Photo from the 2011 Winter Classic. Photo: Natalie Litz/ Flickr.

All week, there have been rumors that the NHL’s Winter Classic event would be canceled soon. Today, ESPN has reported that “an inside source” has confirmed that the marquee event has indeed been canceled. (Here) A Detroit news outlet has also reported the cancellation as definite. (Here)

If the Winter Classic is indeed canceled, it is a big disappointment. The WC is an event that appeals to a broad range of fans, including those people who don’t watch a lot of hockey to begin with. It’s upsetting for the fans, and I know it’s an event that players look forward to, but at the end of the day, this is just one game, and we’ve already lost so many.

The NHL has yet to make an official statement, but I expect one to be forthcoming, and will update this post at that time.

Update: The NHL has released their official statement about the cancellation of the Winter Classic here. Detroit is expected to host the game in 2014 now (unless, of course, we’re still locked out.)

So, that’s it. No Winter Classic. While this hurts the NHL, and hockey fans, let’s keep in perspective who the true losers are here. The Detroit area was expecting to generate a lot of revenue from people traveling to the game and the fanfest, and now those plans are all being canceled.