CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland has been named host city for the 2027 AHL All-Star Classic, a multi-day event that will be held at Rocket Arena, the Monsters announced.

The Classic will be Sunday and Monday, Feb. 7-8. And while the bid went out officially in July, officials said the seeds were actually planted in 2016, when the Monsters won the Calder Cup, the American Hockey League’s championship.

“The AHL group was here in 2016,” said Mike Ostrowski, president, franchise properties (Monsters and Cleveland Charge), Rock Entertainment Group, who said 19,665 fans showed up for Game 4 of the finals.

That game gave league officials a chance to see a high-spirited Cleveland crowd, game presentation, building operations and other amenities.

“Those are really important components that the league shared with us that went a long way in this decision,” Ostrowski told cleveland.com.

“It’s a huge win for us.”

That victory is a result of collaboration between the Monsters and the league, who “are always looking for willing partners and good markets that have the ability to host major events,” he said.

Three main criteria are in play: The arena itself, the market and support from connected facilities. And Cleveland checked all three boxes.

Half the arenas in the league were built after 1994, the year Rocket Arena opened as Gund Arena. But of the 32 arenas in the league, Cleveland’s is the second largest, seating just under 19,000 fans. Only the Calgary Wranglers’ Scotiabank Saddledome holds more, by a few hundred.

Hotel Cleveland will serve as host hotel connected via the Tower City walkway, the short pathway serving as the “Road to the All-Star Classic.”

Also, the market supports minor-league hockey in Cleveland. The Monsters are averaging just more than 11,000 fans per game, Ostrowski said.

Many of those die-hard and casual fans will get a chance to see the AHL’s best when the puck drops more than a year from now.

In the old days, an all-star game was just that – one game, one day, showcase the league’s stars. But the modern format has been around since 1995-96, Ostrowski said. That’s when the game took on “its modern form.”

It’s known as the all-encompassing “All-Star Classic.” A committee of league officials and coaches select the players, as they will be doing for the 2026 game, which will be in Rockford, Illinois, Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb 10-11.

For the classic in Cleveland, here is the schedule so far:

On Sunday night, Feb. 7, a skills competition composed of seven events is set – fastest skater, hardest shot, accuracy challenge and other tests. A ticketed postgame party for players and fans also is scheduled.

On Monday, Feb. 8, the challenge will be played. The game is actually a round-robin tournament composed of four divisions with 12 players from each. Also, AHL Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are scheduled.

AHL Board of Governors traditionally uses the All Star Classic to meet. Other events will be announced, including some sort of fan fest, Ostrowski said.

Cleveland officials expect the Classic to offer a financial boost in the winter.

“We anticipate this could be a major economic impact for the city,” he said. “We’re anticipating a multiple, seven-figure impact for the event, really a three-day period.”

If based on attendance, Ostrowski’s prediction might not be far off. Attendance this season is averaging over 11,000, with big weekend games in the 13,000 to 14,000 range.

“We think there’s going to be tremendous interest. We expect to have crowds in that range,” he said.

This Saturday, Dec. 20, a teddy-bear toss promotion looks to draw “one of the largest crowds ever for that event, and one of our larger regular-season crowds in franchise history.”

And when it comes to history, Cleveland has had a nice run with marquee sports events recently.

In 2019, Progressive Field hosted the Major League All-Star Game. In 2021, the NFL Draft took place downtown over three days, with bands playing and other activities. In 2022, the NBA All-Star Game was held in Rocket Arena. Two years later, the NCAA Women’s Final Four came in, and last month the Women’s National Team USA defeated Team Canada in the opener of a four-game Hockey Rivalry Series.

The Monsters started in 2007, but Cleveland has had a storied history with hockey, covering multiple teams and leagues, minor and major, over the years.

On Feb. 3, 1942, the city hosted the first AHL All-Star Game at Cleveland Arena, which had opened in 1937. The East won, 5-4. All-Star Classics also were held here in 1954 and 1957, when the Cleveland Barons faced the AHL All-Stars.

The AHL has been around since 1936. It is the top development league for the National Hockey League, akin to Class AAA baseball. It currently has six teams based in Canada and 26 in the United States, from California to Connecticut. All are affiliated with NHL teams. The Monsters’ parent club is the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The league said nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players competed in the AHL, and more than 100 members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL.

Since 1995, more than 94 percent of AHL All-Star Classic players have gone on to compete in the NHL.

“Cleveland stands as a pillar among historic American Hockey League cities, and the Monsters organization is one of our most successful franchises today,” Scott Howson, AHL president and chief executive officer, said in a press release.

An All-Star ticket pack is on sale, starting at $49, Ostrowski said, and includes tickets for both events, the skills competition and challenge, along with a knit hat. Rocket Entertainment Sports Network will air coverage of the classic and hall of fame ceremony. Individual tickets for the skills competition and challenge will go on sale at a later date. Go to clevelandmonsters.com/allstar.

American Hockey LeagueAtlantic Division

• Bridgeport Islanders

• Charlotte Checkers

• Hartford Wolf Pack

• Hershey Bears

• Lehigh Valley Phantoms

• Providence Bruins

• Springfield Thunderbirds

• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

North Division

• Belleville Senators*

• Cleveland Monsters

• Laval Rocket*

• Rochester Americans

• Syracuse Crunch

• Toronto Marlies*

• Utica Comets

Central Division

• Chicago Wolves

• Grand Rapids Griffins

• Iowa Wild

• Manitoba Moose*

• Milwaukee Admirals

• Rockford IceHogs

• Texas Stars

Pacific Division

• Abbotsford Canucks*

• Bakersfield Condors

• Calgary Wranglers*

• Coachella Valley Firebirds

• Colorado Eagles

• Henderson Silver Knights

• Ontario Reign

• San Diego Gulls

• San Jose Barracuda

• Tucson Roadrunners

* indicates Canadian teams.