Demand for the 2011 Winter Classic between the Penguins and Capitals sent secondary market prices skyrocketing to $489 on average, as fans filled standing room-only sections at Heinz Field.
This time around, if you hurry, tickets can be had for $89. Through Ticketmaster, too. All of them even include seats.
It's only been a half-dozen years, but the NHL's outdoor market has cooled considerably, several experts said.
And while the Penguins expect over 60,000 fans Feb. 25 against the Flyers _ quite possibly a 68,000-plus sellout, among the largest crowds that will have witnessed an outdoor game _ it's hard to avoid the reality that times have changed.
"Some of the gimmick or magic on outdoor ice is gone," Vanderbilt sports economist John Vrooman said. "The NHL's outdoor game is admittedly losing some of its fan buzz."
The problem has occurred because the NHL basically got too big for its britches.
After staging just five games in four years between 2008-11 _ starting with the Penguins trucking up to Buffalo to play the Sabres at Ralph Wilson Stadium _ there have been 15 over the past four.
It's led to an over-saturation of the market, zapping any shred of uniqueness. Stadium Series games have cropped up. The NHL has vacated the original, New Year's Day Winter Classic date.
All while trying to sell rivalries that are often trumped by mediocre hockey.
"The novelty has worn off," said John Clark, who's a professor of sport management at Robert Morris University. "Even if they constrict the number of games going forward, the novelty's still off.
"Once they overexposed _ if that's what we want to call it _ then the concept is done."
It's presented a challenge for the Penguins, but one they've actually conquered, a credit to some aggressive marketing and interest in the team that remains as high as ever.
"The novelty of a stadium game has taken a hit, but it's still an event," Clark said. "The Penguins are still popular here. And while the prices are lower, I'll bet you it will be well-attended or a flat sellout."
