Air the Bear is an event where fans bring a soft toy to a fixture during the Christmas period. Once the home team scores their first goal of the evening, the bears are then thrown onto the ice and collected. Following the game the soft toys are donated to charities and hospitals.

You can watch an example HERE from Hershey Bears who play in the American Hockey League (AHL) – A total 52, 341 soft toys were thrown on to the ice following the first Hershey goal!

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

It’s simple – Bring a bear / soft toy to the fixture on Friday 5th December. The soft toys can be brand new, but if pre-loved please make sure they’re washed and in good condition.

Wrap your soft toy in cling film to protect from ice and water when on the ice.

Wait for Manchester Storm to score their first of the night, then throw your soft toy / bear on to the ice!

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The soft toys will be collected by our match night staff and stewards and then stored until the 2025/26 season squad deliver them to #MissionChristmasHQ ready to be distributed across the North West as part of the Cash For Kids campaign.

Tickets for our ‘Air The Bear‘ fixture sell fast and a large crowd is expected, can we air the most bears in club history? Secure your seats now and watch the 2025/26 season squad battle for valuable Elite League points as they look to move further up the standings. See you then, Manchester!