Pittsburgh Welcomes the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Frozen Four
Extremely Limited Number of Tickets Available to General Public
PITTSBURGH – Members of the Pittsburgh (PGH) Local Organizing Committee – including County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Mayor William Peduto, SportsPITTSBURGH, Robert Morris University and PPG Paints Arena – today officially welcomed the NCAA Division I Men’s Frozen Four to Pittsburgh. The final four teams include Minnesota State, St. Cloud State University, University of Massachusetts and University of Minnesota Duluth.
The National Semifinal games will be held at PPG Paints Arena April 8 at 5 and 9 p.m., on ESPN2, with the National Championship set for April 10 at 7 p.m., on ESPN.
PPG Paints Arena will welcome fans up to 25% of its maximum occupancy, bringing an estimated $3.49 million into the local economy, aiding a hospitality community that is at the onset of its rebound efforts. Currently, approximately only 150 tickets remain available for the general public. More information can be found at NCAA.com/FrozenFour.
“It’s been a difficult year for student-athletes and college hockey since the shutdown. On behalf of the NCAA and the committee, I want to sincerely thank Pittsburgh for your willingness to stand by us and continue the work on putting this event together,” Mike Kemp, Chair, NCAA DI Men’s Hockey Committee, said. “These four teams have persevered, they’ve gone through the gauntlet to get here and win their way into the championship, and they deserve a tremendous tournament. We know that SportsPITTSBURGH, PPG Paints Arena and Robert Morris are going to do their best to make sure this is a memorable and enjoyable event for everyone.”
The Men’s Frozen Four is the first national sporting event to return to Pittsburgh since large-scale events were halted due to COVID-19 mitigations. Hosting this weekend’s games provides SportsPITTSBURGH, the PGH LOC and all of Pittsburgh the chance to show that the region can once again safely host large-scale live events.
“I would like to thank the NCAA for again placing its trust in Pittsburgh and the Local Organizing Committee to host a safe, memorable event,” SportsPITTSBURGH Executive Director Jennifer Hawkins said. “Pittsburgh is the definitive destination for sports events because of our community partnerships. And this year, as we worked together to safely welcome the Men’s Frozen Four back to Pittsburgh, the Local Organizing Committee has proven that we are strongest when we combine our efforts. From developing safe event plans, to organizing hotel blocks and creating unique experiences for the student-athletes, our partnerships are authentic and make our region stronger.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with VisitPITTSBURGH, SportsPITTSBURGH, PPG Paints Arena and the City of Pittsburgh as we welcome the Frozen Four back to Pittsburgh for the first time since 2013,” said RMU Vice President & Director of Athletics Chris King. “Pittsburgh is a hockey town. We’re well known for our competitive success of our hometown Pittsburgh Penguins. Robert Morris is home to the region’s only Division I hockey teams, making Pittsburgh a hotspot for the sport of hockey. We’re proud to host these elite student-athletes and teams who have shown tremendous dedication and perseverance in an unprecedented season that has culminated at the Frozen Four with a chance at a national title.”
County Executive Fitzgerald and Mayor Peduto proclaimed April 8 NCAA Division I Men’s Frozen Four Day in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, respectively. Both proclamations are proudly displayed inside the teams’ hotel lobby.
The PGH Local Organizing Committee is focused on bringing Pittsburgh to the student-athletes this week. In addition to partnering with The Event Group, which personalized the four team rooms with school-themed colors and signage, the Committee also presented the student-athletes with host gifts, which included school-themed bowties crafted by Knotzland Bowtie Co., and a black and gold glass hockey puck crafted by the Pittsburgh Glass Factory. Additionally, Wigle Whiskey donated bottles of its famous City of Champions Bourbon, as well as bourbon glasses, for the NCAA and school support staffs.