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Friday, 17 December 2010 18:04

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

The alumni game between the Penguins and Capitals Dec. 31 at Heinz Field will not be televised live (PG+). The practices of the real teams later in the day will be broadcast live.

NHL Network will film the alumni game and will show highlights of it during the practices and its nightly "On The Fly" highlights show. Additionally, a condesned replay of the game will be shown Jan. 5.

EN Says: Leave it to the NHL to completely drop the ball with this.

Based on the e-mails, tweets, etc we're getting on this, the alumni game might be nearly as popular as the actual Winter Classic. Yet, the NHL can't be based to cut a few episodes of  "On the Fly" to broadcast this live?

And while the practices at Heinz Field certainly merit some live coverage, what would you rather see? NHL Network's Gary Green lobbing softball questions to Sidney Crosby? Or the Mario Lemieux-Kevin Stevens-Rick Tocchet line being re-united?

Comments (8)

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written by ciejai, December 17, 2010 - 05:37 PM

Seth, couldn't agree more. The alumni game deserves to be aired live.

What an inspiration to see all those guys on skates again.

If we hadn't been hit with bad colds and an actual case pneumonia, we'd be lining up tix to the event.

Boo NHL network.

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written by Sooska, December 17, 2010 - 06:11 PM

What a travesty! The NHL hasn't figured out that Pens fans show up? That this alumni game is bigger than the Winter Classic to many of us? They'd sell out Heinz Field. I am SO disappointed that I couldn't score tickets. I suspect some shenanigans with that ticket sale. I, and many others, couldn't even search until all the tickets were gone at 10:06 am. Did they give a secret code to season ticket holders or something like that? BAH HUMBUG

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written by Bones, December 17, 2010 - 06:35 PM

Just another example of how out of touch the NHL is with the fan base. I was really looking forward to seeing the Alumni game, there is absolutely no excuse for it not televised. Supreme Overlord Bettman and his evil henchmen just don't get it...

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written by DmfnC, December 17, 2010 - 07:06 PM

I think it's a travesty for the NHL to marginalize something as unique as the alumni game. I personally had to punch out of work, just so i could go back to my computer and buy tix for it online. Which actually wasn't that hard. by 10:05 i had a confirmation number and my seats. section 119 (not the best, i know) here i come!

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written by Milwaukee Hockey, December 17, 2010 - 09:27 PM

I was actually looking forward to seeing the alumni game more than the Winter Classic...

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written by jongaltx, December 17, 2010 - 11:28 PM

They must be tying to protect the viewers in case one of the old farts has a stroke or worse during the game. I would be terrible to see Alan May or Errol Rausse flopping around on the ice live and in color via satellite!

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written by supergenius, December 18, 2010 - 12:13 PM

NHL network, NHL....dropping the ball!

I bet CBC will air it!

Oh well, I will be at the actual game and not the no-hitting slow skate. But, it would still be cool to see the old guys play around. Maybe see a Murphy dump Lemieux split the D and score one more time.

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written by Lili, December 19, 2010 - 01:07 AM

You start to think the NHL is doing a great job marketing the game, but then this occurs. I would think the casual hockey fan might want to check this out. Not the same as seeing Lemieux in his hey day of course, but the last time to see him skate on the ice I would think might draw in some fans that never watched him on the ice.

@sooska no secret code given to STH for this one cause I would of snapped a ticket up for this one.

Such a unique event first thing in the morning could draw in some viewers to watch NHL network for a few more hours then they would of on New Years Eve. It should say something how fast the tickets went and how many more people would of wanted to go that this game would be of interest

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