It was the end of the KISS concert at Dodger Stadium in 2014, when the group hit the final bombastic notes of “Rock and Roll All Nite” and the pyrotechnics illuminated the palm trees near the hockey rink. That was the moment I fell in love with the bizarre, audacious spectacle that is the NHL Stadium Series.
Picture the Winter Classic as the nicest wedding you’ve ever attended. The Stadium Series is the after-party. Picture the Winter Classic as a Norman Rockwell painting. The Stadium Series is a black light poster with a flying saucer on it.
“The Winter Classic is more traditional, historic. It’s got that touch of snow — whether it’s real or fake,” Steve Mayer, the NHL’s senior executive vice president and chief content officer, told ESPN.
“The Stadium Series is a little more modern. Colorful, graphic-oriented, progressive, interactive,” Mayer said, entering into a brief word association mode, “nighttime, lighting, pyro … let’s go. It’s where we do a lot of future thinking.”
It’s the 13th edition of the Stadium Series. There have been 14 Winter Classic games, with the next edition scheduled for T-Mobile Park in Seattle in January 2024.
The Heritage Classic, the NHL’s outdoor series held in Canadian venues, actually predates the Winter Classic. Its first edition was held in 2003 at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium, which is the site of the seventh Heritage Classic scheduled for October. There have been special edition outdoor games like the NHL 100 Classic and Centennial Classic in 2017, and those two melty 2021 outdoor games in Lake Tahoe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those other series have their singular charms. But none of them gave us California teams in outdoor hockey games or rinks inside military academies or NHL jerseys designed to be seen from space.
In other words, none of them are the Stadium Series.
The Stadium Series was, in some ways, born out of necessity.
The Winter Classic was packing football and baseball stadiums, so it wasn’t a surprise that the NHL wanted to expand the outdoor program in the U.S. outside of New Year’s Day — and give it a different vibe.
“I think the success of the Winter Classic was why the Stadium Series was established,” said Mayer, who joined the NHL in 2015. “Go back to that time: The Winter Classic was on fire. Everyone was talking about it. There was an interest to do more, but an interest to do something a little different.”
But the Stadium Series’ debut in 2014 was a direct result of the revenue lost during the 2012 lockout, which cut the 2012-13 regular season from 82 to 48 games.
Holding five outdoor games — Los Angeles, Chicago, two at Yankee Stadium in New York and a Heritage Classic in Vancouver — was a surefire way to create a river of new revenue, and the owners and players both signed off on it.
“When you get into markets like Vancouver and see the mittens and the toques and the scarves and everything, it’s almost like having [another] NHL team with all the revenue that’s created,” John Collins, then the COO of the NHL, told me in 2013.
But another motivation for the games was to get more teams involved. By 2013, there had been five Winter Classic games but only eight teams were involved — the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers had already played twice. Only two Western Conference teams — the Original Six stalwart Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks — had appeared in the Classic. The Stadium Series would provide more outdoor game opportunities to other teams and cities, while allowing the NHL to reuse some franchises outside of the Winter Classic.
“That’s certainly the opportunity. To get to more markets sooner, and to get back to markets that worked,” Collins told me in 2013. “Boston was a great experience. Philadelphia was a great experience. But if we’re only doing one game a year, we’re not getting back there in 10-15 years.”
(In fact, it would be 13 years before the NHL hit Fenway Park again, with a visit to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough for the 2016 Winter Classic.)
The participants themselves are one of four reasons the Stadium Series rocks:
1. The teams
With the Hurricanes hosting the Capitals on Saturday and the Seattle Kraken hosting the Vegas Golden Knights next January, there are now only three teams that have yet to participate in an NHL outdoor game: The Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets — seriously, CBJ vs. Pittsburgh at the Horseshoe has to happen — and the Florida Panthers, whose ears perked up when commissioner Gary Bettman recently said the NHL was exploring an all-Sunshine State outdoor game with the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
“We’re really proud that we’re almost there, where every single NHL team will have participated in an outdoor game,” Mayer said. “Without the Stadium Series, we wouldn’t have that.”
The Stadium Series got weird right from the start in 2014: The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings playing an outdoor hockey game at Dodger Stadium, complete with palm trees around the rink and KISS on levitating platforms. The New York Rangers were the away team — per their contract with Madison Square Garden — for two games against the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils at Yankee Stadium. The other Stadium Series game that year played the hits: The Penguins and the Blackhawks, two Winter Classic veterans, at Soldier Field.
It was one of six outdoor games in which the Blackhawks appeared from 2009 to 2019.
“I can laugh about it now. About how at one point the running joke was, ‘Oh, the Chicago Blackhawks are playing? It must be an outdoor game,'” Mayer said. “There was a consistency of a few teams playing in these games. But they were participating in these games for all the right reasons: They were incredibly successful and drew big ratings.”
