Minnesota Boys State Hockey Tournament brings fans from across the country
MN boys hockey tournament brings fans from everywhere
The Minnesota high school boys' hockey state tournament is gathering fans from all over the country at the Xcel Energy Center. FOX 9 's Leon Purvis has the full story.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - People from all over Minnesota and the rest of the country are coming to see the high school boys' hockey tournament at the Xcel Energy Center.
From the East Coast to the Midwest
What they're saying:
Bob Hozak flew from New Jersey to the Twin Cities to watch high school hockey.
"The best tournament ever. Minnesota knows how to throw the tournament better than Boston," said Bob Hozak from New Jersey.
He started coming to The Land of 10,000 Lakes eight years ago. He stands in line to wait for tickets, and it’s a long line, selling out the arena.
"My son started watching, I started watching it. And we just watch it all the time. And then we come up for the tournament," said Hozak.
Season ticket holder for life
Dig deeper:
James Capp has been a season ticket holder since the 1970s. He compares the Minnesota State hockey tournament to Texas state football. He would leave school early back in his day to watch in person.
"I got an in-school suspension for two days coming here with my mom because we left school two hours early," said Season Ticket Holder James Capp.
If you want to get season tickets to the state high school hockey tournament, there’s a 10-year waitlist.
There’s also the fanfare and dressing up.
"The theme was construction," said McGuire Persson.
"School Spirit," said Gwen Baucom.
Family affair
Local perspective:
Lance Watrin came as a kid, played in the tournament in 2004, and now he brings his son from St. Cloud.
"It's something you look forward to every year, you know? I mean, take the day off work and come on down. We're a hockey family, so we, we're used to traveling all over for it," said Lance Watrin, who played in the tournament in 2004 for St. Cloud Cathedral.