Badgers' men aim to sell 80,000 tickets in order to break outdoor hockey attendance world record.

MADISON - Now that the Camp Randall Hockey Classic has a corporate sponsor, its next order of business seems obvious.

"I want to see 80,000 people in the stadium," Craig Culver said.

It was announced Wednesday that Culver's Restaurants, the fast-food chain with roots in Prairie du Sac, will sponsor the first outdoor hockey games at Camp Randall Stadium.

The University of Wisconsin men's and women's teams will be featured in the event Feb. 6, 2010. The men will play Michigan and the women will face Bemidji State with the idea of setting the world record for attendance at an outdoor hockey game.

That's a tall order given that 20,000 tickets have been sold, according to UW athletic director Barry Alvarez. The $25 tickets for what is now known as the Culver's Camp Randall Hockey Classic went on sale March 6.

The world record for attendance at an outdoor hockey game is 74,544, set Oct. 6 2001, when Michigan and Michigan State skated to a 3-3 tie at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.

"I have no doubts we'll get 80,000," UW men's coach Mike Eaves said during a news conference staged inside a cool, windy Camp Randall, which seats 80,321 for football games.

A series of ticket reward packages were unveiled for youth hockey teams and the general public. Tickets are $15 for groups of 20 or more.

Youth teams that purchase 100 or more tickets are entered into a drawing for an hour of ice time on the outdoor rink.

General public groups that buy at least 125 tickets will be entered into a drawing to use the Nicholas Suites at the Kohl Center for a Badgers game during the 2010-11 season.

Specific terms of the Culver's sponsorship weren't disclosed, but the chain does have a six-figure promotional agreement with the UW Athletic Department.

UW women's coach Mark Johnson will be coaching Team USA in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver - the Games begin Feb. 12 - but he's so smitten by the event he said he's trying to reschedule a pre-Games outing to be on hand.

While the UW men's team has played an outdoor game of late - knocking off Ohio State 4-2 before 40,890 in the Frozen Tundra Classic on Feb. 11, 2006, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay - this will be the first such experience for the women's team.

"It's going to be cool," Johnson said.