Four outdoor venues that could host the Bruins

Is it realistic that the Bruins can play outdoor home games this season? Maybe, maybe not, but here are four venues that they could look at playing at if local and state officials give them the go-head.

Last week, the Boston Bruins confirmed a report that they are one of as many as seven NHL teams looking at the possibility of playing some of their 2020-21 home games at an outdoor venue.

The Bruins have been speaking with local and state government officials about playing outdoors in or around the city of Boston. The thinking for moving the games outside is most likely that with the games being outdoors, there is more of a chance that some fans might possibly be able to attend games.

With that said, let’s look at four possibilities of outdoor venues that the Bruins could call home.

1. Fenway Park

This is the obvious No. 1 choice. The Bruins played there on New Years Day in 2010 when they hosted the Philadelphia Flyers and won 2-1 in overtime in the league’s annual Winter Classic.

Fenway is home to the Boston Red Sox and is one of the oldest parks in America. It is a Boston landmark that would be a great spot to play a game and an even better spot if this was the first place that some amount of fans can be let into since the pandemic started.

Major League Baseball is scheduled to begin their 2021 season on April 1. As we have found out in the last nine months, nothing is set in stone date wise. If the Bruins can make this work, it’s not a bad place where they have already had success 10 years ago.

2. Gillette Stadium

Home of the NFL’s New England Patriots, the Bruins hosted their second Winter Classic there in 2016, losing 5-1 to the Montreal Canadiens.

Being an NFL stadium, there is much more room in the stands to host fans that will have to be social distancing. The NHL is looking at a mid to late January start date at the earliest, which means Gillette would be wide open.

The Patriots, who were told that they could allow fans at games this season, will host their final game there on Jan. 3 against the New York Jets. The Pats share the facility with the New England Revolution of the MLS, which tentatively has a March start date for their 2021 season.

3. Harvard Stadium

Harvard Stadium would be a good choice if some amount of fans would be allowed to attend.

It holds about the same as Fenway would hold, but less than Gillette. With that said, this venue offers the best opportunity if fans are able to attend to be somewhat closer to the action than the other two venues.

Harvard has canceled all sports through the winter season, which means there would be no conflict for use of the facility.

4. Alumni Stadium

This would be the longest shot of all venues mentioned, but why not? Home of Boston College, Alumni Stadium could host the second-largest amount of fans (socially distancing of course) behind Gillette.

I’m not sure the higher-ups at Boston College would be on board for bringing in people from off-campus to the Heights, but hey, it’s just a thought.

In reality, the COVID-19 cases are going up all across the country and in the state of Massachusetts. As much as the Bruins would love to have some amount of fans in the stands at an outdoor venue, I’m not sure how realistic it would be. Let’s just focus on getting the NHL back on the ice and have a 2020-21 season of some kind.