There's little doubting the Winter Classic's popularity. The 2013 Winter Classic is set to be held in Ann Arbor, Mich., at Michigan Stadium, as the Detroit Red Wings take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to the University of Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon, at least 80,000 tickets have already been sold, and as many as 90,000 have been sold.
Michigan Stadium is the largest non-motor sport stadium in the United States, with a capacity of 109,901.
The NHL could end up selling even more than 90,000 tickets to the 2013 Winter Classic, but the NHL and NHLPA will need to resolve the latest NHL lockout. Unless the lockout is lifted within the next month, the league could cancel the game to avoid the NHLPA using it as leverage.
The Winter Classic has turned into one of the NHL's marquee moments, and certainly the highlight of the NHL's regular season. Hopefully, Red Wings fans will get to see their team take on the Maple Leafs on New Year's Day.