The 2023 Stadium Series featured the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals at North Carolina State University’s Cater-Finley Stadium where their football team plays. The Hurricanes won the game, 4-1, in front of a historical 56,961 sellout crowd – the biggest for a hockey game in North Carolina. Martin Necas had a three-point night.
What makes it more impressive for the sellout is that the Hurricanes fans, the “Caniacs”, sold out their portion of the tickets, twice after the first wave of allotted tickets should out in minutes. While it might not happen in the next year or two, the Hurricanes should participate in another outdoor game as the “visitors”.
Hurricanes Consistency Draws
The Hurricanes deserve to participate in another outdoor game, whether it’s the Stadium Series or the Winter Classic. They are on a home sellout streak of 86 games dating back to last season and have made at least the second round of the playoffs since 2019 under head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
The Hurricanes would draw lots of interest as a southern market team that has been successful and ranks ninth in the league this season. The fans have shown that they can travel with season ticket away events always having over 200 to 300 people per meetup. If fans had more time to prepare, they would be able to get thousands to travel as away fans to an outdoor game nearby or far. Either way, it has shown over the last few years that the team can have their fans travel on the road, and for an outdoor game, it can happen on a grander scale.
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There are talks about an outdoor game in Southern Florida, featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. It is more than possible to have the Hurricanes in another outdoor game in some capacity as the away team. Two possible locations could be realistically close for both the Hurricanes and their opponents’ fanbases to come out in droves for an outdoor game, Winter Classic or Stadium Series.
The Hurricanes could play the Capitals again, maybe this time in D.C. or they could face the Nashville Predators, as they are only a few hours apart and have a solid fanbase. The Capitals could host a game at Nationals Park in Washington and the Predators at Neyland Stadium (Tennessee Volunteers) in Knoxville, TN, with 101,915 seats.
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If the NHL wants to grow the game, maybe they should try more outdoor contests between southern market teams. In that case, the Predators and Hurricanes make the most sense since they have a history of competitive games.
In the Discover Central Division playoffs during the shortened 2021 season, they faced off in the first round and it was electric, going seven games. Putting that matchup in an outdoor setting with tailgating would bring the college football charm to the hockey-like atmosphere of Smashville and Raleighwood.
Bring the Hurricanes Back Outside
Having the Hurricanes in another outdoor game could pay dividends for the NHL. We know they can draw a crowd based on the 2023 Stadium Series. If they can give it to the same few teams multiple times, they should extend that to the Hurricanes who have been a successful franchise on and off the ice since the 2018-19 season. To grow the game, they need to showcase successful teams and the Hurricanes are one of them. It only makes sense and who could deny a Storm Surge making its way to another city?
