Hurricanes owner: Progress being made on potential outdoor game
The Carolina Hurricanes' push to host an outdoor game is moving in the right direction.
Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon revealed as much to the Raleigh News & Observer's Luke DeCock on Wednesday. He said the NHL's events team visited Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack, in September.
Dundon called the league's evaluation of the site "progress," while conceding that the potential open-air affair won't have the fanfare or branding of a Winter Classic game. Instead, it will be a team-organized event done with NHL approval.
“Traditionally, the Winter Classic is more for a national audience," Dundon said. "We’re not ready for that. We haven’t earned it.”
He didn't seem too concerned about not having the branding.
"The NHL is excited and we’re excited and then we’re not dealing with national perception," Dundon said. "Because we’re not doing it for them. We’re doing it for us and our fans.”
An NC State spokesperson told DeCock that the university and athletic department support the idea and would be willing to cooperate with the league and the Hurricanes.
Back in January, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said an outdoor game at Carter-Finley was "not out of the question."
The football facility, which has a capacity of over 57,000, is directly across the street from PNC Arena, home of the Hurricanes.