The Boston Red Sox are bringing back a hockey rink to Fenway Park this winter, featuring community skates and college and high-school hockey games.
Two hockey doubleheaders are scheduled for Jan. 7 and 14; the early games will be high-school matches with Hockey East college games slated for the 6 p.m. nightcap. The Jan. 7 doubleheader is already sold out; tickets for the Jan. 14 doubleheader (featuring Boston College and Northeastern University) go on sale Nov. 18.
“After the January 7th hockey doubleheader at Fenway Park sold out in less than a week, we wanted to offer hockey fans another opportunity to watch an outdoor game at the ballpark this winter,” said Red Sox Executive Vice President/COO Sam Kennedy. “The addition of these two games also gives Boston residents a rare chance to see two popular local teams compete at both the high school and collegiate level.”
Two free skating days for City of Boston residents as part of the Mayor’s Community Skate Days. The Mayor’s Community Skate will take place on January 1st and again on January 16th.
“Boston is the best sports town in America and with Frozen Fenway it only gets better,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “What a thrill it is for local hockey fans and our high school athletes to be able to experience hockey in historic Fenway Park. It is a truly special event and a highlight of winter in Boston.”
Several thousand tickets for the two Community Skate days will be distributed to various Boston residents and groups through the Mayor’s office.
Putting hockey rinks in ballparks is turning into a profitable venture for baseball teams, even without an NHL hockey game as part of the mix. The Cleveland Indians were surprisingly successful turning Progressive Field into a winter wonderland this past winter and will be adding an Ohio State-Michigan hockey game on Jan. 15, expected to draw 43,000 fans to the ballpark. And, of course, Citizens Bank Park is hosting the 2012 NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2. We’re a little surprised the Minnesota Twins aren’t scheduling something similar for Target Field; we can imagine the place would be sold out for a University of Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey game, especially with Wisconsin or UND in the house.
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