Puck bunny
Encyclopedia
A puck bunny is a female ice hockey
fan, often one whose interest in the sport is primarily motivated by sexual attraction
to the players rather than enjoyment of the game itself . Primarily a Canadian term, it gained popular currency in the 21st century, and in 2004 was added to the second edition of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary
which defines it as follows :
The term is somewhat analogous to the term groupie
as it relates to rock and roll
musicians. Sociological studies of the phenomenon in minor league hockey indicate that self-proclaimed "puck bunnies" are "'proud as punch' to have sex with the [players]", as it confers social status on them. However, these transitory relationships are often contrasted with those of girlfriends
, with whom players have more stable, long-term relationships.
"Puck bunnies" are defined by the sociologists Garry Crawford
and Victoria K. Gosling as:
However, their study suggests that female fans at games are just as knowledgeable as the male fans, and that the physical attractiveness of players does not play a significant role in attracting females to the sport.
Consequently, many female fans object to the term, as they are often viewed and described as puck bunnies simply by their presence at a game, regardless of their true intentions or motivations. Other female fans embrace the use of the term as a way of making a distinction between a puck bunny and a "true" female fan of the sport.
In similar terminology, a female fan who hangs around rodeo cowboys is called a "buckle bunny
," in reference to large belt-buckles given as awards.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
fan, often one whose interest in the sport is primarily motivated by sexual attraction
Sexual attraction
Sexual attractiveness or sex appeal refers to an individual's ability to attract the sexual or erotic interest of another person, and is a factor in sexual selection or mate choice. The attraction can be to the physical or other qualities or traits of a person, or to such qualities in the context...
to the players rather than enjoyment of the game itself . Primarily a Canadian term, it gained popular currency in the 21st century, and in 2004 was added to the second edition of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary
Canadian Oxford Dictionary
The Canadian Oxford Dictionary is a dictionary of Canadian English. First published by Oxford University Press Canada in 1998, it quickly became the standard dictionary reference for Canadian English. Until September 2008, Oxford maintained a permanent staff of lexicographers in Canada, led by...
which defines it as follows :
Puck bunny: a young female hockey fan, especially one motivated more by a desire to meet the players than by an interest in hockey.
The term is somewhat analogous to the term groupie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....
as it relates to rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
musicians. Sociological studies of the phenomenon in minor league hockey indicate that self-proclaimed "puck bunnies" are "'proud as punch' to have sex with the [players]", as it confers social status on them. However, these transitory relationships are often contrasted with those of girlfriends
Girlfriends
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
, with whom players have more stable, long-term relationships.
"Puck bunnies" are defined by the sociologists Garry Crawford
Garry Crawford (sociologist)
Garry Crawford is a British sociologist whose research focuses primarily on audiences and consumer patterns, and in particular, sports fans and video gamers....
and Victoria K. Gosling as:
The term ‘puck bunny’, which is applied almost exclusively to female ice hockey fans, implies that these supporters are ‘inauthentic’, not ‘dedicated’ in their support, and are more interested in the sexual attractiveness of the players rather than the sport itself.
However, their study suggests that female fans at games are just as knowledgeable as the male fans, and that the physical attractiveness of players does not play a significant role in attracting females to the sport.
Consequently, many female fans object to the term, as they are often viewed and described as puck bunnies simply by their presence at a game, regardless of their true intentions or motivations. Other female fans embrace the use of the term as a way of making a distinction between a puck bunny and a "true" female fan of the sport.
In similar terminology, a female fan who hangs around rodeo cowboys is called a "buckle bunny
Buckle bunny
A buckle bunny is a female fan of rodeo who purposefully seeks encounters with contestants who have proven successful in their events. The term comes from a slang term for women and the belt buckles that are awarded to the winners in rodeo....
," in reference to large belt-buckles given as awards.
External links
- CBC's "Puck Bunny" blog for the television program MVPMVP (TV series)MVP is a 2008 Canadian television series that debuted January 11, 2008 on CBC Television....
- A journalist's account of Hockey Night in Canada