College hockey takes center stage this January at Wrigley Field

The confines of Wrigley Field might be a bit chillier than usual in January 2025, but they will be just as friendly when college hockey takes center stage.

The Big Ten announced Thursday that a pair of hockey doubleheaders will be played at Wrigley Field on Jan. 3 and 4.

In "The Frozen Confines: Big Ten Hockey Series," Penn State and Notre Dame will face off first on Jan. 3, followed by Ohio State and Michigan. The women's game will be featured on Jan. 4 with Wisconsin and Ohio State playing first before another men's game between Wisconsin and Michigan State.

The doubleheaders will come days after the New Year's Eve NHL Winter Classic showdown between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues.

It's a brilliant move by the Big Ten as all four games will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The allure of outdoor hockey should increase ticket sales and general awareness of a sport that has seen an increase in popularity over the past two seasons.

The 2023 NCAA Championship that saw Quinnipiac win in overtime over Minnesota drew 808,000 viewers — up 100 percent over the 2022 final. According to Sportico , regular-season attendance for the 64 schools playing in the top division of men’s ice hockey increased by more than 400,000 year-over-year to over 3.95 million in 2023-24.

For "The Frozen Confines" event, the Big Ten invited some of the best to the big stage. On the men's side, all six teams were ranked in the top 20 last season, and on the women's side, Ohio State and Wisconsin have combined to win the last five national championships.

Outdoor college hockey is not new to Chicago , but it is new to Wrigley Field. Since 2001, four games have been played at Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears. There were no collegiate games played at Wrigley during the last NHL Winter Classic in 2009.

This time around, though, college hockey will have its moment to shine in the Windy City.