#SMPAsocial

[simplysustain-blog]

Semester Reflection

There's something about having to promote what I've written on my blog to my friends and family that turns me into a unusually shy person. I am actually very passionate about sustainability and I think that I've made some mistakes that other's can learn from so I think my blog could be very useful and important. 

That being said, I didn't do as much as I could have to promote my blog on my social networks. I posted mostly on twitter about my blog or my blog topic for the week and used popular hashtags to reach audiences that track/use those hashtags. I actually did get about 15 more followers over the course of the semester that all were related in someway to climate change and sustainability. 

According to my Google Analytics I received a mere 10 website visits and had a bounce rate of 67.7%. I think that if I was more consitent and creative with my social media promotion, and if I took more time to find the appropriate audiences that would want to read my blog-- it would have been much more successful. 

I also looked at my Twitter Analytics for the tweets about my blog and I received upwards of 100 impressions for my tweets about my blog however it was harder for me to get engagement. A tweet that I sent on November 9th read:

"Renewable energy: When will we get there? http://bit.ly/1ud8NOZ  #smpasocial #renewables" 

This tweet got 39 impressions, which means that 39 users "saw" my tweet but did not engage with it. I think that I was unable to get engagement on this tweet because the hashtags I chose to use were not trending or popular at the time, and I didn't include the handle of another twitter user/account (@washingtonpost @voxdotcom etc.) that has many more followers and much higher traffic than I get. 

On October 12th my blog post was focused on a Vox article that talked about America's obsession with plastic bags ( and how that obsession is distracting us from dealing with the other issues associated with climate change): 

"Are we obsessed with plastic bags? @voxdotcom article featured on my blog today! http://bit.ly/1o6Ne2j  #sustainability #smpasocial" 

In this tweet I tagged @voxdotcom and used the hashtag #sustainability and I was able to achieve 97 impressions and 3 engagements with an engagement rate of 3.1%. I think that when I tagged twitter users with larger audiences, I was able to reach my "invisible audience" and drive traffic to my blog or at the very least an article on Vox that I thought was relevant to those interested in sustainability and climate change. 

Ultimately I think that if I would have gotten over my fear of self promotion and uncertainty that I would have been more confident about posting on my social networks and I would have driven more users to read about how to implement more sustainable practices into their everyday life. 

-Lauren 

[julietmuir]

My Final Post

Hello pretty simple followers,

My final post (for the time being) is an analysis of my viewership based on social media. I am using Google Analytics to decipher exactly who visited my blog, from where, and how my social media usage worked to help me out.

What I found was that my professor is usually the 1 visitor I have on Sundays consistently (most weeks I would get at least one visit on Sunday. YAY self!)

Many of my posts using good hashtags got lots of notes (my second blog post got 7 notes, but that was insane because I had just started the blog.) Hashtags are what I blame for the success of any of my posts. My post about a magnetic makeup board got that many notes, but only one page view that day according to Google Analytics.

I also tried to keep my posts on trend. My next post about eyebrows on fleek, referring to a viral vine posted earlier that week, but I had 6 hits to my page which I can't decide is better or worse: more reblogs or more individual page hits. 

For a few weeks after, I did not get many reblogs, and a few page hits here and there pretty sporadically. On Halloween I decided to post (in the afternoon not evening) (also on a Friday not Sunday) a blog post about makeup that was good for Halloween. I used relevant hashtags, tweeted the link, and got 7 reblogs and likes. My google analytics i later found out was not connected to my blog during this week (technology is so difficult i don't even know) so I'm very mad I don't know the exact numbers, but that day I also gained 2 followers. It just shows you that good timing and hashtag usage is really useful.

My Google Analytics showed that most (a little less than half) of my page views came from organic search, aka using the tumblr search bar, and users usually had over a minute on my page and 2.8 page views. Awesome numbers! Social drew the next number of people to my page. 33% of my views came from tumblr and twitter (I am terrible at facebook, so I think my lack of power there led to one view from that outlet). My twitter brought in the most, 75% of views from social media, and that is probably because of my consistent tweeting about the page. The last category that brought in viewers was direct, which would probably be me sending the link to my professor and my friends via text.

