Carolina Hurricanes fans have been asking for years when will a outdoor hockey game be coming to Raleigh? The answer is possibly sooner than you think.
With the 2020 Winter Classic taking place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, more southern markets are being considered for host outdoor hockey games, so now is the chance that Tom Dundon and the Carolina Hurricanes front office have been waiting for.
Dundon has stated in the past he is serious about bringing in either the 2021 Winter Classic or the 2021 Stadium Series game to Raleigh, and he is pushing hard on the league office to get it done. This included talks with the Governor about bringing some outdoor hockey to Carolina and setting things into motion to make it happen.
Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the NHL, even paid a visit to Raleigh to scout Carter Finley Stadium as a possible location where cones were laid out in the shape of a hockey rink on the field to show the possible locale.
.@NHLCanes have a visitor today. #NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman takes a quick tour of Carter Finley Stadium to see what outdoor hockey would look like there. @PackAthletics #WRAL pic.twitter.com/nZQRwJt5cM
— Jeff Gravley (@JGravleySPORTS) February 26, 2019
The Carolina Hurricanes have so many advantages when it comes to hosting an outdoor hockey compared to most of the southern market teams, and recent events have even improved on our chances. Let’s look at why Raleigh is ready for some outdoor hockey?