The Kings returned to the Stadium Series in 2015 to face the San Jose Sharks at Levi’s Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. In 2016, the Minnesota Wild made their outdoor game debut against the Blackhawks at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, and the Colorado Avalanche played their first outdoor game against the Red Wings at Coors Field.
The Penguins and Flyers played a home-and-home Stadium Series duo of games in 2017 (Heinz Field) and 2019 (Lincoln Financial Field). Sandwiched in between was a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Capitals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. The NHL went military again in 2020 with the Kings and Avalanche at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, which happened right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think that what we’ve done in the last few years is try to share the wealth and open it up to more teams,” Mayer said.
And more teams meant more distinctive locations.
2. The venues
I still think about that Dodger Stadium game. Not just because it gave us this iconic photo of Gary Bettman meeting KISS, but because of the audacity of its staging: Having volleyball players and deck hockey games on the field and embracing all that California kitsch inside of an iconic venue.
It was really the first time the NHL let its freak flag fly for one of these outdoor games. I’m not sure we get the giant cowboy boot at the Cotton Bowl or the “Ice Diamond” at Fenway without this game setting the surreal tone.
It was also the first event in the “outdoor game era” that was intended to be played at night. The 2011 Winter Classic between the Penguins and Capitals was shifted to the evening due to weather concerns. When the Hurricanes host the Capitals this weekend, it’ll be under the lights in prime time.
There’s another first for the Stadium Series in Raleigh: NC State students in attendance will enjoy the entirety of the game from the field, giving the whole thing a college sports vibe.
The Stadium Series has been played in four college stadiums, including the only two games the NHL has played at military academies, as well as five NFL venues and three MLB parks.
The first military academy the NHL approached was the United States Military Academy at West Point. But Michie Stadium was due to undergo renovations that didn’t fit the NHL’s timeline, so the league turned its attention to the Naval Academy in Annapolis instead for a 2018 game.
“That obviously was one of our more successful games,” Mayer said. “Then we went to the Air Force Academy … and we’re still waiting on Army. That’s still out there. At some point, we’d love to go. I just have no idea when.”
(If the NHL is looking for a spot to get the Florida Panthers into an outdoor game and doesn’t want to risk the Floridian climate, they seem like a natural fit for Army. Owner Vincent Viola is an Army grad who was nominated to be Secretary of Army during the Trump administration. Also, their logo is inspired by the Army’s 101st Airborne Division patch.)
Both of those venues featured sharply dressed cadets. And fashion is a key part of the Stadium Series’ appeal.
3. The jerseys
This is, perhaps, the greatest point of demarcation between the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series. Look no further than the Predators.
In 2020, Nashville played in the Winter Classic against the Dallas Stars. Their jerseys featured the team name in script across the chest inside a bright yellow stripe. Adidas, which helped create the jersey, said it had a “heritage aesthetic, featuring designs inspired by Nashville’s rich hockey history and its passionate hockey fan base.”
In 2022, Nashville hosted the Stadium Series. This time, their sweater had the word “SMASHVILLE” written in the same block lettering as an old concert poster, with a guitar pick in the middle.
“The object of the Winter Classic is to look back. That’s what informs all of our design and storytelling,” said Nic Corbett, director of sports marketing for Adidas. “When we look at the Stadium Series, it’s all about the future. It gives us a chance to work with the teams and the league to really create some bold looks.”
The NHL, led by executive vice president of marketing Brian Jennings, and Adidas have thrown every forward-thinking idea they could into the Stadium Series jerseys. There were metallic logos. There were logos that stretched from arm to arm, like the Capitals’ “Weagle” jerseys this season. There were never before seen variations of classic jerseys: Remember the gold logo on that Penguins sweater?
The single greatest fashion show in Stadium Series history happened at Air Force Academy. The Kings wore a diagonal “LA” logo with little speed lines that made it look like it was rushing uphill — maybe a little roller hockey, but hey, what do you think they play in SoCal? They also rocked metallic chrome helmets that became so iconic that the team used them again as part of their heritage jerseys in 2021.
The Avalanche, meanwhile, wore an “A” logo that mimicked both the triangular shape it modeled after Air Force’s Cadet Chapel and the Rocky Mountains. Matty Merrill, director of design for Adidas hockey, called it “probably the largest hockey crest of all time on perhaps the largest hockey stripes of all time.”
Corbett said the designers were also inspired by those who might be watching a game at the Air Force Academy.
“One of the bullet points that we had was that there’s probably a graduate from the Air Force Academy on the International Space Station,” he said. “And when that space station circles around that stadium in that day, we want that individual to be able to see the uniforms. We want them to be that bold.”
Now that’s bold.
4. Finally, the undersaturation?
Mayer remains in awe that the NHL produced five outdoor games in 2014.
