MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday the return of their groundbreaking in-game escape room, The Bell Canadiens Escape, for the upcoming 2023-24 season. Fresh off an inaugural campaign that saw the initiative win “Best New Fan Experience” at the 2023 Hashtag Sports Awards, the team is once again partnering with Échappe-Toi to produce a high-end immersive challenge whereby competitors attempt to escape from a locked room as their progress is followed by 21,000+ fans at the Bell Centre. This year, the story is set inside the home of team mascot Youppi!, so colorful and inventive challenges will be in the offering.
Participants in "The Bell Canadiens Escape" will be introduced to the live crowd on the Bell Centre central scoreboard prior to the beginning of each hockey game, then be locked in the room for a maximum of 30 minutes to solve a variety of Youppi!-themed puzzles. During their experience, the crowd will eavesdrop on their progress with a "live look-in" on the scoreboard early in the first period. Upon escaping the room or being released after 30 minutes, the four participants will make their way to their seats inside the arena to enjoy the balance of the game - anticipated as being the midway point of the first period - along with a concession package and a t-shirt that reads either "I ESCAPED!" or "I FAILED."
Escape room ticket packages will be available in extremely limited supply, given a maximum of only 164 individuals can access the space over the course of the team’s 41 games. All Saturday night experiences along with several other key dates will be awarded on team platforms courtesy of Bell. The remaining games – fewer than 30 – will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The all-new Youppi! edition of "The Bell Canadiens Escape" will formally debut at the team's 2023-24 home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 14. For more details, along with a complete FAQ on the concept and link to purchase, fans are invited to visit nhl.com/canadiens/tickets/experiences/bell-canadiens-escape.
