NCAA Outdoor games are uncommon, but we can look forward to one this year and reflect on some recent ones, while asking the question: Can we do more outdoors?
As we all prepare to watch the annual Winter Classic in the National Hockey League between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers, it is always a treat to look forward to NCAA outdoor games in the future, as well as reflect on events in the past, and even to determine if there should be more outdoor games that exist.
FUTURE: Weekend in Beaver Stadium
There is a lot of anticipation for the first-ever Penn State Hockey games to unfold in front of a football-designed stadium, usually sold out with over 100,000 passionate, screaming fans in the fall.
The Women’s team will take on Robert Morris at 1 PM on Friday, while the Men’s team will host Michigan State exactly 24 hours later on Saturday. Both games are conference games.
If the rankings hold, the men’s matchup will feature two of the top eight in the nation, with Michigan State even in some “best in the nation” conversations.
On the other hand, the Nittany Lions women’s program is fourth in the nation, looking to seize on an unranked Robert Morris squad.
PAST: Friendly Confines turned Frozen
Almost a year ago to the date, Wrigley Field welcomed its first set of NCAA hockey games, using the same ice surface as the Winter Classic a year ago between St. Louis and Chicago.
The Frozen Confines welcomed over 25,000 fans per game over the day of men’s games, featuring matchups between Ohio State-Michigan as well as Penn State-Notre Dame. The Buckeyes won, while the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish each earned a point from a tie.
The women’s game did not disappoint either, with one being the eventual national championship game between Ohio State-Wisconsin on show, with Michigan State-Wisconsin men’s to finish as well, where MSU won in OT. Attendance on this day was nearly 25,000 as well.
The most recent outdoor event in the NCAA a clear success.
PAST: Frozen Fenway
Frozen Fenway most recently continued its addition back in 2023, featuring a double header between Northeastern-UConn and UMass-Boston College, with Northeastern winning 4-1 and Boston College victorious by a score of 4-2, both games upsets.
The two games in one day had an attendance of 22,501.
Both this and the frozen confines came at the time of the NHL Winter Classic, allowing for ice to already be planted, which would help the financial situation.
SHOULD THE NCAA DO MORE OF THESE?
I think it is absolutely necessary to bring one of these to action every year, wherever the Winter Classic goes. This is clearly something that the NHL could willingly get behind, considering the numbers over those last two events.
Even if it is Florida this year, it would be quite the opportunity for two East Coast colleges to head south for an opportunity like this. It creates local and national recognition for the NCAA to showcase what clearly is a pool of players that is only getting more talented and will create more draft picks as time goes on, considering the new CHL rule.