NBC Broadcast Team Pumped for Fenway's Winter Classic

Last year's Winter Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago was the most-watched NHL game in the United States in 34 years. The Jan. 1, 2010 extravaganza at Fenway Park between the Bruins and Flyers is an attempt by NBC and the league to scale even greater heights.

"Wrigley was incredible, but I think Fenway could take the Classic to another level," Pierre McGuire, the commentator at ice level for NBC for the game, said in a phone conversation with FanHouse this morning. "You've got the beautiful city of Boston during the holidays. You've got two franchises with proud traditions that want to crush each other. You've got the great outdoors and the Green Monster. This is a privilege for all of us to be a part of it."

McGuire coached three seasons at Babson College in nearby Wellesley, Mass. and lived in Boston for seven years. Two years ago he took his son to his first Major League Baseball game, making it a special treat by lining up seats on top of the Green Monster and at Fenway. "A memorable experience," he said.

Joining McGuire with Boston connections is NBC studio analyst Mike Milbury, whose local roots run deeper. Milbury was raised in the Boston suburb of Brighton and went on to become a player, assistant manager and head coach of his beloved Bruins. In 1990, he coached the Bruins to their most recent appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.

Milbury's history with Fenway Park goes back five decades. If you can believe it, he was a altar boy.

"With the altar boys, we got to go to a few Red Sox games a year for a very cheap ticket price," Milbury told FanHouse. "I went to the '67 World Series against the Cardinals. You have to remember, they called '67 the 'Impossible Dream' for the Red Sox. There was no Red Sox Nation. They had been bad for so long. It's a lot different now. For the last decade, the Sox have dominated this town."

Milbury is proud to be part of the Winter Classic at Fenway Park, and not just because the stadium is about 10 miles from his home. "This has become the biggest event on the regular season schedule," he said. "You know the atmosphere all around Fenway for a few days is going to be spectacular. It's been an impossible ticket to get. Boston is going to come up big. It's up to us to capture that on the broadcast, and I have no doubt we will."

NBC coordinating producer Sam Flood is also from the Boston area. "I know what hockey means to this town," said Flood. "This broadcast is becoming a tradition on New Year's Day. We're looking forward to Fenway Park becoming the Rink of Dreams."

Bob Costas will host the NBC broadcast, beginning at 1:00 pm EST on Jan. 1. Mike Emrick has the play-by-play and Ed Olczyk will be the color commentator.