the auxiliary rink that will host local youth hockey players throughout the game.
The opening ceremony will begin with the Kraken’s and Golden Knights’ on-field arrivals from the dugouts onto the docks. Seattle native Sir Mix-A-Lot will perform one of his most popular songs during player introductions.
Fourteen-year-old Seattle-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist Nikhil Bagga will perform the U.S. national anthem. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided as part of the NHL’s partnership with P-X-P. Founder and CEO of P-X-P Brice Christianson will serve as ASL interpreter and Brittany Rupik will serve as the ASL performer.
The Flag party, presented by Navy Federal Credit Union, will be comprised of Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps service members from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The University of Washington ROTC will present colors. The opening ceremony will conclude with a flyover featuring two MH-60S Seahawk aircrafts from the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Search and Rescue unit.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Heart will headline the entertainment for the game with a first intermission presented by Ticketmaster performance. In a career spanning over five-decades that began in Seattle, the band featuring Nancy Wilson, Ann Wilson, Ryan Wariner, Ryan Waters, Paul Moak, Tony Lucido and Sean Lane has sold more than 35-million records and performed more than 2,500 shows worldwide for millions. “Barracuda,” “Crazy On You,” and “Magic Man” are among the many songs that now reside in the pantheon of Rock’s greatest hits.
The second intermission will feature “A Tribute to Seattle Sports,” with appearances by Jay Buhner, Jamal Crawford, Matt Hasselbeck, Walter Jones, Steve Largent, Marshawn Lynch, Edgar Martinez, Jack Sikma, Isaiah Thomas, Lenny Wilkens and Dan Wilson.
The 15th edition of the Winter Classic is sure to be a raging success. Just when you might think they cannot top the last event, the NHL finds a way to push the limits and advance their brand.
Dennis Morrell has developed a deeply rooted passion for our game over many decades as a goaltender, writer, photographer, goalie coach, and active Level 3 USA Hockey-certified, on-ice official with over 2,000 games with the whistle. His passion for the game began in the early 70s upon his first glance at players battling for the puck at Clayton’s Shaw Park.
He has been fortunate to journalistically cover 2 NHL Entry Drafts, 5 NHL All-Star Games, 8 NHL Outdoor Games in two countries and 21 games played in the context of 9 Stanley Cup Final games, witnessing the oldest trophy in sports lifted by the champion 3 times, including when his beloved hometown team, the St. Louis Blues, won their first chalice in 2019.
He has witnessed over 1,000 major and minor professional games in over 250 different arenas. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.
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