NHL Faceoff Festival Two Weeks From Tonight in Winnipeg
September 22, 2011 Leave a comment
NEW YORK (September 22, 2011) – The National Hockey League (NHL) will
celebrate the opening of the 2011-12 NHL season and its return to Winnipeg
with the 2011 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off™ season-opening hockey and
entertainment festival in Winnipeg, October 6. The NHL will transform “The
Forks,” Winnipeg’s iconic downtown gathering point, offering fans live
musical performances, interactive hockey attractions, a live broadcast of
the opening night game between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple
Leafs from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and guest appearances from
George Stroumboulopoulos, host of CBC Television’s flagship late-night
program, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, and others. The NHL will
announce the exciting line-up of musical performers next week.
In addition, Winnipeg fans will be treated to a special live
introduction of the 2011-12 Winnipeg Jets™ team. CBC, VERSUS and NHL
Network™ will be on the scene in Winnipeg and will broadcast portions of
the festivities live to fans nationwide in Canada and in the U.S.,
respectively.
Molson Canadian will serve as the title sponsor for 2011 NHL
Face-Off™, marking its first activation since signing a landmark multi-year
deal to secure exclusive League rights in the beer sponsorship category to
become the Official Beer of the NHL®.
“While all hockey fans around the world are excited for the new
season, fans in Winnipeg have waited 15 years to have the NHL back,” said
Brian Jennings, NHL Executive Vice President of Marketing. “The 2011 Molson
Canadian NHL Face-Off will be a true festival and celebration with a great
combination of hockey and entertainment for fans joining us in Winnipeg and
fans tuning in across North America.”
“The start of hockey season is a national holiday in Canada,” said
Dave Perkins, president and CEO, Molson Coors Canada. “We plan to help the
NHL throw the biggest ‘welcome home party’ hockey fans in Winnipeg have
ever seen while also ushering in a new season of NHL excitement like only
Canada’s beer of hockey can. Game on!”
“We are honoured the National Hockey League has chosen Winnipeg and
the Jets to host the season-opening event for the NHL year,” said Mark
Chipman, Chairman & Governor, True North Sports & Entertainment and the
Winnipeg Jets. “The entire province has been captivated by the return of
the NHL to Winnipeg and we are certain the excitement and support of this
festival will be just like everything else so far this summer –
overwhelming!”
“We couldn’t be more excited to launch a new NHL season with CBC’s
Hockey Night in Canada live from Winnipeg,” said Julie Bristow, Executive
Director, Studio and Unscripted Programming for CBC. “Like Hockey Night in
Canada itself, the start of a new season is a rite of passage for Canadians
and we look forward to connecting fans across the nation with our coverage
of the euphoria and celebration of the return of the NHL to Winnipeg.”
From 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. CT, NHL fans young and old will be able to take
part in the free festivities — including attractions that test hockey
skills; prizing and giveaways; food, beverage and merchandise tents; and
live musical performances and the live game broadcasts on giant screens.
For fans 18 years or older, the Molson Canadian Hockey House hospitality
spectator area will feature live game broadcasts, cold beer and other
entertainment.
Attractions and additional special guests will be announced in the
coming weeks. Fans should visit NHL.com/faceoff for the latest information.
The Forks will feature video boards to showcase CBC’s Hockey Night in
Canada broadcast of the Canadiens-Leafs from the Air Canada Centre in
Toronto. CBC’s pre-game show, Scotiabank Hockey Tonight, hosted by Ron
MacLean, will cover the opening of a new hockey season live on location
from Winnipeg, Toronto and Vancouver, airing nationally at 6:30 pm ET. In
Winnipeg, coverage will deliver live musical performances and the
introduction of the new Jets team to fans. The entire Hockey Night in
Canada team prepare fans for the new season with the latest news,
information and analysis from Toronto and Vancouver, while also bringing
viewers the Stanley Cup® banner raising in Boston. The one and only Don
Cherry returns for the new season with a much-anticipated edition of
Coach’s Corner, airing live from Toronto during the first intermission of
the Canadiens-Leafs game.
VERSUS will offer live look-ins to the festivities in Winnipeg from
its set in Boston and its Stamford, Conn. studio. VERSUS’ coverage of the
Bruins home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden will start
at 6:30 p.m. ET with its pre-game show, followed by live coverage of the
Bruins’ banner-raising ceremony at 7 p.m. ET and the game broadcast. In
addition, VERSUS will carry highlights from the Canadiens-Leafs game in
Toronto.
NHL Network’s coverage of Opening Night will commence at 3 p.m. ET
from its set in Boston and will be on the scene in Winnipeg and in
Vancouver for the Canucks-Pittsburgh Penguins game at Rogers Arena,
wrapping its coverage at 7 p.m. ET. NHL Network’s post-game show will
feature highlights from Opening Night, including the banner-raising in
Boston and the 2011 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off™ in Winnipeg.
NHL partners Scotiabank, XM, Canadian Tire, Frito Lay Canada,
Bridgestone, EA Sports and Reebok also will take part in the season-opening
festival.
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