I'd expect the Cotton Bowl to move to that January 1 slot *

Cotton Bowl in Dallas is hosting NHL Winter Classic that day

Dallas Stars vs. Nashville Predators at noon CT.

Granted, the Cotton Bowl Game is at AT&T Stadium. So stadium availability isn't the issue. But I'm not sure that the Cotton Bowl Game and the Dallas community would want these two marquee events happening simultaneously.

What if it's 75 and sunny? *

They've played games in LA outdoors

The NHL has the ice down to a science. The biggest issue is rain.

Yeah - That's why the one in Pittsburgh was nixed *

It was once, and it was at night

As I recall, the temperature was in the 60s, but the main asset was not having the sun glaring on the ice. The 2019 Winter Classic at ND, which I attended, had ideal weather for the event -- cloudy, dry, and in the 30s. That was similar to the weather in Arlington for the Cotton Bowl three days earlier. It's very unlikely to be in the 70s in Dallas on January 1, but the main things to avoid are the extremes of bright sunshine and rain.

Good point *