A former NHL official says the Sabres-Penguins matchup would generate $5 million to $10 million in revenue. Seventy thousand tickets sold at an average $75 apiece will generate $5.25 million alone. Then there’s income from sponsorships, concessions and merchandising and TV income.

Expenses on the game probably won’t eclipse $500,000. The league has spent some $250,000 renting Ralph Wilson Stadium from the Buffalo Bills and costs to install a temporary rink have been estimated at about $150,000.

this points to reason why buffalo is the wrong place and the wrong teams are involved in this game.

if you going to do it, do it right it, have a rivery game involved this game. flyers-rangers game will outdraw and out rate any game that involves buffalo.

Posted by FlyersFan on 01/01/08 at 09:54 AM ET

I agree, and have the good sense not to hold it on New Year’s Day! Today’s Sabres-Pens game could be the best game of the year but most sports fans in the States won’t know about it because they’re all watching the Bowl games.

Posted by Lyle Richardson from Charlottetown, PEI, Canada on 01/01/08 at 10:15 AM ET

i like this idea but they do a great job of screwing things up. if you want to pull people away from bowl games, you want to have deedp rooted hatered in this game.

you cant sell buffalo to nobody. they cant draw flies. if you look at the the ratings for the game on vs. their biggest rated game is flyers vs. pens when the flyers beat them 8-2. the reason why it was great because it turned into a power keg.

this league always has to put a middle tv market team into very decision they make. this game deserves a big market team like a philadelphia,detriot or an new york. not buffalo. people dont know where buffalo is.

i gurantee you if the flyers play pens in happy valley next year, that game will break tv records and attendence records.

Posted by FlyersFan on 01/01/08 at 11:37 AM ET

I can’t even believe the NHL brain trust (oh jeez...now there’s a contradiction) decided to go up against a full day’s schedule of NCAA college football’s Bowl Games.

But the idea of staging another outdoor game in NYC is indeed an intriguing prospect.  I think the reason why the [snicker snicker] NHL brain trust [BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!] chose the Pens and the Sabres was probably due to:

1) Sidney Crosby for obvious reasons and
2) The Sabres were the best-selling sweaters in the NHL last year (and I think they still lead it this year).

If they do indeed decide to do it in NYC, here’s hoping they’ll get the proper teams to play.  While it’s obvious it’ll be the Rangers, I’m biased.  I’d like to see the Wings play the Rangers in NYC.  That’s just me…

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/01/08 at 11:47 AM ET

Rangers-Red Wings I think would be a good draw for an American TV audience. Rangers-Flyers would be another. Rangers-Islanders would provide plenty of fanatical fans in the stands but I don’t know how well that would draw nationally. Ditto Rangers-Devils.

Posted by Lyle Richardson from Charlottetown, PEI, Canada on 01/01/08 at 12:19 PM ET

Wings/Rangers is an Original Six Matchup.  They can hype the hell outta that.

Or another Original Six matchup would be the Canadiens/Rangers.  Both teams with red, white, and blue colors?  And playing for playoff spots?

Do it.  Either matchup, I’d watch.

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/01/08 at 12:36 PM ET

I think a Toronto/Detroit matchup would be hard to beat.  That being said, there is an awful lot of fans in those stands today. It looks like a full crowd. 70k? that’s alot.

The only thing I would do a little different would be to put a couple rows of seats closer to the ice.  How?  I dunno. I’m not an engineer.  Nor do I play one on TV.  And I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night either.

Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/01/08 at 01:48 PM ET

The only problem with an outdoor game in NYC is there is NO WAY the ice would be any good.

Posted by K24 from NYC on 01/01/08 at 07:47 PM ET