The NHL is heading to Jerry World to see if outdoor hockey can get even bigger in Texas.
The Dallas Stars will host the 2027 Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium on Feb. 20 of that year against an opponent to be named at a later date. The announcement was made Monday night before the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Arizona Cardinals.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be having a game here hosted by the Dallas Stars in this amazing, amazing stadium,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told ESPN, seated alongside Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the sidelines.
The smashing success of the 2020 Winter Classic prompted the NHL to bring another outdoor game back to Texas. The Stars defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 in front of 85,630 fans at the Cotton Bowl in that event – the third-largest crowd ever to take in an NHL game.
The league record is the 105,491 fans the NHL drew for the 2014 Winter Classic between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The capacity at AT&T Stadium could exceed 100,000 fans depending on ticket demand and how much of the venue’s standing areas are used.
“Five years ago, the 2020 NHL Winter Classic was a celebration of the growth and success of hockey in the Lone Star State, which was the third-highest attended outdoor game in league history,” said Stars owner Tom Gagliardi. “We have no doubt that our upcoming Stadium Series game will be met with the same enthusiasm and passion from our fan base.”
The Stars are coming off three consecutive trips to the Western Conference Final and are off to a 6-3-3 start this season.
While the opponent for the Stadium Series game hasn’t yet been confirmed, Bettman hinted it could be a Central Division rival.
“I’m not prepared to tell you who the opponent is yet,” Bettman told reporters Monday. “It’ll be appropriate, it’ll be good. It’ll be a team that the fans will have an interest in seeing the Stars play.
“We’ll announce that at a later date.”
The Stadium Series game is scheduled to be broadcast on ABC in prime time.
