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Winnipeg to get outdoor game; Phoenix wants one

stadium view fnas

Opening ceremonies before the CFL football game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, Thursday, June 27, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Woods)

AP

For those who think the NHL is going overboard with all the outdoor games, well, sorry for what you’re about to read.

From the Winnipeg Free Press:

The Winnipeg Jets are set to celebrate their fifth anniversary in the NHL with an outdoor game in the winter of 2016.

Jets chairman Mark Chipman confirmed Monday the league and True North have agreed to play a Heritage Classic at Winnipeg’s Investors Group Field two seasons from now.

And from the Canadian Press, here’s what the Phoenix Coyotes are thinking about doing next year:

The plan would be to hold it around the Super Bowl, which is set for early February at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

Chase Field, the home of MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks, would be the most logical place. That has a retractable roof, as does University of Phoenix Stadium, which is home to the NFL’s Cardinals.

It stands to reason that the Phoenix outdoor game would be the riskiest venture of the two, at least from a ticket-selling perspective. If there’s one franchise that doesn’t want to put on a big event and have a half-empty stadium to show for it, it’s the Coyotes.

There would be upside though, provided they could pull it off.

“It wouldn’t be the impact of the revenue from that particular game, it would be the impact that that game would have on us in selling tickets throughout the year,” Coyotes president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc said. “Our view is that would certainly help us in driving more season tickets, it would help us in driving (partial season-ticket plans). It’s just bringing more attention to the sport.”

The opponent would be an interesting debate as well. Would they go with Los Angeles or Anaheim for geographical purposes? Or maybe it’s a star-studded team like Pittsburgh? Or would a Canadian team be better, giving fans of the Canucks, Oilers, or Flames a chance to get some sun, play some golf and cheer on their team, all in the same trip?

Related: Washington Capitals will host the 2015 Winter Classic