Most page hits according to Google Analytics were to the home page, but one of my most popular pages was about how to fix eye shadow pallets. I wish I knew why, but maybe because it was a useful post with a good amount of hashtags? Overall, using twitter was a good move for me. I think I should have used more hashtags on twitter because they helped me so much on tumblr... I found a nice niche and I think with more concentration this blog could really grow! I learned a lot about blogging, branding,  and tumblr and this was a great experience.

xx Juliet

[ericahalvorson-blog]

Almost kinda saw some live music

Well, guys, I still haven't had a picnic on the National Mall - and as the weather continues to cool down, the outlook for that is growing dimmer and dimmer...

Howevz I did find myself on the National Mall this week for another first - my first concert on the National Mall.

I've never really done anything special for Veteran's Day, so when I heard about the Concert of Valor, I (along with hundreds of thousands of other Americans in the DMV) knew I had to go. 

Unfortunately, GW did not honor the national holiday with a day off of classes. Seems a little peculiar for a university that boasts their veteran student body - but what do I know? 

So, there was no staking out a prime spot on the Mall to watch the show. Which is too bad, because that would have been a perfect opportunity for that picnic I've been meaning to have..

All day, campus was buzzing with plans and rumors. Are you going to the concert? Everyone wanted to know. Are you most excited for Rihanna or Bruce? Was the big debate. I heard there will be 800,000 people. Yeah, right. I heard the Mall will be at capacity by 3:00.

Well, those were all rumors. As my friends and I made our way down to the Mall around 6:30 - just a half hour before the opening act - we were surprised by how close we could get to the main stage. Based on all of the buzz and rumors floating around, we assumed we'd be watching from the Lincoln steps. Alas, no where near 800,000 people showed up.

But that doesn't mean it wasn't crowded. It was. In fact, for the most part all I saw was the back of other people's heads. And not the back of Dave Grohl or Meryl Streep's heads. Just the back of some regular-ass heads. As far as concert experiences go, the Concert for Valor was, well, lackluster. 

But I did get this really cool video of Bruce Springstreen singing Born in the USA acoustic in real life on a screen. So, that counts for something, right?

Guys- I saw Bruce Springsteen in real life on a screen. #BornInTheUSA #TheConcertForValor #VeteransDay

A video posted by Erica Halvorson (@ericahalvorson) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:53pm PST

[must-be-music]

Song Picks of the Week

Iggy SZN - Iggy Azalea

Iggy released a new song this week and the internet went crazy. With her single "Black Widow" at its peak, a new song was the cherry on top for all of Iggy's fans. Just like all of her other songs, this song is on point.

Guts Over Fear - Eminem feat. Sia

With Eminem's raw voice and Sia's smooth vocals, this song is a win-win. Eminem is a complete pro at what he does and brings newcomer Sia into the mix, making a song that is destined to be a hit.

I'm Not The Only One - Sam Smith

Sam Smith is a genius when it comes to making soothing and relaxing music. His voice and the music are a perfect combination that, like his hit "Stay With Me," makes an amazing song that will never get old. 

[cchumakov]

A Touch of Inspiration

Throughout this blogging process, I have been curious as to what other travel blogs were out there, and the types of things they write about. I am constantly inspired by travel and pictures that capture amazing moments around the globe. Below are some of my favorite travel blogs that inspire me.

NatGeoFound

Found is a site that presents a collection of photography from the National Geographic archives. The site showcases amazing pictures of people, scenery, food, etc from various locations around the world. The photos are from the past and present and show awestruck pictures from different time eras and different countries. Although there are not many words on the website, it is fun to look at the various pictures that are posted daily.