“Now that I know how difficult these games are to put on, I have no idea how they pulled that off,” he said.
Five is a bit much. Then again, a lot of NHL fans feel two are a bit much. Cries of “oversaturation!” have echoed since the past decade, leading directly to things like Blackhawks fatigue.
“Are there too many games? Should we just do the Winter Classic?” Mayer asked rhetorically.
His answer, unsurprisingly, is of course not. His justification is that, like politics, all NHL outdoor games are local.
“It’s amazing here. Everybody is talking about this game,” Mayer said. “Whether it resonates nationally or internationally like it used to … maybe it doesn’t. But in the local market, it kicks butt. And we see this every single time.”
It’s the same argument you hear the NHL make when it comes to the Winter Classic and the NHL All-Star Game: Maybe they don’t dominate the conversation or draw the television audience that they once did, but if you’re in town for one, it’s like the Super Bowl.
“This market is outstanding,” Mayer said of the upcoming NC State game. “I’m telling you: If we put another game up for sale, we’d sell it out as well.”
Mayer also believes that there are so many more outdoor locations to conquer.
“I don’t think there are too many venues we haven’t visited and scouted,” he said. “I always love the suggestions: ‘We should play a game at Lambeau Field!’ Every building is in play. There are just so many factors as to when and why. We want to spread the wealth.”
But the Stadium Series could also offer the chance for the NHL to revisit some of its previous outdoor hits. The league has used the same U.S. outdoor venue only three times: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Yankee Stadium in New York and Fenway Park in Boston.
“There are other buildings that we’ve gone to that we might go to again,” Mayer said. “They’re not off the table at all. We may revisit a few places in a creative way.”
Creativity has been the essence of the Stadium Series. Unique venues. Bold fashions. Uncommon participants. It’s only going to get weirder, and we’re here for it.
“Some fans might think that we’ve done too many,” Mayer said. “But we think there’s value in doing them. So we’re going to keep doing them.”
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — New quarterback Tommy Castellanos led a punishing rushing attack for Florida State with 78 yards and a touchdown as the Seminoles stunned No. 8 Alabama 31-17 on Saturday, ending the Crimson Tide’s streak of 23 straight wins in season openers.
Coming off a 2-10 season, Florida State handed a crushing setback to Alabama, which was viewed as a College Football Playoff contender under second-year coach Kalen DeBoer.
Castellanos, a transfer from Boston College, made headlines over the summer after saying legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban wasn’t there to “save” the Tide vs. Florida State in their Week 1 matchup and that he doesn’t “see them stopping me.” He backed up that jab by spearheading FSU’s dominant ground attack while staying efficient through the air, finishing 9 of 14 passing for 152 yards.
Students and fans swarmed the field at Doak Campbell Stadium to celebrate the upset by the Seminoles, who closed as 13 1/2-point underdogs at ESPN BET.
Under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn — who spent eight seasons as Auburn’s head coach — Florida State was physical from the start, finishing with 230 rushing yards and averaging 4.7 yards per carry. The Seminoles averaged just 89.9 yards during their disastrous 2024 season.
The Crimson Tide had not dropped a season opener since losing 20-17 to UCLA in 2001 under Dennis Franchione, and this defeat will ratchet up the pressure on DeBoer from the demanding Tuscaloosa faithful. His predecessor, Nick Saban, led Alabama to six national titles.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning failed to live up to lofty expectations in his starting debut Saturday at Ohio State, but Texas coach Steve Sarkisian called the 14-7 loss just “one chapter” in Manning’s season.
With scouts from more than a dozen NFL teams watching, including the nearby Cleveland Browns, Manning was inconsistent, displaying flashes of promise tempered by mistakes. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, 1 touchdown and an interception — an underwhelming day for a player some have already pegged as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
He also entered the game as the Heisman Trophy favorite (+650) at ESPN BET Sportsbook.
“For Arch, the expectations were out of control on the outside,” Sarkisian said. “I’d say let’s finish the book before we judge him. That’s one chapter.”
Texas started slowly offensively, struggling to create big plays. Manning was 0-for-5 with an interception on throws of more than 5 yards in the first three quarters. Sarkisian and Manning sat together in the locker room at the half, though, and went over some film and made some adjustments. In the fourth quarter, Manning completed 4 of 7 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown on passes of more than 5 yards.
“They’ve got a good scheme,” Sarkisian said. “They’ve got a very smart secondary, and they made Arch work. I thought at halftime, Arch having a chance to really sit and look at the tape and understand some of the coverages they were playing, I think that helped him into the second half.”
Still, it was too little, too late. Texas had four drives that ended in turnovers on downs, its most since its 2017 season-opening loss to Maryland. The Longhorns failed to score on their two red zone drives, including a fourth-down stop just inches from the goal line that deflated a 15-play, 70-yard drive that ate up 6:54 in the third quarter.
