Let's be honest. The Blackhawks-Red Wings NHL "Winter Classic" is all novelty. But what a novelty it is: the Blackhawks vs. their bitter rivals, in the middle of winter, in an ice rink thrown together and slapped on top of Wrigley Field. The culture of Wrigley meets the fun of outdoor hockey in the dead of Chicago's winter. For some reason, reading that sentence back, it doesn't sound as cool as it should. It feels like it's going to be awesome.
Don't take my word for it. Plenty of people seem to think so, which is why demand for tickets has been incredibly high, and why getting such tickets is looking like it's going to be very difficult. And even if you can get tickets, you better be ready to pony up the cash for them. Chi City Hockey has some of the details and a seating chart. Tickets are $325 in the upper section (where, presumably, sightlines will be better), $225 in the main 200 level, and $75 in the bleachers and the lower levels. It's actually sort of a stunning reversal from what people usually pay for Cubs games; the higher you sit, the more you pay. Dude. My mind is blown.
As for how to acquire these tickets -- good luck. Season ticket holders, all 14,000 of them, get first crack. Part-time season ticket holders don't get get this luxury, which, as a part-time ticket holder, we would like to protest loudly now. (Protest! Protest! OK, that's enough.) Then there will be a public sale to the rest of the world, and, if demand is any indication, these will be as difficult to get as Cubs-Cardinals, or White Sox ... um ... nevermind.
Yes: Lots of people in Chicago want to go sit outside for three hours on Jan. 1. What's more, they'd like to pay lots of money to do so. Sometimes, sports confuse us.
