Bears Announce 2026-27 Home Opener

July 8, 2026

The Hershey Bears have announced that the club's home opener for the 2026-27 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, is set for Saturday, Oct. 3 at GIANT Center versus the Charlotte Checkers, as the puck drops on Hershey's 89th American Hockey League season at 6 p.m that evening.

Hershey's complete 72-game schedule for the 2026-27 regular season is expected to be released on Thursday, July 9, along with the rest of the AHL schedule. Single-game ticket information will be announced later this summer.

This marks the first time Hershey will host Charlotte for its home opener since the first game of the 2021-22 season, a 5-2 victory. The Bears went 4-3-0-1 against the Checkers during the 2025-26 campaign.

The 6 p.m. start time is a new addition to Hershey's schedule this season, as select Saturday night home games will feature the puck dropping an hour earlier. 

For season ticket information for the 2026-27 Hershey Bears season, presented by Penn State Health, fans are encouraged to visit HersheyBears.com to secure their seats for the upcoming campaign.