The 2025 AHL All-Star Classic Weekend gets underway later today at Acrisure Arena, home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The event looks to showcase the best and brightest of the AHL, in collaboration with the Oak View Group.
Oak View Group is a venue development company who manage two NHL arenas and six AHL arenas, including Acrisure Arena.
In 2019 OVG became a partner and manager of Acrisure Arena as they agreed to help the AHL and Seattle Kraken bring the 32nd AHL team to life.
Peter Luukko, Co-Chair of Oak View Group’s Arena and Stadium Alliance, spent a combined 25 years as President of the Philadelphia Flyers and Executive Chairman of the Florida Panthers. His experience promoting hockey and helping bring venues to unique markets has been essential in bringing events like the All-Star Classic to life.
“The great thing about it is, we’re constantly in these markets, introducing more people to the game, it’s really helping spread hockey in the U.S. to a great extent,” he told The Hockey News.
“A lot of that has to be just the fun environment, the affordability of the minor league sports and it all in all, it’s really, it’s great for all of hockey, and it’s great for the NHL because it just expands the game.”
The company was also involved in helping the Savannah Ghost Pirates host the 2024 ECHL All-Star Classic.
Oak View Group hope that the All-Star Classic furthers the bond they have cultivated with the Palm Desert area, emphasizing the region as a new hockey hotbed, “This is something to hang our hat on and tell the story that the desert is more than just a leisure destination.”
“People live here, they play here, and this gives them something to call their own, they’re very proud of the Firebirds. You can’t go to any bar or restaurant without seeing a sticker, a logo, somebody talking about it, it’s incredible,” John Page, Senior Vice President of Acrisure Arena told The Hockey News.
The immediate success the Firebirds had in the AHL made them an attractive choice for the All-Star Classic, the team made the Calder Cup Final in its first two seasons of existence but came up short to the Hershey Bears both times.
The All-Star Classic is a great way for fans to engage with future NHL players and for the AHL to promote the quality of hockey throughout the league. According to the AHL, 94 percent of All-Star participants since 1995 have gone on to play in the NHL.
“It’s a fantastic undertaking. . . it’s a way for us to help the league showcase the best players in the league, to continue to tell the story of development. Most of these players will play in the NHL at some point in time, if they haven’t already,” said Page.
The AHL All-Star Classic often undergo changes at the last minute due to NHL call-ups, a bittersweet moment for fans as their team loses a player for a positive reason.
Located in Palm Desert, Calif., the area boasts a seasonal population of up to one million people, making the Firebirds and AHL All-Star Classic a prime attraction for hockey fans or those who are looking for a fun night out.
Acrisure Arena brings a unique atmosphere inside and outside of the rink for hockey fans, offering activities like mini-golf, pickleball, and basketball to compliment the on-ice product.
“There’s a few things that we don’t have that a typical arena would have just based on where we are. We don’t have a press box. We oriented the scoreboard, we don’t have it center hung, it’s at one end of the building. The main concourse where the vast majority of our seats are, it’s a 360 degree concourse, and then the premium level is a horseshoe,” said Page.
Per HockeyDB, the Firebirds have the fifth-highest average attendance in the AHL this season.
In preparation for the event, Acrisure Arena is providing additional entertainment opportunities and bonus events, including special local flavor food options in their outdoor market.
Additionally, for tonight’s Skills Competition, the venue is removing some of the glass to create a more intimate experience for fans and players.
“It’s gonna be a little different than a typical game. Obviously, you’ll see the players in a much more relaxed atmosphere. . . some of the intros will be a little bit different than the fans have seen in the past. We’re trying to change it up a little bit so it’s not just our typical game format, and they will roll right into it. We’re going to have a bit of a fan fest outside. We’re introducing the mascots, almost a red carpet, but it’s an ice blue carpet. They’re gonna come dressed in their Sunday best and put on a show. We’re going to make it really fun and interactive for everybody.” said Page.
You can watch the AHL All-Star game on TSN in Canada, NHL Network in the United States, or on FloHockey.
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