There is definitely something fascinating about walking into an open-air stadium to watch a hockey game. The same can be said about simply playing the game outdoors. But watching a game has a very unique feel to it.

I was afforded the opportunity to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines play on an ice rink erected down the first base line of Progressive Field (Jacob’s Field). The Frozen Diamond Faceoff was part of a larger event hosted by the Cleveland Indians called Indians Snow Days. The Snow Days celebration included a large tubing hill built in left field and basically the frozen equivalent of a lazy river. The centerpiece of everything was, of course, the ice rink.

Since my only other outdoor hockey game came at the 2008 Winter Classic, I won’t bother trying to compare the two events. They are apples and zebras. However, considering what the Indians did for the game, I was quite impressed with the overall result.

The Indians did a great job maximizing the spectator experience, providing quality entertainment and finding an attractive matchup for a city who has a strong hockey community but little allegiance to the higher levels of the game. Continue reading →