High-voltage rink rivalry at Browns home

Article posted by Coliseum, August 29^th, 2022

Image: FirstEnergy Stadium

The Haslam Sports Group (HSG), the National Football League (NFL) team Cleveland Browns and the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio (US) announced recently that ‘Faceoff on the Lake’ (the first ice hockey game at the Browns’ stadium) will be played at the FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 18^th, 2023, when the Ohio State Buckeyes host the Michigan Wolverines football in the first-ever hockey game at the venue.

‘Cleveland Browns’ stated that the Cleveland Browns and the Major League Soccer (MLS) team Columbus Crew season ticket members, along with Browns Waitlist members and select groups, will have early access to ‘Faceoff on the Lake’ tickets beginning on August 29^th at 10 am.

Tickets will officially go on sale to the public at 10 am on September 7^th. Fans interested in more information – including suite, premium hospitality and group offerings – may contact Browns membership services now through tickets@clevelandbrowns.com.

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The Ohio (US)-based Haslam Sports Group embraces the positive impact of sports and its unique opportunity to unify communities. Through the Haslam and Johnson families’ network of industry experience and relationships, their mission is to create world class organizations that achieve sustainable success, provide a best in class fan experience and give back to their region. They see themselves as stewards of true community assets.

HSG looks to invest in strategic sports and entertainment opportunities. The Haslam Sports Group’s current portfolio includes the Cleveland Browns, operating rights to Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew and an investment in Misfits Gaming Group, a global esports and entertainment company, as well as other entities.

The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland (US). Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League as a member club of the American Football Conference North division.

The 67,895-capacity FirstEnergy Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college and high school football, soccer and concerts.

The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public universities in the United States.

The Ohio State Buckeyes football team competes as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing the Ohio State University in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. The Ohio State has played their home games at the 1, 04,944-capacity Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, since 1922.

The Michigan Wolverines comprise 29 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA’s Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except women’s water polo, which competes in the NCAA inter-divisional Collegiate Water Polo Association.

Informed Eric Clouse, HSG Chief Commercial Officer, “The Haslam Sports Group is dedicated to creating unique, memorable experiences for fans throughout the year, and we are excited to partner with the Ohio State University for ‘Faceoff on the Lake’, the first major outdoor hockey game at the FirstEnergy Stadium. It will be an incredible environment for both fans and community programs alike that are passionate about this unparalleled college rivalry. We anticipate this to be a truly special atmosphere.”

Said Shaun Richard, Executive Associate Athletic Director – Sport Administration at Ohio State, “We’re excited to partner with the Haslam Sports Group to provide this unique outdoor hockey game experience for our student-athletes. Playing hockey outdoors is something most hockey players did growing up, and now they’ll get to do that in an NFL stadium in front of tens-of-thousands of people, in the greatest rivalry in all of sports.”

Stated Steve Rohlik, who is entering his 10th year as Head Coach of the Buckeyes, “This is a great opportunity for our program. We are excited to have the chance to play in a rivalry game outdoors in the home of the Browns. It is an experience that will create memories for a lifetime.”

‘Cleveland Browns’ further stated that the HSG and the Browns will share more details on other activations and opportunities to enjoy the unique on-field ice experience at a later date.

In 2022, HSG and the Browns once again held multiple major non-football events at the FirstEnergy Stadium. Monster Jam (professional monster truck drivers compete against each other in races and freestyle competitions around the world to win the top prize) played at the venue for the first time on July 2^nd, while the stadium also hosted Live Nation’s ‘The Stadium Tour’, headlined by Mötley Crüe (American heavy metal band) and Def Leppard (English rock band) (July 14^th), and American rapper Machine Gun Kelly’s ‘Mainstream Sellout Tour’ which concluded in front of a soldout crowd during MGK’s first-career stadium performance. The ‘TopGolf Live Stadium Tour’ also came to the FirstEnergy Stadium from July 28^th-31^st.

Additionally, the HSG has hosted various major events in Columbus at the 20,371-capacity Lower.com Field, the OhioHealth Performance Center (training center in Columbus, Ohio) and the 19,968 Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, most recently highlighted by American singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney’s ‘Here and Now Tour’ at the Historic Crew Stadium on August 18^th.

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