Blackhawks release Winter Classic ticket info

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Chicago Blackhawks season-ticket holders received some highly anticipated information today: The details on their ability to purchase 2009 Winter Classic tickets for the game against the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field on Jan. 1.

According to the e-mail sent to season-ticket holders, the ticket purchasing priority is based on "status" and "seat location," with emphasis that "renewing season ticketholders will have the first opportunity to make a purchase."

For example, a new season-ticket holder in the 300 Level will have access to the sale of Winter Classic tickets on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at noon, and will continue to have access through 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13 -- before they are released to the public.

We've received so much interest over the last few months regarding these tickets, we're providing the full text of the Blackhawks' Winter Classic ticket F.A.Q. sent to season-ticket holders after the jump. There's some interesting news about the NHL's approach to this event found within the text.

From the Blackhawks:

When may I purchase my tickets?
As mentioned above, tickets are being made available based upon your status as a renewing or new season ticketholder for the 2008-2009 season, and your current seat location at the United Center. The NHL has provided enough tickets for all Chicago Blackhawks season ticketholders to purchase tickets, but ticket availability is limited by specific price level. You will only have the opportunity for one transaction. If you do not purchase your total allotment of tickets, you will forfeit any un-purchased tickets once your transaction is complete.
How many tickets may I purchase?
Customers with full season packages for the Chicago Blackhawks will be able to purchase up to the same number of Winter Classic tickets as the number of full season ticket seats they have for United Center games. You will only have the opportunity for one transaction. If you do not purchase your total allotment of tickets, you will forfeit any un-purchased tickets once your transaction is complete.
What tickets will be offered to me?
As opposed to pre-assigned seat locations, the Blackhawks are pleased to have arranged for season ticketholders to select from three different price options. Although seat availability is limited by price level, there are enough tickets for all current season ticketholders to have the option to purchase a seat at one of the price levels. You will be permitted to select your price option. Seat location will then be based upon the best available seats at that price level. Selecting a specific seat location is not possible.
How much will tickets cost and where are the seats located?
Any seat will provide the excitement of being part of Chicago sports history. Blackhawks season ticketholders will have the option to purchase tickets at the $75, $225 and $325 price levels.
The seating areas with the best overall view of the playing surface will be in the upper deck. Lower level tickets will provide fans with the excitement of being close to the action, but will have a more limited view of some areas of the rink. As with last year's Winter Classic, lower level limited-view seating is being offered to youth hockey players, and an opportunity to purchase these tickets will be offered to members of the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI). A random drawing to purchase these tickets will be coordinated by AHAI. AHAI members will be contacted directly with more details.
How will I purchase my tickets?
Tickets will ONLY be available online via your ClickTix account. Please log in by using your Account ID and Account Password as shown above. We strongly encourage you to log into your account PRIOR to attempting to purchase tickets in order to make sure that you are familiar with the process. The link to purchase tickets for this event can be found near the bottom of the page after logging in to your account. Payment will be required via credit card at the time of purchase.
May I purchase tickets in more than one price level?
No. In order to provide the ability to allow customers the flexibility to select a price option and avoid pre-assigned seat locations, customers must purchase all tickets in that same price level.
What if I am a renewal customer with new seats and/or have tickets in more than one price level of the United Center?
Customers may purchase the total number of tickets they currently have as full season packages for games at the United Center at the time of their first priority.
What if I have a credit due to purchasing a 45-game plan for the United Center?
In order to provide the flexibility of selecting a price option, we are unable to show a credit at the time of transaction for your Winter Classic purchase. At a later date you will be sent correspondence requesting that you select the option to have your credit applied to future Blackhawks tickets or returned to you via check.
How and when will I receive my tickets?
All tickets are being printed on custom commemorative ticket stock by the NHL. Your tickets will be shipped to you by the United Center ticket office, but we do not currently have a delivery date. We estimate that you should receive your tickets about two weeks prior to the game.
Will I be able to post my tickets for sale via Blackhawks TicketExchange and/or forward them electronically?
No. Wrigley Field operates with a different ticketing system than the United Center and therefore is unable to scan the barcodes issued on electronic tickets issued via TicketExchange and ticket forwarding. You are welcome to post your tickets for sale via other third party resale sites such as TicketsNow.com provided that such service is in compliance with any local laws and ordinances.

