BOSTON // The NHL will again take over an historic baseball stadium for the Winter Classic today, looking to slam another marketing home run at Fenway Park following last year's success at Wrigley Field. Fenway, the iconic home of the Boston Red Sox and the oldest Major League Baseball stadium still in use, will provide the backdrop as the NHL returns to its outdoor roots with the hometown Bruins facing the Philadelphia Flyers.
In just three years the Winter Classic has blossomed into the NHL's signature event and is developing into a New Year's tradition on a day once reserved for a feast of US college American football. Taking the game back to its outdoor origins seems to have struck an emotional chord with hockey fans and players alike. "It is the perfect setting, to be honest with you," the Flyers' defenceman Chris Pronger said.
"What better way to get back to your roots and your childhood than playing in an outdoor game in front of 35,000 people and enjoying yourself out in nature and the elements." This year the Winter Classic will have to share the hockey spotlight with a pair of major Olympic announcements. Hockey Canada on Wednesday unveiled the team they will send to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, while the United States are set to announce tjeir Olympic line-up from Fenway today.
That has only added to the buzz surrounding an occasion that has provided a marketing and promotional bonanza for the NHL, particularly important in the US where hockey has struggled for attention. As North America continues to crawl out of a recession, many NHL teams have struggled to fill arenas, with fans cutting spending and companies trimming the money they budget for fancy suites and sponsorships.
But the downturn has had no impact on the Winter Classic. According to SportsBusiness Journal, the NHL will earn US$10million (Dh36.7m) from sponsors for the game at Fenway, double the amount for last year's event at Wrigley Field, while more than 300,000 fans entered a lottery for 40,000 tickets priced from $50 to $350. Television ratings for the 2009 Winter Classic were the highest for a regular-season game in 13 years, according to the NHL, which expects the 2010 event to improve on those numbers.
What started as a one-off novelty has become a key fixture on the NHL calendar. The league has invested heavily in state-of-the-art ice-making equipment and cities are queuing up for the chance to stage the showcase. Reports suggest New York's Yankee Stadium is at the top of a list of possible future sites while Canadians are demanding an outdoor game with Toronto, Montreal and Calgary all expressing interest.
After staging the first two outdoor contests in massive football stadiums, the NHL has found more success in the intimate settings provided by the two historic baseball homes. The first Winter Classic was played in Edmonton in November 2003, when 51,000 fans braved arctic conditions to watch what was billed as the Heritage Classic between the hometown Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. The NHL waited until 2008 before repeating the experiment, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres attracting a league record 71,217 to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.
But it was last year's Classic, staged in the cosy confines of Wrigley Field, when Detroit beat Chicago 6-4, that lifted the event to new levels. "I think it's incredible, the momentum that it's gathered through the years," said the former Bruin Ray Bourque, a Hall of Fame defenceman. "It's really been a home run I think for the NHL exposing the game to so many more fans. "What it's created, what it's done for the NHL, and hockey in general, it's been a home run over the Green Monster."
* Reuters
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Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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Stage results
1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:39:05
2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time
4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t
5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t
7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t
8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t
9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo s.t
10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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