Overview
- It will be Utah’s first outdoor game, and Colorado has not appeared in a Winter Classic but is 1-2-0 in previous outdoor games.
- Rice-Eccles Stadium seats just over 54,000 and hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- To protect the ice, the NHL will deploy full refrigeration systems and a 248-by-124-by-32-foot tent that remains until six hours before puck drop.
- Weather remains a consideration, with rain potentially prompting a postponement, though outdoor NHL games have rarely been delayed and have never been canceled.
- The University of Utah approved alcohol sales for this special event despite its general prohibition without presidential authorization.