Outdoor hockey game in Seattle, Washington
The 2024 NHL Winter Classic was an outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game, part of the Winter Classic series, at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington. The game was played on January 1, 2024, between the two most recent NHL expansion teams: hosts Seattle Kraken and the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. The Kraken won 3–0 and became the first team to earn a shutout in a Winter Classic.[1]
Background
The league announced the game on January 2, 2023, before the start of the previous season's Winter Classic.[2] This was the first Winter Classic held in the Pacific Time Zone, as well as Seattle's first outdoor game.[3] Vegas previously appeared in the 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe.[2]
This was also the first Winter Classic to take place in a stadium with a retractable roof. Due to Seattle's rainy climate that may have affected ice conditions, organizers planned on closing T-Mobile Park's retractable roof in case of heavy rainfall.[4] This could have resulted in the first "indoor" Winter Classic, and the first such game since the 2014 Heritage Classic at BC Place in Vancouver. However, on game day, the weather forecast was partly cloudy with a temperature of 44°F and only a 10% chance of rain, and the roof was left open during the game.[5]
The rink was surrounded by decorations in a nautical theme that reflected local heritage and the Kraken mythos; topographic designs were laid on the surface and the walkway between the rink and dugouts resembled docks and piers. A boathouse was used as a broadcast studio.[6] Construction of the rink began in December using a temporary ice plant to pump up to 3,000 US gallons (11,000 L) of glycol to create the rink surface.[7] A two-day fan festival was held on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in the north parking lot of Lumen Field, located adjacent to T-Mobile Park. The event included a mobile hockey museum and a display of the Stanley Cup.[8]
Both teams' uniforms were leaked to the public four days prior to their official unveiling on November 22, 2023. Players from the NBA's Utah Jazz were spotted wearing the Kraken's Winter Classic uniform inside the Delta Center,[9] while All Elite Wrestling host Renee Paquette wore the Golden Knights' Winter Classic uniform ahead of the promotion's Full Gear pay-per-view.[10] The Golden Knights wore faux-back 1917 vintage white uniforms with heritage gold stripes, gray pants and helmets, featuring a stylized gray "V" crest with petal accents and gold trim. The Kraken wore Seattle Metropolitans-inspired uniforms in the team's current colors, featuring barber-pole stripes in ice blue, vintage white and deep sea blue, and a stylized red "S" modeled after the team's logo.[11]
Entertainment
The American national anthem was performed by 14-year-old guitarist Nikhil Bagga (who has also performed at select Kraken games at Climate Pledge Arena) accompanied by American Sign Language performer Brittany Rupik. Rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot performed during the player introductions while Seattle-based rock band Heart performed during the first intermission.[13]
During the pregame arrival for the teams, the Kraken wore outfits resembling workers from the Pike Place Fish Market, while the Golden Knights wore Elvis Presley costumes. The players were introduced during a ceremony that featured the Fish Market's employees tossing fish over the teams.[14]
Broadcasting
In the United States, the game was televised on TNT and streamed on Max. In Canada, the TNT feed was simulcast on Sportsnet and streamed on Sportsnet+.[15]
Television ratings
The 2024 NHL Winter Classic surpassed the 2022 game for the lowest ratings of any Winter Classic in the United States to date, with an average of 1.1 million American viewers watching the game.[16]
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