“I felt like hey, we don’t give them a chance to sub to real big people,” Sarkisian said. “We went with the sneak. I think they got under us pretty good and kind of took Arch’s legs out from him. Hindsight’s 20/20. If I could do it all over again, we’d probably sub and they’d put their big guys, we’d put our big guys in and see if we could get in the end zone.”
Manning finished with an off-target percentage of 37%, the worst by a Texas quarterback in a game over the past decade, according to ESPN Research.
“It took us too long to get the ball down the field,” Manning said. “That starts with me. … They’re a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot. That starts with me, and I’ve got to play better for us to win.”
Manning, whose running ability is one of his strongest assets, added 38 yards on 10 carries, with his longest run being a 15-yard burst. The Longhorns outgained Ohio State 166-77 on the ground, and Sarkisian said he’d like to incorporate Manning’s running ability earlier.
“I think when that happened, I felt like he started really playing,” Sarkisian said of Manning’s rushing. “And we saw some real flashes and glimpses of the type of player that he’s going to become here.”
Texas had four new starters on its offensive line, but Manning had ample time to throw. He occasionally executed passes with precision, and other attempts were high, low, or thrown behind his receiver.
“I felt like Arch had good time in the pocket to throw it,” Sarkisian said. “I felt like we were moving the line of scrimmage; we were running the ball. We just didn’t create explosive plays early in the game like we did in the second half of the game. … I think we could have thrown it better than we did, but we didn’t throw it the way we wanted to because of the O-line. I thought the O-line gave us ample protection and opportunities to throw the ball down the field.”
Texas won’t play another Power 4 opponent until Oct. 4 at Florida, and those within the Longhorns’ program agreed that the offensive issues are correctable before the SEC slate begins.
“We had opportunities to score points and we didn’t,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve got to make a couple of throws. We’ve got to make a couple catches. We’ve got to make a couple better calls, but those are things that are fixable for us and I feel confident in that.”
Jake Trotter is a senior writer at ESPN. Trotter covers college football. He also writes about other college sports, including men’s and women’s basketball. Trotter resides in the Cleveland area with his wife and three kids and is a fan of his hometown Oklahoma City Thunder. He covered the Cleveland Browns and NFL for ESPN for five years, moving back to college football in 2024. Previously, Trotter worked for the Middletown (Ohio) Journal, Austin American-Statesman and Oklahoman newspapers before joining ESPN in 2011. He’s a 2004 graduate of Washington and Lee University. You can reach out to Trotter at jake.trotter@espn.com and follow him on X at @Jake_Trotter.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State opened its national title defense by playing dominant defense.
The third-ranked Buckeyes rattled quarterback Arch Manning and stuffed top-ranked Texas four times on fourth down on the way to a 14-7 victory Saturday at the Horseshoe.
Two of those fourth-down stops came inside the Ohio State 10-yard line.
Another came on Texas’ final possession. Manning found tight end Jack Endries on fourth-and-5. But Buckeyes star safety Caleb Downs wrapped Endries up two yards short of the first down to seal the win.
“The story of the game was the defense,” said Ohio State coach Ryan Day. “Those fourth-down stops were big.”
The Buckeyes defeated Texas with a fourth-down stop in last year’s CFP semifinal. Jack Sawyer stripped Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on fourth-and-goal and scooped up the fumble for the game-clinching touchdown at the Cotton Bowl, propelling Ohio State to the national championship game.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes defense — featuring eight new starters and a new coordinator in Matt Patricia — came up big on fourth down again.
In the first half, Ohio State stopped Manning on a fourth-and-goal quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Texas finally got back inside the Ohio State 10. But cornerback Davison Igbinosun swatted away Manning’s fourth-down attempt in the end zone.
Texas scored a touchdown with 3:28 left to avoid being shut out for the first time in nine years, then got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining with a chance to tie. But after Texas pushed the ball to midfield, the Ohio State defense ended the threat with Downs’ one-on-one tackle of Endries.
“He was unbelievable back there as a field general,” Patricia said of Downs, one of three returning starters along with Igbinosun and linebacker Sonny Styles. “Guys stepped up to the challenge all the way across the board.”
This offseason, Patricia replaced Jim Knowles, who left the Buckeyes following the national championship to become defensive coordinator for rival Penn State. Patricia had won three Super Bowls with New England, including two as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, but had never coached a college game until Saturday.
According to ESPN Research, Texas’ four turnovers on downs were the most in the game since a 2017 season-opening loss to Maryland.
“I thought the game plan was excellent,” Day said of the defense, “but the buy-in is what’s most important. What matters is the guys and warriors on the field believing in it. … The grittiness of our guys running around, there’s a lot we can build on.”