Panorama

Panorama is a cool travel blog showcasing the under-reported issues throughout the Arab world. With various documentaries and imagery, Panorama is on a mission to diminish the stereotypes that surround the Middle East.  

Nowhere Mag

Nowhere Mag is one of my favorites. It is a downloadable journal presenting various travel stories from around the world. The stories can be short or long, through writing or video that talk about an experience different individuals had throughout their travel adventures.

A Restless Transplant

A Restless Transplant is a blog created by Foster Huntington, who in 2008, left his NYC job and moved into a camper, where he has travelled 80,000 miles around the American West. Foster documents his adventures, surfing and camping around the US through his beautiful pictures. 

[alicmoore-blog]

Image source

I think there is definitely a bias created by networked publics. How can people have a completely nuanced view of something, and actually be able to say they are engaging with the world when they are being selective about what they see in the social network feed?

One example I can think of is basically every GW student that claims they are "politically aware" but also says they "refuse to watch MSNBC" or "refuse to watch Fox News" or don't follow Twitter accounts that don't coincide with their views. Such students are victims of their own closed-mindedness and will likely go on forever under the impression that they are "aware" when in reality they are pigeon-holing themselves through the digital space they have created.

--Alison Moore

[eaux-kae]

The End Is Nigh!

Thus far, this blog has been dedicated to documenting the experiences and thought-vomit produced by the closing chapter of my college career. There is a lot of reminiscence, a lot of introspection, and drabbles of experiences here and there of the big events of this semester.

In this special post, I will explain a few elements of my blog put into context with social media theories, incorporating topics that this blog has covered. I will make examples of past works pertaining to Tandaan and music, all in the interest of further explaining the most significant piece of this final project, which I will refer to as #DearFroshSelf14.

It is the culmination of this blog, and is intended as a glance back to reassess lessons learned before we move forward and end "The Final Act" of our college careers. 

But before that...

I just want you to notice me </3

In “The Wealth of Networks,” Yochai Benkler discusses the nature of the web, and the structure behind the types of sites that populate it.

He differentiates between “networked” architecture and “hub-and-spoke” architecture. Networked model includes multi-directional connections between different websites, while the hub-and-spoke model is intended to have a one-way link between the website and viewers, allowing for less interaction.

 Examples of networked architecture are sites like Facebook where there are links and interaction up the wazoo, or even a blog that engages audience in discussion and provides links to other relevant sites (hence the multi-directional thing).

 I’d say my website falls in line with hub-and-spoke architecture. While some of the blogposts definitely relate to the audience, can engage them, and benefit and interest them in some way (like my “motivational” posts), a lot if it is my stream of consciousness and I speaking into the web. This poses a problem for spreadibility and sharable…ness.

 When everyone can speak, the central point of failure becomes the capacity to be heard—who listens to whom, and how that question is decided. Speaking in a medium that no one will actually hear with any reasonable likelihood may be psychologically satisfying, but it is not a move in a political conversation. - Yonchai Benkler

 In hindsight, I could have made this blog a more interactive experience by saturating it with memes, and advice on graduating/college. Even a few tweaks to old posts that appear to be thought-vomit could make the site more spreadable and sharable. It is worth considering a larger audience beyond my narrow, immediate network, as much of my content is general and relatable to those that I am not just regionally close to.

Can I engage you?

Then what exactly is spreadable? In Spreadable Media, Jenkins discusses how those who succeed in creating spreadable media listen to and aim to speak to the needs and wants of their audiences. And, of course, one who spreads media has certain goals.

People who spread media texts ultimately seek to:

Define Themselves: Material spreads when it helps people speak their own identity.

Strengthen Their Social Ties: A tweet to a friend about a clip from The Colbert Report is not just a comment about the show but also a reminder of a continued relationship, perhaps to follow up on an ongoing argument. Of course, given the public/private nature of many social network platforms, recommendations people make for their friends are likely seen by others. 

Increase Their Notoriety: Content is more spreadable when it allows audience members to say something to their audience [...]

