The National Hockey League (NHL) has decided to postpone the 2021 Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The outdoor Winter Classic regular-season game was scheduled to be played on January 1 in Minneapolis, while Sunrise and Florida were set to host All-Star Weekend on January 29.
The Florida Panthers were set to host All-Star Weekend, a two-day event featuring an All-Star Game, skills competition, and other entertainment-based events for fans. However, the pandemic will not allow fans to enter the arena for both marque events.
NHL recently concluded truncated last season in September. The governing body also insisted that the deferment of marquee events will not affect the schedule of the new season. NHL remains focused on bringing these marquee events to Minneapolis and Florida in the future.
NHL Senior Executive Vice President Steve Mayer said, “Fan participation, both in arenas and stadiums as well as in the ancillary venues and events that we stage around the Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend, is integral to the success of our signature events.”
Since fans play a big role in the success of these competitions, Mayer also admitted that both events are postponed until 2022.