For the past three incarnations of the NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic, HBO has chronicled the lead-up of the two participants in its acclaimed "24/7" miniseries.
That will unfortunately not be the case this season as the network has opted not to bring back the show ahead of the 2015 edition featuring the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks.
βEverybody at HBO enjoyed working with the NHL and its teams on β24/7β the past four years," HBO spokesman Ray Stallone told Yahoo Sports. "It was an exciting endeavor and weβre very proud of the never-before-seen presentation of the world of hockey that β24/7β was able to capture.
βThere was never an expectation that HBO would chronicle the lead-up to the Winter Classic every year. So we will not be involved with the NHL this season. We wish the NHL the very best and the door will always remain open.β
The Capitals were the subject of the first season of "24/7" alongside the Pittsburgh Penguins; Washington defeated Pittsburgh by a 3-1 score at Heinz Field on Jan. 1, 2011. The four-episode run featured several classic moments, including but not limited to former coach Bruce Boudreau's eventful Christmas shopping trip at Tysons Corner Center.
While HBO may have pulled out of producing a behind-the-scenes Winter Classic preview, the NHL will announce "our new partner and plans" at Nationals Park on Sept. 23, according to The Washington Post. The league created a similar show, "NHL Revealed," last season.
The news was first reported by Greg Brady of Sportsnet 590 in Canada.
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