Build Community: Media texts often serve as a central resource for audiences to use in creating a social movement or gathering, whether fan communities who spread these works to bolster their collective enthusiasm or a group of protesters who circulate material to drive support behind a key social issue.

  My primary audience/network consists of friends and colleagues in the GW/DMV College Asian Community, and many of my posts have been geared towards that audience in particular, as they can relate.

So below, you can see how my creation of the “Tandaan: A Legacy” cover campaign was used to promote the cultural show that I have been promoting/stressing about throughout the past few posts of this blog (Tandaan XIV). I focused on a few factors that Jenkins deemed relevant in making something sharable and spreadable, such as nostalgia, easy reusability, humor and making it relevant to multiple audiences. 

Several seniors that have participated in Tandaan had their own cover photos made, featuring pictures of them taken during past Tandaans since freshman year, covering the nostalgia and reusability factor. It appealed to our target audiences and networks, inciting interest, and legitimizing a show, in a way. 

Humor and reusability: few friends actually made a parody of the ads using a stuffed animal (Nigel the Hippo, if you were wondering) and props from the show. The humor factor came about because of the reusability of the campaign, and it became a meme of sorts for a while.

Networked publics

As I've mentioned before, this blog has had a limited, and narrow audience. However, in broadening the content and make it more spreadable and sharable so that it is not wittled down to being applicable only to a certain community (like the Tandaan: A Legacy campaign), one could appeal to a broader audience when taking Jenkins' insight into account.

With the spreadable content created, it is interesting to consider to whom this is all spreading. Danah Boyd discusses networked publics, differentiating between a mediated and unmediated public (which both act as networked publics). An unmediated public refers to a space where "visual and auditory information is limited by physics." She uses the example of falling in public - the unmediated public includes only who was there to witness it. Think physical.  A mediated public refers to a space where the network mediates interactions between members of the public - technology such as television, radio, newsprint, and the internet can act as mediating technologies. Think metaphysical. 

Mediated publics open the possibility for spreading media through to a much wider audience, with the following four properties making them prime for this purpose: 

Persistence: Content spread through mediated technologies persists, whereas interactions that take place in unmediated spaces do not.

Searchability: What is put into the web is searchable with a few keystrokes. 

Replicability: Literally copying and spreading to other places (like the sharing of links) works in spreading media. 

Invisible audiences: A larger number of people can come across your interactions across mediated spaces - for example, when Facebook shows you what your friends posted on their friend's wall. You are apart of the invisible audience. 

Take a past music cover I did for instance. 

This cover is here to stay (persistent), can be found upon a search of the covers of the song (searchable), the link has been shared (replicability), and when people posted it to Facebook, its reach extended to their friends, who I do not know (invisible audiences). 

It's the fifth cover down when "let me love you ne yo cover slow" is searched. Using keywords is important, as this does not populated immediately when "let me love you ne yo cover" is searched, which is more preferable. Perhaps using "acoustic" would have helped and made it more searchable. 

#DearFroshSelf

The money part of this post is this project. 

My blog's theme, as stated in the introduction, is about the final chapter in my college career, and that's obviously something a lot of us nationwide, and worldwide, are going through right now.

With that in mind, I made a short video in which I answer the following question I pose, aimed at soon-to-be graduates. 

The question is: If you could talk to your soon-to-be college freshman self, what would you say? 

This video, as a project, aims to get people talking about their college experiences, and lessons they have learned that they wish they would have been able to impart onto their Freshman selves. 

In regards to Benkler, one could answer the posed question across several social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Vine, Instagram, anything. All one would have to use is the hashtag to identify with the topic. Thus, it would coincide with networked architecture model of the internet.

Through this video/project, the aim resonates with what Jenkins considers spreadable. The aim is indeed to define myself and my own experiences, it's to strengthen social ties amongst graduates to be, or really anyone that wishes they could go back and speak with their freshman self, perhaps this will increase notoriety, and it will hopefully supplement the Class of 2014 community we have going on already. 

