Ice Girls

When I went to a Capitals game in February I came away with the view that professional hockey needs some kind of equivalent to the cheerleaders of football or dance teams of the NBA. Commenters drew my attention to the fact that some teams do actually do this. Here, for example, are the Dallas Stars Ice Girls:

Went to the Caps game last night, though, and still no ice girls. Pretty thrilling win,t hough. From an NBA-fan perspective it's a bit sad to see how much more engaged and knowledgeable the crowd at the Caps game is compared to the Wizards' fans. I almost feel like we need Gilbert Arenas to contribute to the team by offering pregame seminars and when you're supposed to cheer and boo and so forth.

Comments

NHL fans go to watch hockey. NBA fans go to show they can lay down $100 for crappy seats.

Posted by Rob | December 27, 2007 9:40 AM

Maybe the reason Wizards' fans are less engaged is because they're there for the cheerleaders and not the game.

The only reason the BA has all that crap is to cover for how many damned stoppages in play there are.

Posted by Ronnie Pudding | December 27, 2007 9:41 AM

That's true of many hockey games. Because hockey isn't as broadly popular as football or basketball in this country, if you go to a hockey game chances are the only people there are real hockey fans. I used to go to local college hockey games with my dad when I was younger and we would strike up conversations with fans all the time.

Posted by Just Another Greg | December 27, 2007 9:55 AM

There's no such thing as a casual American hockey fan. What's the incentive? You'll never break the ice in a meeting by wondering if Ottawa is too soft to win the Cup.

The plus side is that it's great to find a fellow puckhead. There's a guy at the supermarket whose line I always try to get in so we can moan about the Kings.

Posted by Delicious Pundit | December 27, 2007 10:15 AM

You chose well, Matt. Last night's crowd was possibly the best [and most vocal] home crowd so far this season.

As a hockey fan, I can't bring myself to endorse ice girls, but I do support the annual Japers' Rink Ice Girl pageant.

2007
2006

Posted by kb | December 27, 2007 10:23 AM

Huh. The Ice Girls have knocked Benazir Bhutto's assassination of the front page of nytimes.com as well. Must be a slow news day.

Posted by Jim | December 27, 2007 10:26 AM

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) yarışmasınının genel amacı "wmwebtr ödüllü seo yarışması" kelimesinde google da ilk üçe girebilmektir. İlk üçe girenlere sürpriz hediyeler var.

Posted by wmwebtr ödüllü seo yarışması | December 27, 2007 11:10 AM

Re: "Ice Girls"

Enough about Sidney Crosby already...

Posted by drfranklives | December 27, 2007 11:24 AM

Wouldn't those Dallas Ice Girls get kinda cold at the game in those bikinis?

Posted by Kevin | December 27, 2007 11:41 AM

American-only sports like the NBA have too many time outs. Fans fall asleep. Stick with Soccer and Hockey, and stop reading Kornheiser and Wilbon.

Posted by Hedley Lamarr | December 27, 2007 1:10 PM

Madison Square Garden's issues are not limited to Isaiah and the Knicks: Garden Settles a Lawsuit Filed by a Former Rangers Cheerleader

Posted by john | December 27, 2007 2:02 PM

There's a guy at the supermarket whose line I always try to get in so we can moan about the Kings.

And there's been a lot to moan about. Fortunately, I live in Chicago, and I only have to admit I'm a Kings fan when they're in town.

I still do my penance by watching every game on Center Ice, though.

Posted by Seitz | December 27, 2007 5:06 PM

When I went to a Capitals game in February I came away with the view that professional hockey needs some kind of equivalent to the cheerleaders of football or dance teams of the NBA.

I have nothing against cheerleaders. Hockey, however, is a fine enough game that it doesn't need them. Among other things, the last two minutes of a close game doesn't take a half-hour to play, and you never hear the announcers saying, "They need to foul."

Posted by J. Michael Neal | December 27, 2007 8:09 PM

Generally only teams in the south/southeast have cheerleaders. (Though ice girls with shovels seem to be proliferating) In most arenas, they go with giveaway contests or entertainment on the Jumbotron during TV timeouts. Whatever happened to the Dancing Guy at Staples Center?

Posted by Parros' mustache | December 27, 2007 9:58 PM

why do they have to talk?

Posted by fisticuffs DC | December 28, 2007 8:30 AM

Don't even think about it, hockey is not like basketball, so please let's not emulate their type of "entertainment". If you go this route, you may as well get a bearded lady and sword swallower and turn it over to Ringling Brothers

Posted by Martin | December 28, 2007 10:45 AM

If all hockey teams had cheerleaders, they'd probably get into fights . . .

Of course, for some people, that would be a plus.

Posted by rea | December 28, 2007 12:06 PM

STUPID Idea. Lets concentrate on the product on the ice, not the gimmick off the ice.

