NEW YORK -- The 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will feature the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 1, 2021, outdoors at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the National Hockey League (NHL®) announced today. The Wild's opponent, as well as additional details for the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, will be provided at a future date.
Wild to host 2021 NHL Winter Classic
Minnesota will face to-be-determined opponent at Target Field in annual Jan. 1 game
The 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® continues the tradition the League established in 2008 of hosting a regular-season outdoor game at the onset of the new year. The outdoor game on New Year's Day 2021 will be the 13th NHL Winter Classic and the 31st NHL regular-season outdoor game overall. For a complete history of NHL regular-season outdoor games,
click here
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The New Year's Day matchup will be the Wild's first NHL Winter Classic and second NHL regular-season outdoor game, with their previous such matchup coming in the 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™, a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Feb. 21, 2016.
Ticket information for the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will be announced at a later date. Minnesota Wild Season Ticket Members, suite and premium seat holders will be given the first opportunity to purchase 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® tickets. For more information about the game, to receive alerts when ticket information becomes available and to enter for a chance to win tickets to the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, please visit
Wild.com/WinterClassic
.
"The Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is about taking hockey back to its outdoor roots - and there is no better place to celebrate the incredible strength surrounding our game than in Minnesota," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. "The Minnesota Wild organization and their fans in the Twin Cities and across the state have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to host the NHL's New Year's showcase and we are thrilled to be bringing next year's game to Target Field."
"The Minnesota Wild is truly honored to be selected to host the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic," said Minnesota Wild Owner Craig Leipold. "Target Field is a fantastic ballpark and there is no better place for the NHL's marquee event than right here in the State of Hockey. We are grateful for the opportunity to treat our fans to an incredibly unique and exciting experience celebrating our favorite game, and would like to thank NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman for his support and the Minnesota Twins organization for their help in securing this event."
Target Field is home to the Minnesota Twins and one of the premier sporting and entertainment venues in the Upper Midwest. The venue was named Sports Facility of the Year in 2011 by the Sports Business Journal and was recognized as having the best game day experience in all of sports by ESPN the Magazine in 2010. Over its first decade, Target Field has hosted Major League Baseball's Postseason (2010 and 2019) and All-Star Game (2014), multiple sporting events including Minnesota prep tournaments, an international soccer match (2016), NCAA football games (2017 and 2019), and several concerts and music festivals.
"The Minnesota Twins are absolutely thrilled to partner with the National Hockey League and the Minnesota Wild to bring the 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic to Target Field," Twins President & CEO Dave St. Peter said. "Understanding previous Winter Classic venues, hosting the NHL's annual New Year's Day showcase is an incredible honor for our organization and our community. We can't imagine a better Winter Classic setting than the one the State of Hockey will deliver at Target Field on January 1, 2021."
"Bridgestone has proudly supported the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic for more than a decade, and we look forward every year to continuing this tradition in some of the greatest venues in sport," said Amber Holm, Vice President, Marketing, Consumer and Customer Engagement, Bridgestone Americas. "This event is the NHL's marquee outdoor game and the biggest regular season stage in hockey, making it the ideal showcase for the clutch performance of Bridgestone tires and a dynamic engagement opportunity for our brand."
"The great State of Minnesota is synonymous with hockey, making Target Field in Minneapolis a fitting host of the 2021 Bridgestone Winter Classic. This game is going to be a tough ticket for fans, and it will be a career highlight for the players who get to play outdoors on New Year's Day," said Don Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director.
"I can't think of a better way to celebrate our great hockey history than by welcoming visitors to Minneapolis for the 2021 NHL Winter Classic," Sports Minneapolis Executive Director Melvin Tennant said. "Minneapolis is a premier destination for outdoor winter tourism, and we intend to showcase everything our city and region has to offer to NHL fans who will join us next year."
The 2021 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will be broadcast live on NBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Game time, ticket information and other events surrounding the game will be announced when available. NHL Social™ will have exclusive coverage on all social platforms using the hashtag NHL #WinterClassic.
Today's announcement was made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman during the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators at Cotton Bowl® Stadium in Dallas. Dates and locations for additional NHL events taking place during the 2020-21 season will be announced when available. Fans can sign up for news and information on all of the NHL's events at
nhl.com/events
.
