The Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic was honored as the 2008 Sports Event of the Year by the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily. The award was presented live at a special ceremony held Thursday, May 28th at the New York Marriott Marquis in Manhattan.
The Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic was recognized as part of the Sports Business Awards program, presented by Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily, the two leading publications on the business of sports. The Sports Business Awards recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the sports industry for 2008.
The Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic was chosen from five nominees for Sports Event of the Year including, in alphabetical order, Daytona 500, MLB All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Game and the U.S. Open (Golf).
As reported by the SportsBusiness Journal, "In a bold move, the NHL stole the limelight away from collage football on New Year's Day. A record crowd of more than 71,000 at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium witnessed the historic Winter Classic, which established a blueprint for the future. Earning a 2.6 overnight rating on NBC, the Classic posted the best overnight NHL regular-season rating in more than a decade.
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