PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Pittsburgh Public Schools students are getting an opportunity to experience professional hockey without having to pay for a ticket, thanks to a continuing partnership between the school district and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins are offering every Pittsburgh Public Schools student two free tickets to upcoming preseason games at PPG Paints Arena.
The initiative is designed to give students and their families a chance to experience a live hockey game, including those who may never have attended a Penguins game before.
For some families, that first visit could become the beginning of a much bigger connection with the sport.
Tracey McCants Lewis, chief legal and community affairs officer for the Penguins, said she has seen families return season after season after first experiencing a game through the program.
“I’ve had parents that have brought their children, and now they come every season,” Lewis said. “Or they’ve bought a mini package, or they buy single game tickets to come to the games because they enjoy it so much.”
Two Penguins Preseason Games Are Available
Students will have two preseason games to choose from as part of the offer.
The first option is the Monday, September 21 game against the Buffalo Sabres. The second is the Tuesday, September 22 matchup against the Detroit Red Wings.
The tickets provide students with an opportunity to see professional hockey in person while enjoying everything that comes with a game-day experience at PPG Paints Arena.
And according to Lewis, it is not necessarily just the action on the ice that makes an impression on young fans.
“There’s so much that happens during a game that kids, people, pick up on anything,” Lewis said.
She pointed to everything from promotional T-shirts and activities around the arena to the Zamboni, singers and other entertainment as things that can make the experience memorable.
“It’s just a fun time,” she added.
Free Food and Drinks Included With Tickets
The offer goes beyond free admission to the preseason games. Students will also receive vouchers for a complimentary food item and drink, courtesy of Aramark.
That added benefit gives families another reason to take advantage of the program and experience a Penguins game together.
The partnership between Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Penguins is now entering its fourth year, showing the organizations’ continued effort to make hockey more accessible to local students.
The program is particularly focused on reaching children who might otherwise have limited opportunities to attend professional sporting events.
How Pittsburgh Public Schools Students Can Redeem Tickets
Students should have received a flyer with information about redeeming the tickets during the recent Pittsburgh Public Schools back-to-school drive.
Guardians should also have received an email from the school district containing details about the offer. Parents who need additional information can also go online to learn how to redeem the tickets.
The Penguins say the goal is not simply to fill seats for preseason games. The larger objective is to introduce students to hockey and give them a chance to discover whether the sport becomes something they want to follow.
Penguins Say Hockey Is for Everyone
Lewis said the program has also helped some parents experience PPG Paints Arena for the first time.
“We had some parents even that had never been in PPG Paints Arena,” she said.
For the Penguins, making the sport accessible to students is part of a broader effort to bring hockey to a wider audience.
“The mission is really to get students involved, interested in hockey, and give them an opportunity,” Lewis said.
She summed up the message behind the partnership simply: “Hockey is for everyone.”
With two preseason games available and food and drink vouchers included, Pittsburgh Public Schools students have a chance to turn an ordinary September night into a memorable family experience.
Would you take your child to a Penguins game if you received two free tickets? Share your thoughts in the comments.