The puck drops March 2 for the biggest Vancouver Canucks’ game in history, by venue and attendance.
The Tim Hortons Heritage Classic in BC Place Stadium could attract as many as 55,000 fans. Tickets for the regular season game against the Ottawa Senators weren’t included in Canucks’ ticket subscription packages, so some fans sat on their wallets and are content to watch on TV instead of going under the big top. The NHL put tickets on sale to the general public with three weeks to go before Christmas, making tickets an attractive stocking stuffer for hardcore hockey fans or those who just want to be part of the gimmick.
Tickets aren’t cheap. They range from $93.45 to $313.95. The cheaper ones are closest to the field level or in the upper reaches of level 4, where there are some obstructed view seats. Chances are, many fans in every price range will be gazing up at the centre-hung video board for replays and live action – because it won’t be easy to see the puck inside the home of the BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps.
Will the retractable roof be open? Based on the small print, the NHL is going to try to make that happen. Here is what the cancellation policy says:
“The Event may be delayed or postponed at the discretion of the National Hockey League for any reason. If delayed or postponed, the Event will be held at the same location on March 2, 2014, at a later start time to be determined by the National Hockey League or on March 3, 2014. Event tickets issued for March 2, 2014, will be honoured for the postponed Event on March 3, 2014. Please note refunds will not be issued for a delay or postponement.
“The Event may be cancelled at the discretion of the National Hockey League for any reason, including, but not limited to, weather.”
Vancouver’s Heritage Classic, the third such extravaganza, is the last in a 2014 series that begins with the Bridgestone Winter Classic on New Year’s Day between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In between are the Coors Light Stadium Series games in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
Will single-event wagering be legal in Canada by March?
The short answer is, don’t bet on it. The proposed amendment to the Criminal Code to enable provincial monopolies to allow single-event betting in casinos and online spent the summer on the shelf in the Senate and then was delayed again when Parliament was prorogued.
Bill C-290 was reintroduced October 16, read October 17 and read a second time in the Senate on November 26. The NCAA and NHL were among those that spoke out against it when it was in committee stage.
Meanwhile, New Jersey joined Delaware and Nevada as the latest state to legalize online gambling. Unlike British Columbia, where it is centralized through the public-owned BC Lottery Corp.’s PlayNow website, New Jersey licensed Atlantic City casinos Borgata, Trump Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza, Tropicana, Golden Nugget, Bally’s and Caesar’s to conduct poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and slots through their own websites, which block those outside New Jersey from playing.
New Jersey estimates it could pull in $500 million in the first year, compared with the $2.8 billion in gambling at bricks and mortar casinos in Atlantic City. California is among eight other states that might follow suit.
Behind the CaesarsCasino.com technology is Amaya Gaming of Montreal. The HarrahsCasino.com and WSOP.com technology partner is Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings Inc. New Jersey is expected to keep pushing federal authorities to allow it to offer online sports gambling. That may eventually be decided by the Supreme Court. •
