With Winter Classic, hockey is loanDepot park’s latest endeavor beyond baseball

loanDepot park, the baseball home to the Miami Marlins, is no stranger to hosting big events.

But the one taking place at the ballpark Friday night is probably the most unexpected for the venue given its location.

The stadium is the site of the NHL’s 2026 Winter Classic, an outdoor hockey game featuring the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers. Puck drop for the game is set for 8 p.m.

Yes, outdoor hockey in Miami.

“It’s amazing, and it’s really rewarding,” Marlins president of business operations Caroline O’Connor told the Miami Herald. “We are trying to expand the possibilities in the way that people think of loanDepot park. We’re incredibly versatile, both from having a roof, but a lot of the other amenities that we have in the venue. We love to host events. We can host a wide variety of events. And we’ve shown that.”

Most of loanDepot park’s major events since the ballpark opened in 2012, naturally, have been baseball events.

The World Baseball Classic is the headliner of them, with loanDepot park being involved in the international tournament on three occasions, including hosting in every round of the 2023 iteration of the event. The ballpark will host in every round again in 2026. The venue also hosted the MLB All-Star Game in 2017 and was the site for the Caribbean Series in 2024.

But it has also hosted events from other sports.

It was the site of the Miami Beach Bowl from 2014 to 2016 and hosted a Miami-FIU football game in 2019 (which FIU won 30-24).

It has also hosted three international soccer friendlies.

In 2012, Nigeria beat Venezuela 3-1 in front of an announced crowd of 13,372. In 2016, Mexico and Senegal faced off in the ballpark. And in 2017, Colombia beat Haiti 3-1 in a friendly ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Copa America played a month later.

And in 2025, the ballpark was the site of two other sporting events.

First, there was a volleyball tournament in January.

And then there was the Miami Tennis Invitational in December that featured a pair of singles matches between Carlos Alcaraz and Joao Fonseca and Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula plus a mixed doubles match (Pegula and Alcaraz against Anisimova and Fonseca).

The ballpark also hosts Monster Jam, a monster truck series officiated by the United States Hot Rod Association, annually in February.

Now, loanDepot park is adding hockey to that list in what can be argued as its most challenging endeavor yet. Anthony Favata, the Marlins’ senior vice president of operations and events, said they are exploring hosting boxing and wrestling matches in the future as well.

“A lot of our strategy over the last couple years is looking at the venue through a different lens and finding new and unique, novel ways to leverage what an amazing facility we have,” Favata said. “So that really got us thinking about ‘What haven’t we done? What can we do. What doors will that open?’ ... I think the list is endless. We truly believe there’s nothing the ballpark can’t host, and that’s why we speak so highly about the versatility and the team that we have here in the organization.”

O’Connor said multiple investments into loanDepot park during the past few years has enhanced the ballpark’s ability to host a wide array of events. Among those enhancements were switching the grass to artificial turf, an upgraded LED sports lighting system in 2022 that made loanDepot park the first MLB ballpark in the United States to feature color capability and an advanced flooring system available for anyone who has interest in using the building.

“We’ve been putting these investments into our capabilities as an event producer,” O’Connor said, “and they’re really paying off.”

As it relates to the Winter Classic, the Marlins have worked in conjunction with the NHL to get the ballpark in suitable condition to host a hockey game.

While planning and logistical work has been going on for months, the ballpark’s physical transformation unfolded in just about two weeks. The NHL’s Mobile Refrigeration Units arrived on Dec. 17. The rink construction began around that time as well. The ice has been made — with loanDepot park staying steadily in the low-60s during that process.

“The last six months,” Favata said, “have really been a blitz towards meeting with the NHL, doing site visits, looking at the technical components and specs of the venue, and just delivering what will be an amazing outdoor hockey event in South Florida.”

It will all come to life on Friday as loanDepot park hosts another major event in South Florida.

This story was originally published December 31, 2025 at 1:01 PM.