The Stanley Cup Playoffs isn't even over with and I'm already aching for the next season to begin. I think one of the principal reason for this is the upcoming Stadium Series game slated for January of 2014. As you know, the LA Kings are scheduled to play an outdoor game against the Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium.
This afternoon, Jon Rosen at the LA Kings Insider blog (the Kings official blogger) shared some background about how the whole thing came about. It's a fun read. Check it out here.“There’s always the ‘Yes, we’d like to do this’, but then there’s ‘How do you do it?’ and ‘When do you do it?’”Last week I shared a pic of a artist rendering that was on display at Staples Center in the outdoor patio during Game 3 of the Conference Final against the Chicago Blackhawks. See it below. Based upon this story, it appears that having a California feel to the game may reign supreme.
That “when” is next January 25 – a malleable date that allows some wiggle room in the event of rain – a forecast that isn’t uncommon in Southern California in early winter. It also falls within the Dodgers’ schedule of being able to replace and maintain the field prior to the start of the 2014 Major League Baseball season.
Representatives of the league, the Kings and Dodgers toured Dodger Stadium one month ago for a sightlines tour and to gain a better perspective of the layout of the event and various logistical concerns – those refrigeration trucks have to be parked somewhere – while shoring up the blueprint of how to make the Dodger Stadium event a unique experience that pays tribute to its local and regional surroundings.
“A lot of the planning right now is about making sure that this game brings L.A.,” Cheeseman said. “We are different than any other city in the league, and we can do some unique things that a lot of teams and organizations can’t do, so we want to make sure that we reflect Southern California in all of these events, so that’s important to us.”
Of course, the ethos of Southern California living may be at its most accurate when sitting under a darkening, palm tree-silhouetted, post-sunset sky at a baseball stadium that practically requires a car to access.
“I think you could have a lot of fun with the fun with the event in terms of the way you stage it and the way fans kind of celebrate the game,” Collins said. “I like the idea of tailgating in shorts.”So, regardless of my concerns that sand so near the ice could make for a screwed up game, it's seems likely that this may be a theme they will be going for.
On the other hand, if they actually allow fans to tailgate at Dodger Stadium, then I don't think I would care about the look of the field. Give me some BBQ, a cold beer from my cooler and hockey in the evening, and I'll be a happy camper.
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