By: Garrison McDaniel

When Tracy Hedrick, the chief marketing officer at Ohio State Athletics, learned that the NHL was coming to the university for the 43rd outdoor game in NHL history, she was introduced to the event’s history and how it has evolved with each edition.

“This is my first time working on a Stadium Series show with the NHL and their partners,” Hedrick said. “What I’ve found that’s really fascinating about this event, as it travels from city to city, is that it has a different story each time.”

That story will focus on Ohio State and its impact on Columbus as a whole.

Each time the NHL hosts an outdoor game, the league highlights a part of the location’s history. With the Blue Jackets and the venue at Ohio Stadium, NHL events coordinator Dean Matsuzaki said it was natural to emphasize Ohio State for this game.

“With the history here and how big college football is in general, and then obviously, this year, with the championship, it’s been amazing,” Matsuzaki said.

The Ohio State and Columbus theme of the event extends beyond logos and marketing materials; it also influences the entertainment for the event. Hedrick cited the participation of superstar band Twenty One Pilots, whose members attended Ohio State, as the intermission act and pre-game performers O.A.R., another Columbus-based band.

“So it’s really bringing the whole community together for an extraordinary event that’s never taken place in Columbus,” Hedrick said. 

This will be the first outdoor game featuring the Columbus Blue Jackets, but there’s no shortage of support to ensure the fans and community have a memorable day.

“Working on this specific event, you’re working really closely with the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and even our campus community—Student Life, Block O, and The OSU Band,” Hedrick said. “It’s really a whole community, campus-wide approach that the NHL has taken to captivate and embrace Ohio.”

Along with engaging the Columbus community, the NHL wanted to ensure Ohio State students had the opportunity to attend the game. They priced tickets at $20.99, a figure determined through extensive research.

“We always understood the student section and embraced it from the beginning,” Matsuzaki said. “We reached out to Ohio State early in the planning process to ask how to sell to students. What is their ticket price for football? We didn’t want to go over that. We wanted to be respectful of that.”

Ohio State students can purchase tickets via Ohio State Account Manager using their .edu email address.

With all the work that’s gone into this event, it is shaping up to be one of the most memorable days in Columbus.

“It’s going to be an event where you come and remember it forever," Hedrick said. "It’s going to make a lasting impact."