Wisconsin fans will be forced to choose between sports this winter when both men's hockey and men's basketball happen at exactly the same time. And since the two events will be happening over an hour away, it's not going to be feasible to attend both.
Badger fans will have to decide if they want to see Wisconsin men's basketball take on Colorado State in a non-conference face-off in the Kohl Center or be part of day two of the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, in which the Badger men's hockey team will be a major part.
Let's dig into both events so that it's easier to choose for each of us who wants to be at one or the other.
Fans being forced to choose between a #Badgers men's basketball home game and day two of the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off https://t.co/foyzcmAv7l
— Kedrick Stumbris (@KedrickStumbris) July 1, 2026
The Wisconsin Badgers has two major events happening at the same time on December 30, 2026
Related: Shawn Eichorst delivers passionate message on plans to help Wisconsin, Luke Fickell
Wisconsin men's basketball will be in their sixth game of the season (most likely) when they tip off against Colorado State on December 30. Already played Denver, and the two games in the Bahamas Championship, Marquette, and Auburn. There will be two other games against non-conference opponents (BYU and Villanova) before heading into the Big Ten schedule.
The Colorado State game could serve as a pivotal moment in the non-conference schedule. They will need it as a moment to fix or build on from the previous three games. It will be an important game in which the Badgers will also be thinking about the preparation for the conference schedule. Fans will want to be at it, if possible. The first home game since the season opener. The only other opportunity for Wisconsin fans will be when the Badgers play Marquette in the Fiserv Forum on December 5.
Speaking of the Fiserv Forum, that's the other half of the conflict on December 30. The Wisconsin men's hockey team will be on day two of the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off. A showcase featuring Wisconsin alongside UMASS, Arizona State, and Northern Michigan.
It functions with a bracket-style tournament in which each team will get to play in two games. The winners of the first games will square off for the championship, while the losers will play a consolation game. Wisconsin played in this last season, too, and made it past round one, but lost to Western Michigan in the final game.
There is anticipation that Wisconsin will play for the championship of the mini-tournament again in 2026. This would make December 30 an important date for watching how the men's hockey team fares. It's also early enough in the season that, similar to Wisconsin men's basketball, it will matter for getting things squared away before the conference schedule.
So, there's a choice on the table for Wisconsin fans if they want to attend one or the other. Though some may choose to just split screen on their television. Not a bad option, but it sure would be nice to see a ton of Badger fans at both games. However, the scheduling didn't super help fans out.
Add us as a preferred source on Google