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1. Posted by DB Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT
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Total BS for Wings fans. Wings are at home every year on New Year's Eve, but not this coming year because of this silly outdoor affair. There are plenty of other teams available, why mess with one team's annual tradition? Sorta looks like the NHL is pimping out the Wings as whores to bring in cash for another city...
2. Posted by DB Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT
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Total BS for Wings fans. Wings are at home every year on New Year's Eve, but not this coming year because of this silly outdoor affair. There are plenty of other teams available, why mess with one team's annual tradition? Sorta looks like the NHL is pimping out the Wings as whores to bring in cash for another city...
3. Posted by RobLobster43 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT
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Nosebleeds are the most expensive... seems wrong, yet logical
4. Posted by RobLobster43 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT
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dude, don't be so high on yourself... people don't care about the Wings
5. Posted by sefskillz Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT
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That layout is horrendous. It doesn't look like there's a decent seat in the entire place.
6. Posted by HockeeJunkee Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:28 pm EDT
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the best seat will be on my couch! this wings fan will be warm, dry, and eating inexpensive snacks!
7. Posted by matt Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:00 pm EDT
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kinda of a silly layout, kinda hard to fit a hockey rink into a baseball field. At least a football feild has people equal on all sides. but i guess if baseball fans live with it everyday, so can we for one day
8. Posted by CoreyB Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT
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Wings are clearly the crown jewel of the NHL. and Bettman only cares about $$$, not tradition. surprised the league isn't above pimping the Wings out?
9. Posted by bigbadwolf Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:54 pm EDT
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why is the game not being held at soldier field?
10. Posted by Scotty Hockey Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:22 pm EDT
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I'm making the road trip. It certainly won't come close to Buffalo but should still be special and a helluva lot better than trying to get over a hangover at home ...
11. Posted by cropduster_1273 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT
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DB, If this game was being held anywhere in Michigan, you'd be singing a different tune for sure, and just like Rob S stated, no one cares about the Wings. They're like the Yankees - boo-hoo for them if they don't get their way. They've been a dominant team in hockey for the past decade. Enjoy it why you can.
12. Posted by cropduster_1273 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:31 pm EDT
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db, if this game was being held anywhere in michigan, you'd be singing a different tune for sure, and just like rob s stated, no one cares about the wings. they're like the yankees - boo-hoo for them if they don't get their way. they've been a dominant team in hockey for the past decade. enjoy it why you can.
13. Posted by Red Wings Season Ticket Holder Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT
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What about Red Wings Season Ticket Holders? The NHL only gave the Red Wings 5000 tickets for this game! I understand they are all going to the players families, people within the organization, and other big sponsors! Let's see the NHL bring in the LA Kings or Florida Panthers or any other crappy non-playoff team to play the Blackhawks and see how many tickets they sell then! THE RED WINGS ARE THE DRAW YET WE GET GET NOTHING!
14. Posted by carl_vs_mastershake Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT
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Just for the record I feel this whole event is a silly gimic and PR stunt. It would be better suited as an All Star game. However the NHL is trying something to market itself better so good for them. I will still watch it like I watch all hockey away games in my climate controled home with beer and some snacks.
15. Posted by hockeymaster4789 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT
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A baseball field is really not the best suited. I'd think that if they don't care about the infield, they should just put it at home plate and run it along a foul line, then maybe try to fill some bleacher seats on the empty fields. As for the game being in MI, Ford Field would have been a great test-run for the NCAA Frozen Four (though indoors), and Illitch owns Comerica Park, whereas the Hawks do not own Wrigley. Still, the game at Spartan Stadium was a great success (besides ice conditions) and Michigan Stadium could hold many more people for a new attendance record. I'd bet that the Wings will get a game there in a few years when the renovations/suites are finished.
