According to Chief Operations Officer John Collins we will get to see “The Winter Classic” on New years Day at Heinz Field. “We’re going to play Hockey,” Collins assured the media. The weather doesn’t look like it will be cooperating, as the temperature is said to get warmer for the game, and some sites have the chance of rain at %100. However, Collins was acting like he knew something we didn’t, and dismissed the weather as just part of the experience. Collins said “Weather is part of the game’s DNA. I mean, it’s an outdoor game. Like the World Series, weather gets involved in it. We’re going to play. We’re planning to play at 1 o’clock. We’ve got maximum flexibility to do what needs to be done to get that game in on Saturday.”

He said they were prepared to take advantage of the flexibility they have with the games schedule, and the game will go on even if they have to have weather delays. They have the flexibility to take the game all the way into the evening if they have to. If the game doesn’t go off on Saturday, they will be able to play on Sunday at noon as the plan B. Collins said  ”We’ll gather as much information as we possibly can to make sure that we’re taking into account the competitive integrity of the game and the safety of the players and obviously the convenience of the fans.”

According to Collins, he has been studying Pittsburg weather reports going back more than 30 years. He said smiling “I don’t really want to be taken to task on this, but I’m not sure it’s ever rained on New Year’s in Pittsburgh.”   He said he would really like the hockey fans to adopt the baseball frame of mind, and just play through what mother nature deals them. He said “Weather may interrupt the game, so be it. If it takes 5 hours to complete the game, that’s the way it goes.” He continued  ”I think everybody associated with the game, from the broadcast partners to our corporate partners to our licensees and I think our fans, understand what they’re getting into for this.”

The first NHL Winter Classic ran into heavy flurries in one of the periods, and the NHL simply dealt with the problem.  Zambonis were brought out to resurface the ice during the snow fall, and the game continued. The game might not flow as smoothly as they would hope, but Collins thinks the game will go on, and has a ‘show-must-go-on’ attitude.  ”I can’t see that we wouldn’t be able to get this game in,” Collins said.

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