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Sociology
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The Myth of the ‘Puck Bunny’

Female Fans and Men’s Ice Hockey

Garry Crawford

Sheffield Hallam University, g.crawford{at}shu.ac.uk

Victoria K. Gosling

University of Sheffield, sop98vkg{at}sheffield.ac.uk

This article presents a consideration of the female followers of men’s ice hockey in the UK, questions why this sport has been so popular in attracting a high proportion of female supporters and considers their place and location within this supporter base. In particular, the article argues that the perceived safety and accessibility of ice hockey has proved important in attracting many female supporters. However, this research argues that female followers of UK ice hockey continue to remain marginalized within this supporter community, and are deemed by many other (often male) supporters as not ‘real fans’ but simply ‘puck bunnies’ who are there to ‘lust’ after the players. These assertions, we suggest, originate in male supporters’ fears of losing their male-dominated domain and in insecurities concerning their own adulation of male sports stars. However, interviews with 37 followers of The Manchester Storm indicate no significant differences in the levels of knowledge and commitment between male and female supporters, or that the physical attractiveness of players performs any significant role in attracting women to ice hockey.

Key Words: female fans • ice hockey

Sociology, Vol. 38, No. 3, 477-493 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0038038504043214
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