KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Ice Bears were prepared to skate out onto the ice rink and compete against Macon Friday night. But those plans were dashed after officials said the ice was not safe to play on.
The president of the team, Mike Murray, said that the floor did not freeze properly after the live nativity pageant. Crews worked overnight on the lines under the floor to ensure it would freeze before Saturday night's home game.
The Knoxville Civic Coliseum was upgraded in 2019, but Murray said that they were not sufficient. Instead, he is pushing for a full rebuild of the arena. He also said he is working with the league to reschedule the game. Tickets for Saturday's game will be good for the rescheduled date, he said.
And while the players may not have had a chance to get on the ice, fans could still hang out with the team and Santa Claus! Attendees had a chance from 5 p.m. through 7 p.m. to meet Santa and donate a coat for the Ice Bears' coat drive. They could also make a $5 donation to the KIB Foundation to get a picture with Santa.