Raleigh Gets All-Stars in 2011
Thursday · Apr 8 · 2010 | 4:33 PM PDT
The Carolina Hurricanes will host the next NHL All-Star Weekend, January 29-30, 2011 in Raleigh, N.C., which will include the 58th NHL All-Star Game.
The NHL made the announcement today in front of fans outside the RBC Center, where the event will be held. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the Hurricanes beat out 14 other team applications but didn't say which clubs applied.
Many assumed the league would award the big event to the Phoenix Coyotes, who might've benefited from the extra attention and financial help the NHL biggest stars would've attracted. I'm going out on a big limb here, but is it a subtle sign the league is considering allowing the franchise to find a new home?
The Hurricanes have never hosted an NHL All-Star Game since moving to Raleigh. The Hartford Whalers had it in 1986. This will mark the third straight time an Eastern Conference team will play host to the All-Stars.
There was no game this year because of the Olympics, but Montreal had it in 2009 and Atlanta in 2008. The Canes will be the fourth Southeast Division team to have the All-Stars since 1999 when Tampa hosted. The Panthers did it in 2003.
So let the concept art begin! What will the All-Star jerseys look like? How about the All-Star logo? Who will play in the most-watched exhibition game of the season? And most importantly, what do you think of the host selection? Did the league make the right call?
Reader Comments (17)
for future Allstar Games, I think the NHL should focus on teams who have never hosted before, rather than going with teams who have, so this is a good step in the right direction. Maybe Columbus, Ottawa, washington, Buffalo, and I don't think Detroit has ever hosted before either, correct me if I'm wrong.
Honestly, I am not a huge fan of Carolina being named host. Sure they have great fans, but they don't have a top of the notch or historic venue. Also what else is there around the arena? I don't know Carolina all to well but I don't have a good feeling about there being a neighborhood being around the RBC Center.
Phoenix seemed like a logical choice. The Jobing.com Arena is one of the newer ones in the league and it also is a western team's turn to host. This is the only sport, I believe, that Phoenix hasn't had or slated to have the All-Star game. They had the 2009 NBA game, they will have the 2011 MLB game, and they had Super Bowl XLII. Also not to mention they just had Wrestlemania there.
Carolina isn't terrible, it isn't like Edmonton or Columbus or other small market teams with less then attractive venues, but the NHL could have made a better call.
no the all star game has to make a return to new jersey!!! If it did, i would definitely go. We have a arena that can definitely hold it.
Who cares about the All Star game.
I used to like it before they started messing with the All Star calendar. When they moved it to a Wednesday one year I had enough. Now I don't care.
As a Canes fan, I am obviously biased, but here are my two cents:
I, as well of tens of thousands of other Caniacs are absolutely thrilled to get the all-star game. Tonight's game against Montreal was probably the loudest game i've ever been to, and most of the noise came from all that Caniac pride. We have great fans, that's a given.
In terms of the city, it may not be a huge metropolis like Chicago, New York or Montreal, but throughout the past two years, Raleigh has grown into a major city in the south, with the addition of the brand new convention center, as well as a bunch of new 4-star hotels. Our arena may not be in the heart of downtown Raleigh, but it is within close proximity of many great attractions, such as the aforementioned downtown Raleigh, Cameron Village, Crabtree Valley, Glenwood South, and things of that nature. Most of you probably have no idea what i'm talking about, unless you live here in NC.
All in all, I think that this all-star game is just what the doctor ordered for the City of Raleigh.
i dont like carolina having it. not sure why. just dont see the potential here.
columbus or calgary should have had it.
It's clear that the purpose of an All-Star game is to promote hockey in that region, trying to get the vast majority of people who don't care about hockey in these places on board. Why else do you think the near-dead markets of the southeast division have had the upper hand in all-star games in past years? And according to Bettman, Phoenix far from dead. I think you could be right Chris, Bettman may finally be realizing that his little desert hockey experiment has failed. An All-Star game would have helped there for sure. Move the Coyotes to a place where they can succeed like they have this year AND be supported by the community at the same time....Not happening in Phoenix
BRING BACK THE JETS!!! Send em back up to Winnipeg!!!
Probably didn't give it to Phoenix because they can't guarantee there'd be a team there next year.
I don't mind Carolina getting it. I think cities like San Jose, Chicago, or Washington should be higher up on the list though (maybe not Chicago or Washington, because Chicago hosted the '09 Winter Classic, and the Capitals are already believed to be getting the '11 Classic); you know, teams that have put a great team on the ice for the past few years, yet not really been able to "celebrate" it league-wide. I think it'd be a good thing to see some of these cities like those three get the opportunity.
In 2004 Gary Bettman promised us an All-Star game if we could sell a certain amount of season tickets. We reached the goal. But we didn't have a good convention center or luxury hotels. With that said the city of Raleigh tore down the convention center and rebuilt a beautiful new and HUGE convention center connected to a luxury hotel. And a few more luxury hotels have gone in around the area as well. If that doesn't sound deserving then I don't know what does. This city has some of the best fans in the league. But of course since we are in the south everyone wants to just assume that we are all hicks and don't know about hockey. Gary Bettman promised us the All-Star game. And he kept his promise. Having it here will be amazing. The fans will just go crazy for it. Raleigh deserves this. And is expected to benefit from it $10-$20 million! I can't wait!!!!
A-Men Brother Conor
Bring on the All-Star Game
GO 'CANES!!!
what I think is crazy is that there will only be about 8,500 tickets for the rest of the league to fight over...giving priority to season ticket holders is fine but at least leave half to other people.
I think it will be good to promote hockey in Raleigh but I do hope a more traditional American market gets it next year. That being said, fans like Conor obviously deserve the ASG. It still needs to be fixed though, the NHL needs to find different ways top make it exciting. Minnesota is getting the NHL Draft however.
Anyways please make the All Star uniforms actually decent this time.
If Carolina wants it this bad they can have it. I could care less If it ever comes to Vancouver again.
Jeremey- The ASG was chalked in for phoenix- the NHL reopened it withthe uncertainty, and after they took it away from the team they wouldn't be getting back in for the same year.
Also, the RBC center is a top facility- perhaps not as shiny as others, but it's a great place to watch a game with plenty of nice suites and such. It's also built with the ability to constantly update to new tech. And we just replaced one of the last actual sony jumbotrons (actually a model name, not being made anymore) with a Daktronics 'compensator' HD model. And a new sound system went in the year prior. Also, historic venues don't get it often- it's mainly a way for the NHL to promote the game and to reward teams and cities for new arenas. Montreal was the big exception, the first 100th anniversary for a team in your league doesn't come often.
As for Josh's ticket concern, that's normal. STH get priority, then the league takes a chunk for sponsors and promotions, and then the general public gets a chance. Pretty much always been that way. Don't worry, STH will probably resell some of theirs.
Any word on when we'll see the logo for the game?
Dear MM: give me a break, man! we love our 'canes here in raleigh! you would take back your comment in an instant if you attended just ONE hurricanes game at the RBC center. hockey is practically life here in raleigh
Bettman said the ASG didn't go to Phoenix because they don't have an owner. They will get an ASG in 2012 or 2013 if they are still in Phoenix and have an owner by that point.