Big Game for the Big House

They never play football in ‘The Big House’ on New Year’s Day, but they will be playing big-time hockey there in 2013.

The NHL announced yesterday that Michigan Stadium will be the host for the 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, an event that could set an all-time world record for attendance at a professional hockey game.

The Detroit Red Wings will make their second Winter Classic appearance as the home team against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

While the seating and playing area configurations have not been settled, Michigan Stadium’s listed seating capacity is 107,501.

The game will be broadcast live on NBC in the U.S. and on CBC and RDS in Canada. "The Red Wings’ tradition of excellence, Detroit’s passion for hockey and the glorious history of the Maple Leafs create a Winter Classic scenario for the ages," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. "The meeting of these two ‘Original Six’ rivals, at this iconic venue, will lift this Winter Classic to incomparable heights. The demand to be there will be so great that this event could only be held at ‘The Big House.’"

Unlike past Winter Classic, associated games and events will actually be held in downtown Detroit at Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. Christened The Hockeytown Winter Festival, the festivities include an alumni game between notable Red Wings and Maple Leafs legends, as well as youth games, high school and college hockey games, sled hockey games, AHL and OHL games and more.

The first in what became the Winter Classic – 2003’s Heritage Classic – held the North America professional hockey attendance mark with 57,167. That game between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens was played at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, and game time temperatures hovered about -22F.

Ascot Supply Corporation, based in Newnan, Georgia, has selected Mark Paquette for the newly created position of vice president. In this position, Ascot Supply said Paquette will oversee the growth of the company's products, corporate profitability, manage marketing and advertising and assume many other responsibilities.

He will work under the direction of current President David Kessler and officially begin his new role on June 3. Paquette joined the tire and automotive industry in the early 1980s at his father's tire shop, and his contributions to Mohawk Rubber Sales were instrumental in the company's growth and eventual sale to Myers Tire Supply in 2021, according to Ascot Supply. Paquette eventually was given a promotion to the role of director of operations at Myers Tire Supply.