Alongside that, it has the nostalgia factor and it's easily reusable through the simple hashtag #DearFroshSelf14. It's open ended so everyone can make a response to it too, and it appeals to a wide audience.

Lastly, Boyd's Networked Publics Also relates, as the mediated public will be the focus audience, that gets the opportunity to interact through mediated technologies. 

This video was a little short, but purposefully so, as we know how short the audience's attention span is. So the important info is in the "about," and in the first second of the video too. 

Depending on how much traction this gets, I could even develop this into more videos, or even a blog dedicated to messages people have for their college freshman selves. The multimedia possibilities are endless.

[zds82691]

Will this be the First and the Last Cold Weather Super Bowl?

This Sunday is certainly bittersweet for me as it is the last football Sunday until the fall and I truly do not know what I will do with myself without football until then!

With that being said, this year’s Super Bowl is certainly going to be an interesting one considering it is the first Super Bowl that is being played in a cold weather environment. Super Bowls are always held in warm weather cities (Miami, San Francisco) or enclosed stadiums (Dallas, Indianapolis). This unconventional decision has not been without an overwhelming amount of criticism from the media as well as current and former NFL players. During an interview on ESPN Radio, former NFL player and coach, Don Shula, said, “I certainly believe that when you get to a game of that magnitude, you want to play it in conditions where weather won’t be or might not be something that affects the outcome. So that’s why I think Miami, New Orleans, San Diego, all those warm-weather cities are the best cities for a game of that magnitude…Plus, the fans. You’ve got to give the fans an opportunity to come in ahead of time, enjoy what the town has to offer, enjoy the game and then stay for a couple of days afterwards, and enjoy everything. So if it’s a brutal weather condition in New York, you’re not going to do that” (http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/10351692/super-bowl-xlviii-don-shula-not-fan-super-bowl-metlife-stadium). The majority of NFL players have echoed Shula’s sentiment.

Two weeks ago, ticket prices were breaking records as the most expensive Super Bowl tickets of all time – ranging from $25,000 to $2,500 per ticket. Last weekend, prices plummeted on average by roughly 20%. Many believe that the prices dropped because much of the hype has subsided due to much of the criticism. While I respect the NFL for making an audacious move by having the Super Bowl in a cold weather environment, I do not think there will be another one in the near future. In my humble opinion, the NFL should continue to hold Super Bowls in its conventional environments such as warm weather cities and enclosed stadiums, while also mixing it up every so often. Unconventional ideas include a Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or San Juan, Puerto Rico (even though they neither has a NFL team).

 Next year’s Super Bowl will be in Glendale, AZ, followed by San Francisco and Miami.       

[smpasocial]

Don't Be Shy

Like many of my classmates, I felt uncomfortable with self promotion on social media. I think this was amplified, because I was often writing about myself and my own experiences on my blog. Why would anyone care about that?

Often times, I even hoped that no one would click on the link and read my post!

Simply put, I'd promote more. Especially on Facebook. I did better anytime I tagged a person or company that my post talked about, and when I included "news you can use." So, if I were to do this all over, I'd just have to stop being shy. 

- Erica

[woody-allen-blog]

Midnight in Paris-The Real Locations

For my final blog post this semester, I've decided to discuss Midnight in Paris. It's probably one of my favorite Woody Allen films and I studied abroad in Paris, so this film holds a special place in my heart. I fell in love with the city and like Owen Wislon's character, I often found myself walking around everywhere so I can take it all in. So instead of writing a normal film review, I'm going to show you some pictures from my nights walking around the city and other scenes from the film. I hope you like them.

Giverny

This is Giverny, home of Claude Monet. It is here where he painted his famed water lilies. Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams are here in the first scene of the film. They filmed in the summer, so more water lilies were in bloom, but honestly I thought that it was beautiful even in the off season. It's a great place for a day trip and not too far from Paris!