16. Posted by big audio Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT
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"A gimmicky PR stunt" will be the epitaph of Gary Bettman's reign atop the NHL.
@Wysh
Did you see Bettman's "interview" with that pinhead Stan Fischler the other night? All the praise Bettman had for Charles Wang had me in hysterics as I heard it, then as I thought about it, it truly scared the excrement out of me. "He's been so patient blah blah they need a new arena blah blah Charles Wang has been great for the team blah blah" it was incredible to hear. I got douche chills from it. Well that and Stan and Gary lathering each other up before the "interview".
17. Posted by big audio Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:04 pm EDT
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Two spineless pinheads greasing each other was truly cringe-worthy. Just thought i'd mention that.
Besides it was all total BS. Bettman wants Nassau County to build him a new arena in the middle of a depression and we the residents are not in favor of it. I'm a Rangers fan anyways but even so, the local government here is trying to catch up from being near bankrupt a few years back. If Wang and the NHL want to pay for it, sounds good. If they want the taxpayers to pay for it, that is simply not going to happen. Sorry Gary, no sale of your BS here. Maybe the Islanders should re-locate. Or contract. 11,000 fans a night is hardly worth even caring about, much less expecting the local residents to pay for a NEW building. A new building that nobody goes to better not be what my tax money is used for.
18. Posted by savvy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT
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"The Red Wings are the DRAW??"
Wait a minute. I believe I can remember last season when the talk was about the numerous empty seats at Joe Louis Arena, despite all their success in the past 10-15 years.
19. Posted by Doug F Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:47 pm EDT
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Stop your damn whining DB. The Wings asked to be part of this. So we lose one lousy New Year's Eve game to be part of a great event.
20. Posted by J.S. Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT
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The Pens fans had to deal with the same thing last season. The game isn't in your backyard, you're not losing a home game (I think?), yet you still want preferencial treatment?
Wings fan, or more specifically DB, is crying harder than three Bryan Murrays after a loss.
21. Posted by Hockeytown Yeti Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:53 pm EDT
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I'd like to know why all Red Wings Season Ticket holders aren't getting offered tickets? 42,000 seats, and only about 30,000 season tickets between the two teams. Hrmmm sounds like easy math to me. That leaves 12,000 for open market and resell of non attending season ticket holders.
For those of you bashing about the Wings New Years Eve game loss, just because your team doesn't have tradition and history don't think we enjoy having ours sold out to marketing and commercials.
For those who say the Wings aren't the draw, look at attendance for games when the Wings are in town compared to most of the pathetic attendance levels at 90% of the NHL arenas. Look at how many teams are charging a premium for when the Wings come to play. Listen to the crowd in LA when the Wings played there the other night, you would think it was a home game with the number of red and white sweaters in the stands.
Although some of the Wings fans on here are whining, no one like being screwed over by Gary and his skewed sense of reality when it comes to taking care of the fans. Worry less about gaining new fans and try keeping the ones you have.
22. Posted by Billkamm Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:26 pm EDT
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The Red Wings can even get enough Detroit fans to sell out STANLEY CUP FINALS games. If it wasn't for Pens fans those game wouldn't even sell out. Detroit has a great team... not great fans.
23. Posted by Matt J Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:11 pm EDT
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Red Wings blow!
24. Posted by brantdc1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm EDT
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Poor Detroit fans, maybe if they had a historic baseball field or even a baseball field that people would go to they could host. Let's face it no one wants to go to detroit. Go Sox, Go Hawks
25. Posted by Jon G Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT
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To post #13...
For the Sabres winter classic, they had stuff for season ticket holders, but nothing for non STH. Plus, they had a special code for Leaf and Bluejay fans to buy tickets that were set aside for them. So while I was on ebay paying $400 for top row at the Bills stadium, a Leafs and Bluejays fan paid face.