Saying Goodbye to 2024 at the NHL Winter Classic

As the sun set on 2024, rain fell on the ice in Chicago. Once again, the National Hockey League welcomed a new year with an outdoor hockey game, the Discover NHL Winter Classic.

Many iconic ballparks have had the pleasure of hosting, including Boston's Fenway Park as recently as 2023. This year, the honor went to another historic landmark, and whether you're a sports fan or love Ferris Bueller, you can certainly appreciate the setting that is Wrigley Field.

The Chicago Blackhawks played host to the St. Louis Blues in the first of two regular-season outdoor games to be played this hockey season. As the puck dropped in front of nearly 41,000 fans, I was there to share in the excitement.

For the past nine years, I've served as In-Arena Host for the Boston Bruins, a job that has me literally running around TD Garden as fans play games on the jumbotron. It's also opened the door to a great working relationship with the NHL.

I've had the opportunity to host many big events in places like North Carolina, Washington, Florida, Minnesota, Tennessee, Boston (of course) and even Toronto.

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Now, Back to the Winter Classic

My co-host for the event was none other than the in-game host for the Savannah Bananas, a baseball/entertainment show. Think Harlem Globetrotters on a baseball diamond. After welcoming the crowd, we played games with fans, interviewed youth hockey players and gave away some prizes.

To lead the teams out to the ice we got a concert from Chicago's own Smashing Pumpkins. "Tonight Tonight" played as the Blues and Blackhawks appeared from their respective dugouts.

That was the first of many entertaining additions which included pyrotechnics, a New Year's Eve dance party, a performance from Chance the Rapper, a handful of hockey fights, and post game fireworks.

Despite Chicago's 6-2 loss, the night was one for the books. The crowd, the venue, the experience, it was magical.

Throughout the overall chaos of voices in my ear giving direction, rain and wind turning my fingers into tiny icicles, and wrangling contestants and cameras, I took the time to soak it all in – because, as Ferris said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it."

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