The Steps

Here are the steps that Owen Wilson's character went to every time he was picked up and transported back in time. One night I didn't have much going on so I decided to walk over and be there at midnight. It was really cool visiting but Woody Allen definitely changed the scene a little bit. In the film, there was nothing really around these steps, but in reality they are right across the street from a popular cafe.

Cafe de Flore

This cafe is not featured in the film, but I thought that it was important to talk about. This is Cafe de Flore, a favorite cafe of Ernest Hemingway's. Hemingway wrote and people watched here. His novel about Paris, A Moveable Feast, was written here. The book was an inspiration for Allen when making this film.

Shakespeare and Company Bookstore

This is Shakespeare and Company, one of the few English bookstores in the city. It's featured in Midnight in Paris and has the ideal location (right across from Notre Dame). This was my favorite place in all of Paris. Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald both spent time here when they lived in Paris. James Joyce used the upstairs as his office. After hearing the history of this bookstore, it's obvious why Woody Allen used it as a location in the film.

So that's about it. I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I really loved writing the blog this semester and I want to thank everyone who read it! I leave you now with a closing shot of Paris at midnight.

[julietmuir]

I am a makeup guru, obsessed with all things beauty. Tune in for great tutorials, reviews, and just chats about the best products on the market... In my opin...

hi all!

This week I wanted to shed a light on one of my facorite people on the earth, Annie. We met in high school as juniors (in London of all places) and she has taught me almost everything I know about makeup.

Annie's channel, everyallure, highlights make up, looks, clothes, hacks and basically Annie's insane sense of humor. It is so entertaining to watch. She has over 1,000 followers, which to me makes her a celebrity. Annie is my most famous friend!!

Some of my favorite videos include:

The Perfect Winged Eyeliner

A Kendall Jenner Inspired Look

Annie's Outfits from ASOS 

Annie Answering Questions About Herself (i love this)

Basically I love Annie, she has a lot of great tips and she is hilarious.

xx Juliet

[ericahalvorson-blog]

District Point of View: a night at the POV Terrace

On any given Saturday night, you're likely to find me cheering on my favorite (or maybe just my favorite for the night) team at a sports bar, or thoroughly embarrassing myself at a comfortably divey (if not a little smelly) karaoke bar.

This Saturday, I did both of those things. But before I found myself biting my nails during the overtime of LSU-Alabama (despite the fact that I could care less about either team), surrounded by a sea of jersey-clad testosterone, or soaking in the sonorous vibes of a sweaty hill staffer belting out his soco-fueled rendition of "country roads," I began my night on a higher* note. 

*Higher as in class and elevation. 

Tackling one of my official DC bucket list items, I finally grabbed a drink at the POV Roof Terrace and Lounge, located on the top floor of the W Hotel. And I felt like real, certified bougie Washingtonian. 

Perhaps the highlight of the night? (Other than the jaw-dropping view of Washington Monument, which, btw, no, will never get old) The very punny DC culture inspired cocktail list. 

Me? I went for the "Marion Berry." Because how can you NOT?!

The ultra swanky rooftop bar reopened just last month after undergoing renovations. The new design pokes fun at all things Washington -- and, in doing so, the very same Washingtonian social climbers that frequent the upscale bar. 

My professional assessment?

Conceptually badass. Visually awesome. 

As for the crowd? Surprisingly, and satisfyingly diverse. I was worried that the crowd would be too chic and snobby for me to unabashedly behave the way I fully intended on behaving: like a tourist, specifically, a child at Disney World. Yeah, there were the unavoidable tables of probable lobbyists (associating all Washington assholes with lobbyists is cool, right?) with bottle service, taking themselves way too seriously. Thankfully, I wasn't the only one mesmerized by the stunning view of our city. I could geek out in peace and minimal embarrassment. Success.

