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NHL cancels 2013 Winter Classic between Detroit and Toronto

This article is more than 11 years oldLockout leads to cancellation of event which NHL had hoped would attract a world-record crowd for ice hockey

The NHL has confirmed that is has cancelled the 2013 Winter Classic, which was scheduled to be played at Michigan Stadium on 1 January.

The league said on Friday that it would schedule the next Winter Classic at the stadium, which holds more than 100,000 people and had been expected to set a record for attendance at a hockey game with a match-up between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Michigan and Michigan State's college ice hockey teams drew a record 104,173 fans in 2010.

The NHL said it had to cancel the game at the Big House because it was not in position to adequately stage the event in time, without a new labor deal. Among other things, the event called for a winter festival in neighboring Detroit and the construction of two outdoor rinks for multiple college and youth teams. Some 400,000 people were expected in the area over the New Year's weekend.

Last week, the NHL wiped out all of its scheduled games through the end of November. A dispute over revenues between the NHL and its players association, the NHLPA, has led to a lockout.

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