SAP Garden Grand Opening starts - new home of the Red Bulls before opening

Friday, 27. September 2024 | SAP Garden Grand Opening starts - new home of the Red Bulls before opening

SAP Garden Grand Opening: Our new home opens its doors// GRAND OPENINGThe time has come! SAP Garden will officially open tonight at 8:30 p.m. with our game against the NHL team from Buffalo Sabres. Visitors to the stadium can expect a real spectacle – for fans at home, the game will be broadcast live on TV.

MagentaSport, Sky and ServusTV On will show the game live, DF1 with a time delay. In addition, the duel will be broadcast worldwide via Red Bull TV global and in the USA and Canada via NHL Network.

Great anticipation for "something very special"

Exactly 1,719 days after the start of construction, EHC Red Bull München's first home game will take place in the new living room. The Red Bulls' game against the Sabres is part of the "2024 NHL Global Series Challenge Germany presented by Fastenal". All tickets were sold out just a few minutes after the pre-sale began.

"This is an absolute highlight for everyone involved. The SAP Garden alone will be something very special. Everyone can really look forward to it," says Munich striker Tobias Rieder. The 31-year-old, who moved to Munich in the summer, played 44 games for the Buffalo Sabres himself in the 2020/21 season. With a total of 492 appearances in the best league in the world, Rieder is currently the player with the most NHL experience in the Red Bulls' squad.

Perterka on reunion: "It's going to be great!"

For Buffalo's JJ Peterka, on the other hand, it's a spectacular return to his old home. The 22-year-old native of Munich worked his way up from the Munich junior ranks via the Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy and the professional teams of EC Red Bull Salzburg and EHC Red Bull München to the NHL. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2020 and made his NHL debut in 2021. Peterka scored 28 goals last season.

"It was very special for me to play for Munich because I come from there and grew up there. Now I've returned and have the chance to play against them on Friday and play in front of all those fans. It's going to be great," said the striker about the upcoming reunion. "I think it's going to be a great hockey game, especially for the city and the new arena."

This is the second time in its history that the NHL has visited the Bavarian capital. In 1990, the Edmonton Oilers were guests in Munich and won 8:4 against EC Hedos Munich. 34 years later, the Buffalo Sabres will now follow. This will be EHC Red Bull Munich's first encounter with a team from the best and most famous ice hockey league in the world.

Facts & figures about the SAP Garden

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Floor area: approx. 22,500 m²

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Roof: 13,094 m² (including almost 8,000 m² of flower meadow)

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Concrete used: approx. 55,000 m³

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Steel used: approx. 13,500 tons

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Pilaster strips: 260

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