To sum up my evening in the only way that feels right for a social media obsessed millennial such as myself, (by that i mean VIA HASHTAGS)

Too chic to smile. #awkwardhandphoto #readyformycloseup #holyshitilovedc

A photo posted by Erica Halvorson (@ericahalvorson) on Nov 11, 2014 at 3:26pm PST

[must-be-music]

Song Picks of the Week

Style - Taylor Swift

With the release of Taylor's new album, the music scene has been shaken up (in a very good way). Personally, there are only a few songs off of "1989" that I like, one off them being "Style." This song still has a bit of the old Taylor Swift in it but with some new style.

Ready to Run - One Direction

With the anticipation of One Direction's new album "FOUR" coming out in only a few days, the band decided to release a few songs early with a preorder (this song being one of them). The song "Ready to Run" has a similar vibe to their hit "Story Of My Life" but is a refreshing sound for the band. I am waiting for this one to be their next hit.

The Heart Wants What It Wants - Selena Gomez

Making somewhat of a comeback, Selena Gomez did it strongly with this new song. I was never a huge fan of hers but this song has me hooked. Not only is it super emotional and seems so genuine, but it is totally unique to her style. I love it!

[alicmoore-blog]

Source

I think the reason I stay plugged in is being I don't want to be left out of what's going on in my social circles. As pathetic as it is, social media has become a huge part of our social lives; how we keep in touch with our friends who are in other parts of the world, how we know what's going on with our sorority or fraternity, etc. Social media is also the root or catalyst of a lot of social drama that happens, in my opinion. Michael Scott is absolutely preaching to the choir in the gif; if I don't know the latest happenings in my social circle, it's usually because I haven't been social enough! 

--Alison Moore

[eaux-kae]

the works.

Working on an online portfolio to showcase my extracurricular media stuff. 

I am very much digging Wordpress's new portfolio feature. 

(99% Of it all is PCS related. What is my life...)

[zds82691]

NHL's 2014 Stadium Series: Original or Overkill?

In 2008, the National Hockey League (NHL) created the "Winter Classic," an annual event where two rival teams would play a regular season game in an outdoor stadium.

In my humble opinion, the Winter Classic has been an exciting game and tradition because it only happens once each year - until now. This year, the NHL decided to commercialize the Winter Classic by creating the "2014 Coors Light Stadium Series." In addition to the annual Winter Classic game, the Coors Light Stadium Series includes four more games that will be held in outdoor stadiums in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago:

Saturday, January 25th - Los Angeles Kings v. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

Dodgers Stadium

 Sunday, January 26th - New Jersey Devils v. New York Rangers

Yankee Stadium 

Thursday, January 29th - New York Islanders v. New York Rangers

Yankee Stadium

Saturday, March 1 - Pittsburgh Penguins v. Chicago Blackhawks

Wrigley Field

This year's Winter Classic was a fantastic match-up between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings at the Big House at the University of Michigan, the largest sports venues in the nation. Tickets sold out in 24 hours and 110,000 fans attended the game, which broke a record for the highest attendance at a hockey game. HBO also created a show, 24-7 the Road to the NHL Winter Classic, which chronicles both teams’ preparation and performance leading up to the Winter Classic.

So the Winter Class has become a refreshing, annual tradition - why ruin it?

There are a handful of issues that irritate me about the Coors Light Stadium Series. First, this Coors Light Stadium Series takes away from the actual Winter Classic. It truly is something special to watch a NHL game being played outdoors, especially when it happens once a year. Additionally, if the NHL is going to commercialize the Winter Classic by turning it into a "series" then they should at least spread the games out geographically to engage more hockey teams and fans. While I understand that the Coors Light Stadium Series enables the NHL to capitalize on merchandise and ticket sales, I think they are making a grave mistake by diminishing the value of the Winter Classic. I am curious to see how the Stadium Series pans out for the NHL this year and if they replicate it in the coming years. At the moment, the NHL has only confirmed a Winter Classic for 2015, which will be held at Nationals Park in Washington, DC.