Omaha has made a reputation as a big event sports town. Now there’s a hockey version.

This is a good hockey town. The Mavericks and Lancers do well. They have their following. But hockey in Omaha is a niche sport. It’s not mainstream.

Next Feb. 9, 2013, it’s got a chance to be mainstream.

The UNO-Lancers outdoor hockey doubleheader at TD Ameritrade should be a hoot. It starts at 12:45 p.m. with the Lancers and Lincoln Stars, followed by the Mavs and North Dakota. Two pretty good games, indoors or out.

Unless we get another 60-degree winter day, it will be cold. MECA will make a small mint on coffee, hot chocolate and, yes, beer. If you like your suds cold, this one’s for you.

This isn’t unique, of course. The NHL has staged the outdoor games in classic outdoor venues like Wrigley Field and Fenway for a few years now. There have been college hockey outdoors, too. The Big House comes to mind.

So it’s not unique. Still, the concept is fresh enough that the event could get some national attention, especially if UNO and North Dakota are in the national rankings.

I’m curious what it will draw here at home. Can the two cross over the 20,000 mark? Would it sell out? People love their big events. They usually love them in June or on fall Saturdays.