Holiday Sports Preview: Must‑Watch NBA, NFL, NHL & NCAA Games

Here is a structured knowledge base article styled as a helpful guide for customer service agents, based on the content from the Ticketmaster blog post **“Holiday Sports Preview: Must‑Watch NBA, NFL, NHL & NCAA Games”** published January 14, 2025 ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). Title: Holiday Sports Spectacular: Must‑Watch NBA, NFL, NHL & NCAA Games Introduction: This guide equips customer service agents with a comprehensive overview of major sporting events unfolding during the 2024–25 holiday season. Covering marquee matchups across the NBA, NFL, NHL, and college sports—including bowl games, playoffs, and outdoor spectacles—this guide enables agents to help customers with scheduling, ticketing, and event excitement effectively. --- Main Content: 1. NBA Christmas Day Showcase - The NBA maintains a long-standing tradition of Christmas Day games dating back to 1947 ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - On December 25, 2024, five high-impact games were scheduled: • Knicks (Jalen Brunson) vs. Spurs (Victor Wembanyama) at 12:00 p.m. EST • Timberwolves (Anthony Edwards) vs. Mavericks (Luka Dončić) at 2:30 p.m. EST • 76ers vs. Celtics at 5:00 p.m. EST • Lakers vs. Warriors at 8:00 p.m. EST • Nuggets vs. Suns at 10:30 p.m. EST ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). 2. NFL Christmas Day Doubleheader - Since 2020, the NFL consistently schedules games on Christmas Day when feasible ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - For 2024, the schedule included two games: • At 1:00 p.m. EST, Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes) vs. Steelers • At 4:30 p.m. EST, Ravens vs. Texans - Both featured teams poised for playoff contention, heightening fan interest ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). 3. NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve - The NHL’s celebrated Winter Classic shifted from New Year’s Day to New Year’s Eve, starting in 2024 ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - On December 31, 2024, the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues competed outdoors at Wrigley Field ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - Agents can also note related outdoor hockey—Stadium Series and Heritage Classic—occurs later in the season ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). 4. College Football: Playoffs & New Year’s Day Action - The College Football Playoff bracket (12-team format) leads into New Year’s Day bowl events ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - First-round games in late December 2024 and quarterfinals on December 31 and January 1 included: • Penn State vs. Boise State (Fiesta Bowl) – Dec. 31 • Texas vs. Arizona State (Peach Bowl) – Jan. 1 • Ohio State vs. Oregon (Rose Bowl) – Jan. 1 ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - The Sugar Bowl followed on January 2 (Notre Dame vs. Georgia) ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - Semifinal matchups: • Orange Bowl – Jan. 9: Notre Dame vs. Penn State • Cotton Bowl – Jan. 10: Ohio State vs. Texas ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). - The National Championship occurred on Monday, January 20, 2025, in Atlanta’s Mercedes‑Benz Stadium ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). 5. College Basketball: New Year’s Day Highlights - Though March Madness dominates, college basketball features key in-conference games on New Year’s Day, like UConn vs. DePaul and Stanford vs. Clemson ([blog.ticketmaster.com](https://blog.ticketmaster.com/holiday-sports-schedule/?utm_source=openai)). --- Conclusion: This guide highlights major sporting highlights from late December 2024 through January 2025 across NBA, NFL, NHL, and NCAA events. Customer service agents can use this reference to respond to customer queries about game schedules, key matchups, ticket availability, and event timing. Be prepared to assist with: • Confirming game times and broadcast schedules • Advising on ticket purchasing for high-demand holiday games • Providing context on the significance of each matchup or event • Guiding customers on planning around overlapping events and holidays Let me know if you’d like additional info on ticket policies, broadcast partners, or event venue details!