Posted by caphcky | December 28, 2007 5:17 PM

oy, the kings :( what the hell is it gonna take to get back to respectibility? speaking of the kings, they kinda have cheerleaders. girls (and dudes) who run around the stands and are all jiggly and somewhat scantily clad (the girls are anyway), throwing out t-shirts and giftcards and whatnot. it's just kind of annoying if you ask me. i want to watch the game. although i do love me some 'human bowling' during the intermissions.

Posted by chmichnga | December 28, 2007 7:36 PM

As if the idea of scantily=clad cheerleaders in Green Bay wasn't stupid enough, now we need bikini-type apparel in ice rinks?

The real solution here is to grow the hell up and hit up a strip club after the game if that's the sort of entertainment you're after.

Posted by evil_fizz | December 28, 2007 9:14 PM

Blackhawks have 'em.

Posted by saam | December 29, 2007 2:44 AM

Hockey sucks, puckheads. Rea's idea is the good one, girl fights on ice. Take me back to 4th grade.

Posted by bob | December 29, 2007 11:32 AM

Using Amanda's Razor, Matt, we now know that you are worried about going gay. Good friends, good friends.

Posted by jerry | December 29, 2007 3:44 PM

Cheerleaders in skinny outfits have been done already. How about just broadcasting some hard porn onto the ice during the intermission? Or people could always hoot and holler at the women in the audience, to make them flash their boobs. Yes, that's the ticket.

Posted by Echidne | December 30, 2007 2:49 AM

This is a really dumb idea, and clashes with both the culture of hockey and the way an NHL game is played and structured.

Here's a good measure: if they do it in Dallas, it shouldn't be done.

Posted by Mike | December 31, 2007 1:19 PM

This is a really dumb idea, and clashes with both the culture of hockey and the way an NHL game is played and structured.

Here's a good measure: if they do it in Dallas, it shouldn't be done.

Posted by Mike | December 31, 2007 1:22 PM

Gack, who knew you were such a sexist creep. I guess the only gender is male? None of those "others" watch or play hockey. I am disappointed (again), I thought you were better than that.

Posted by lymie | January 2, 2008 8:20 AM

I go to hockey games to enjoy the game and my favorite teams. yes, female hockey fans exist, and we too just want to see the game.

Posted by female hockey fan | January 2, 2008 9:08 AM

Thanks,Matt,for reminding me why i think you are an immature, jejune twit.

Sexism reigns, and no, it is not harmless fun.

Posted by Carol | January 2, 2008 10:36 AM

Matt, most hockey fans are there to watch the game. If you want to see some tit flashed, take your sexist ass to a strip club.

Posted by Nan | January 2, 2008 2:31 PM

Mattie Boy,

I spose you think the Rutgers Championship Women's BB team were accurately described by the I-weasel.

Pox,

Doktor Krankheit

Posted by Doktor Krankheit | January 2, 2008 8:39 PM

So this post is supposed to be just a little aside, man-to-man, hunh? That's pretty revealing as to who the Atlantic thinks its audience is.

Posted by Was considering subscribing | January 3, 2008 12:56 PM

Gee, thank you Dallas, for adding unnecessary sexual exploitation to one of the few team sports without it.

Also, what a dumb idea. Hockey fans want violence, not sex. If the Stars want more people at their games they should fight more.

Posted by Ragnell | January 4, 2008 2:40 AM

Sorry but I have absolutely no use at all for the Ice Girls in their skimpy outfits. To me they are a waste of good oxygen and skin. I think it would benefit the game more if some of the kids in leagues around the area did the "snow shoveling." I consider those girls with their fake smiles wearing skimpy outfits in a COLD hockey arena to be as effective as a tanning bed that is missing a bulb. I am a hockey fanatic and I paid my money to see the game not the bimbos. I wish there was some way to get rid of them but it seems every team in Dallas trys to immitate the Cowboys Cheerleaders. I see enough "puck bunnies" running around the concourse or trying to make it all the way down the steps to the glass wearing high heels, low cut tops and NO jacket. Sorry, but this is a BIG pet peeve of mine.

Posted by StarsRule | January 9, 2008 1:34 AM

I don't think I understand the reason for blaming the Dallas Stars for having Ice Girl puck bunnies. FYI there was an article not too long ago about a problem between the NYRangers and their ice girls. It involved Lundqvist and another unknown player but possibly Avery. I have seen ice girls on other Eastern teams as well and wouldn't you suppose that since The Rangers have been around much longer than the Stars, maybe they started the trend. It really doesn't matter who started it so quit throwing blame. What matters is who can get it stopped. But for all you males complaining about it, I don't believe for one minute that you don't enjoy it. If you really were so opposed to it you would be trying to do something about getting rid of it or at least getting it off your team.

Posted by StarsRule | January 10, 2008 12:37 AM