StubHub's 2024-25 NHL Season Preview: Chicago Blackhawks #1 Team for the First Time; NHL's Focus on International and U.S. Expansion Drives Fan Demand

NHL Winter Classic is #1 Game for Third Year in a Row; NHL Global Series Sales Up 38% Compared to 2023

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season, StubHub, the world's leading marketplace to buy and sell tickets to any live event, has released its annual NHL Season Preview revealing the top-selling teams, games and trends of the season. The NHL Global Series returns to the Czech Republic and Finland, surpassing sales from last year's games in Stockholm, while the Chicago Blackhawks' fan base is enthusiastic going into the season. Their sales are the highest in the league, and they'll be hosting the season's best-selling game - the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.

Key highlights include:

• International Demand for the NHL is Growing - Ticket buyers from 51 countries have purchased tickets to NHL games this season, up from 44 countries last year
  • Buyers from 15 countries, outside of the U.S. and Canada, have purchased tickets to the NY Rangers' home games this season, more than any other team
• Popularity of the NHL Global Series Rises - The four NHL Global Series games are currently outselling last year's four games in Stockholm by 38%, when compared to the 2023 season start
  • Both games in the Prague series rank among the best-selling games of the season
  • The Global Series games have buyers coming from 33 U.S. states, up from 18 last year, and 60% of all tickets sold to the games are from U.S. buyers
• The Chicago Blackhawks are the Top In-Demand Team - Sales are up 2.5x over last season, the highest increase of any team
  • They host the #1 game of the season - the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field - which is outselling the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park in Seattle by 3x

"The NHL's focus on globalization is paying off, following a trend we're seeing across other major leagues like the NFL and MLB," said Adam Budelli, spokesperson for StubHub. "We see this, in particular, in the Global Series and the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, which are not only drawing fans from all over the world, but are bringing a significant number of U.S. buyers to these unique experiences."

NHL Global Series 2024 Games Ranked

1. New Jersey Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres - October 5 at O2 Arena (Prague, Czech Republic)
2. Buffalo Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils - October 4 at O2 Arena (Prague, Czech Republic)
3. Florida Panthers vs. Dallas Stars - November 2 at Nokia Arena (Tampere, Finland)
4. Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers - November 1 at Nokia Arena (Tampere, Finland)

*Based on cumulative StubHub North America and viagogo international ticket sales for the 2024-25 season, as of September 16,2024.

StubHub's Top In-Demand NHL Teams of the 2024-25 Season*

1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Vegas Golden Knights
4. Boston Bruins
5. New York Rangers
6. Florida Panthers 
7. Montreal Canadiens
8. Nashville Predators
9. Tampa Bay Lighting
10. Detroit Red Wings

*Based on cumulative ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024-25 season, as of September 16, 2024.

StubHub's Top In-Demand NHL Games of the 2024-25 Season*

1. NHL Winter Classic: St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on Dec. 31, 2024
2. NHL Stadium Series: Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets at Ohio Stadium on March 1, 2025
3. Pittsburgh Penguins @ Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 12, 2024
4. Boston Bruins @ Florida Panthers on Oct. 8, 2024
5. NHL Global Series: New Jersey Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres at O2 Arena in Prague on Oct. 5, 2024
6. Edmonton Oilers @ Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 16, 2024
7. Montreal Canadiens @ Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 9, 2024
8. Montreal Canadiens @ Boston Bruins on Oct. 10, 2024
9. NHL Global Series: Buffalo Sabres vs. New Jersey Devils at O2 Arena in Prague on Oct. 4, 2024
10. Utah Hockey Club @ New York Rangers on Oct. 12, 2024

*Based on cumulative ticket sales on StubHub North America and viagogo international for the 2024-25 season, as of September 16, 2024.

StubHub is the world's largest marketplace to buy and sell tickets with confidence. Full data and insights from the NHL season preview can be found at stubhub.com/2024NHLpreview.

About StubHub
StubHub is the world's leading marketplace to buy and sell tickets to any live event, anywhere. Through StubHub in North America and viagogo, our international platform, we service customers in 200 countries and territories in 33 languages and 48 available currencies. With more than 100 million tickets available to events around the world annually -- from sports to music, comedy to dance, festivals to theater -- StubHub offers the safest, most convenient way to buy or sell tickets to the most memorable live experiences, with every order backed by our FanProtect guarantee and global customer service support.

SOURCE StubHub