As tickets go on sale later this week for the Winter Classic, the Blues’ newest special sweater “is very close to completion,†CEO Chris Zimmerman said in a recent interview with the Post-Dispatch.
“The general approach in the league and with our sweaters has been celebrating history, celebrating our club and, in some ways, just celebrating the game and its connection to ºüÀêÊÓƵ,†Zimmerman said. “I would say all of those things will happen in our new sweater.â€
In following with previous Winter Classic jersey announcements, the full design is expected to be released in November, with a presale opportunity in September, Zimmerman said.
It will be the Blues’ third Winter Classic jersey, joining the powder blue version worn in 2017 at Busch Stadium and the cream version worn in 2022 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Both jerseys featured the throwback “Heritage†blue note on the chest, and the NHL used that same logo on a recent Winter Classic announcement on social media.
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Could that be a sign of things to come when the Blues face the Blackhawks on Dec. 31 at Wrigley Field?
“I wouldn’t necessarily make any assumptions based on that,†Zimmerman said.
In playing in their third Winter Classic, the Blues will become the fourth NHL franchise to do so, joining Chicago (five), Boston (four) and Pittsburgh (three). All three for the Blues have come since 2017, and no NHL team has more Winter Classic appearances across that span.
It will be the second Winter Classic played at Wrigley Field, as the Blackhawks hosted the Red Wings there in 2009.
Zimmerman said the Blackhawks as the home team would wear dark jerseys, leaving the Blues to wear a light variation. Most teams have worn white, but the Blues went with an off-white design when they faced the Wild in 2022.
“We’re excited about where that’s going,†Zimmerman said of the jersey design. “The general approach by the league — and you’ve seen it in the two sweaters that the Blues have had to date in the Winter Classic — has always been really playing off heritage and the iconic elements (of the Blues). ... We think we’ve got a great design that brings some new elements as well to the sweater.â€
On a larger scale, the Heritage logo and colors have become a prominent part of the Blues’ brand recently. The team wears the powder blue jerseys for Saturday home games (they went 8-2-1 in them in 2023-24) and used similar colors for both the 2022 Winter Classic and the 2022-23 Reverse Retro designs.
Is there an appetite for the organization to use that logo in a potential rebrand?
“I will tell you that the Heritage uniform, the logo, all that that means has been really, really strongly endorsed,†Zimmerman said. “Our players have loved playing in that sweater on Saturdays. That’s become a great tradition. Our record is really strong. We are constantly evaluating where we are and how to both keep our uniform fresh and bring newness to it. That goal will continue.â€
Zimmerman did note that this upcoming season will be the league’s first one with Fanatics after an extended period with Adidas and that rebrands are more likely to happen ahead of the 2025-26 season instead of for 2024-25. The Kings and Ducks are reportedly going through redesign processes, but it’s unclear if any other clubs will be doing the same.
“My belief is that uniforms are pretty much going to be the same for next year, the core uniforms, and teams can once again for the ’25-26 time frame look at adjustments, modifications, evolution,†Zimmerman said. “I expect us to be doing that as well.â€
Tickets for the Winter Classic will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday on TicketMaster. Blues season-ticket holders on multiyear plans will have priority access to tickets, Zimmerman said.
“We sold out Busch Stadium,†Zimmerman said. “Target Field sold out quickly. I expect at least the same type of demand, if not greater, for seeing the Blues and Blackhawks go at it at Wrigley Field.â€
Zimmerman added that the Winter Classic was a draw for fans to renew on multiyear plans.
“Our renewal numbers are strong,†Zimmerman said. “They’re comparable to other years. We finished a very strong year where we sold out all but one game (Nov. 14 vs. Tampa Bay). The Winter Classic clearly was a valuable tool in continuing to get people’s interest not just in renewing but in renewing for multiple years. We have our three-year lease plan that is very, very strong and the people who renewed under that plan, they do have some priority access around the Winter Classic.â€