"You walk out on that field and you imagine 75,000 people in the stands for a hockey game, it's going to be really cool," said Stars President Brad Alberts, who was the driving force behind push for the game to come to the Cotton Bowl. "The vibe here is terrific, and I think the experience is going to be fantastic."
Alberts said broadcaster Daryl Reaugh brought up another icon of the Stars past that held great memories when he pictured the outdoor game.
"Razor said it's an, older bigger version of Reunion Arena, and he's right," Albert said. "The sightlines are awesome, there are no suites, the upper deck is great. It was really great to let everyone see that today."
Stars players Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Ben Bishop, John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen attended the press conference and played soccer and football on the grass field. Benn said he had attended a previous Texas-Oklahoma game and said the experience gave him a glimpse of what to expect.
"I was a couple of rows up in the stands," he said. "Being a spectator for a football game was pretty amazing, so I can only imagine what it will be like for a hockey game with 80,000 people."
The stadium's capacity is 92,100, and the league still is trying to predict the amount of tickets that will be sold, but most estimates come between 70,000 and 80,000. Alberts said they have already had projected interest from more than 50,000 fans. Nashville Predators Chairman Herbert Fritch said he expects his fans will travel well, and Bettman said he liked the fact that both the Stars and Predators are first-time participants and will embrace this opportunity.
WITNESS HISTORY: [2020 NHL Winter Classic tickets to go on sale Tuesday, April 23]
"We are so proud of everything the Stars have accomplished in Dallas and the Predators have accomplished in Nashville," Bettman said. "To see the growth of hockey not just at the NHL level, but at all levels is a testament to what our presence in a community can mean. And now to come to this iconic stadium in 2020 and to have two teams who are in, I hate to use the term `non-traditional markets,' it's a testament to them, to the game and most importantly to the fans."
The Stars and Predators are both in the Central Division and could actually play each other in the first round of the playoffs if the seeding works out this season, so the rivalry is just one more twist that can make the game special.
Still, the uniqueness seems to be the biggest selling point.
"I think the country music of Texas and Nashville makes a good overall theme for the game," Alberts said. "You just walk around this building, the Fair Grounds, it's Texas history, so I think we do want to honor that. There's hockey history here, too. Jim Nill said he played over at the Fair Grounds back in the day, and we're certainly going to honor that history, too."
In addition, a Fan Festival and several events -- the Stars are planning hockey tournaments for 250 youth teams to book end the Winter Classic. It will take the work of a lot of entities, including the City of Dallas, the Dallas Sports Commission and administration of Fair Park and Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director Monica Paul just finished helping the Stars and NHL play host to the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and said she believes the city has a great head start on the Winter Classic. Spectra Management has come on board and they have helped host the 2012 Winter Classic in Philadelphia. In addition, new Fair Park General Manager Peter Sullivan helped put on one of the first outdoor hockey games at Michigan State University in 2001.
