Hockey, a sport filled with fighting, high energy, and luscious hair is truly a unique and high intense sport that should be enjoyable to all. Most sports are dominated by the male perspective in mind, which is not only a bad business perspective but prejudice. Hockey is no different, even though the sport includes some of the strongest women on the planet, they are often overlooked in satisfying the male mind.
Let’s focus on what it means to be a female hockey fan. As with any sports, women are not advertised unless it’s a V-neck pink jersey. Over the past few years, the women’s line of jerseys has expanded but is still not competing with the men’s range. After the Washington Capitals became the 2018 Stanley Cup champions, most player’s home jerseys were still not available for women. The women’s merchandise is still limited to overpriced scarfs and knock off men’s apparel.
This information is not new to any female sports fan. We are often looked down upon as knowing nothing about the sport, even though we definitely know more than you. In recent years, more female hockey athletes have been making moves into the male-dominated National Hockey League. Having these female hockey stars allows young girls to finally have role models and to have the courage to join the sport. Yes, being a female hockey fan has a lot of challenges but also it can be extremely engaging and exhilarating. Hockey is a sport for all, whether you support the Blues or the Lightning, we all can laugh listening to Alex Ovechkin’s motivational “we not gonna be suck this year!” after winning the Stanley Cup.
Photo by USA Today Sports
The hockey atmosphere is truly entertainment, from the pumped-up music to the goal horn being blasted. Also, trust me, women love hockey fights more than you think. Who wouldn’t love watching two six-foot-tall men battle on ice skates because they simply can? Hockey has truly become a spectacle and a massive fandom to younger viewers. Everyone has their favorite hockey player but now fans can create blogs about them and interact closely through social media. The hockey community is so much bigger than corporate N.H.L thinks; thousands of hockey blogs, fan sites, and forums are connecting more fans and the sport than ever before. The N.H.L. should take notice of this massive market they are missing the mark on. By sharing, following, and interacting with the Capitals I am growing closer to the franchise and being able to support the players. My support is no less than a man’s and that will never change. While the league will probably continue to miss the mark on what it actually means to be a female hockey fan, just know we are definitely fed up with the stereotypical V-neck jerseys and just want to support the team.