Dallas Stars Announced As Hosts Of 2020 NHL Winter Classic
By Josh Clark
It was made public on Monday morning that the NHL had officially chosen the location for the 2020 Winter Classic. The reported host? The Dallas Stars.
The Dallas Stars have a variety of longstanding traditions, ranging from the fans chanting, “Who cares?” following an opposing goal to the big star coming down from the rafters before each game.
But one specific tradition that has become a staple in the franchise is the traditional New Year’s Eve game. The Stars have played in 20 consecutive New Year’s Eve games since the 1997-98 season. Most of the results have been positive, with Dallas going 12-5-3 over the span. And even when they come up short, like they did last night in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens, they always know how to ring in the New Year on an exciting note.
But on Dec. 31, 2019 (in 364 days), the Dallas Stars won’t be on the ice at the American Airlines Center, going for two points before the ball drops. Instead, they will be gearing up for the 2020 NHL Winter Classic, which they will play host for on Jan. 1, 2020 at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.
Yes, it’s true. After a few days of speculation and an attempt to keep it under wraps, the announcement was made official on Tuesday morning by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said on Sirius NHL Radio this morning that the 2020 NHL Winter Classic will be played Jan. 1 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
— Mark Stepneski (@StarsInsideEdge) January 1, 2019
Bettman announced that the city of Dallas would host the Winter Classic while talking on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio this morning. The official announcement is expected to be made during the second intermission of the 2019 Winter Classic between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins at Notre Dame Stadium.
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This is obviously a monumental announcement for a few different reasons. For one, the Winter Classic began in 2008 when the NHL wanted to take hockey “back to its roots” and play in an outdoor setting. The first game took place at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA and was played between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres.
Since then, there has been a Winter Classic each year except for 2013 (when the lockout-shortened NHL season occurred). But, not a single one has been hosted further south than St. Louis, MO in 2017. That’s because, as you might traditionally think, the Winter Classic is meant for a “cold-weather market.” On top of that, the Winter Classic typically has a “traditional hockey market” vibe to it.
Teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers have been featured various times in the Classic since 2007.
So, the city of Dallas (which is located in the northeast part of Texas, a state known for being a “hotbed”), hosting an outdoor hockey game in January seems ludicrous. And yet, it has all the potential of being one of the biggest sporting events of the year in DFW. Don’t forget that the high temperature in Dallas on Jan.1, 2019 (today) is 41 degrees.
And for all of the hockey fans that think it’ll be warm enough on New Year’s 2020 for Texans to ride their horses around...
— Blackout Dallas (@BlackoutDallas) January 1, 2019
Here’s a look at the average January temperatures in Dallas since 2008. #GoStars #WeHaveWinterToo pic.twitter.com/sDolIydKAj
It will be hosted at Cotton Bowl Stadium, an iconic location with plenty of football history that seats just over 92,000. The stadium is located in the middle of the Texas State Fair, giving the Dallas Stars and NHL marketing teams a world of possibilities.
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- Dallas Stars Traverse City Tournament: Who had great performances?
- Grushnikov and Stankoven lead Dallas Stars to 6-3 win over Columbus
- Dallas Stars prospects look to wrap up tournament with a win
- Burn the tapes: Dallas Stars prospects lose 5-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs
- Dallas Stars look to continue success today against the Maple Leafs
Also, this will be the second major NHL event in the past three years that Dallas gets to host. Don’t forget that just six months ago, the Stars hosted the 2018 NHL Draft at the American Airlines Center. The draft was deemed a great success with various events happening throughout the weekend, including Hockey Day in Texas. The 2020 Winter Classic will give Dallas another chance to put its passion for hockey in the spotlight.
For now, all we know is that the Dallas Stars will host the 2020 NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2020 at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. The opponent has yet to be determined, as have a handful of other logistics (including a Winter Classic jersey, etc.).
But, as of right now, it’s another huge pickup for the Dallas Stars and the city of Dallas in the NHL world. And the announcement came with some pretty good timing, too.
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With 2019 not even 24 hours old yet, the Stars already have their sights set on opening up 2020 on a massive stage. Feel free to give a big ole ‘howdy’ to that.