Ice Hockey UK and the Elite League have condemned a Financial Times article about female fans of the sport, calling it “absurd and inaccurate.”
The feature — headlined ‘how romance readers rescued British ice hockey’ — was published on Saturday [4 October], suggesting that female hockey fans had been drawn to the sport by a “siren call.”
“This is a love story, and like all good love stories, it is complicated,” wrote journalist Kitty Drake. “The affair between British women and ice hockey all started with a very niche genre of novel, known among readers as the ice-hockey [sic] romance book.”
In a statement published on Sunday [5 October], Ice Hockey UK CEO Henry Staelens criticised the piece, accusing the Financial Times of disrespecting the sport and its fans.
“It’s extremely disappointing to see the piece that has appeared in the Financial Times,” said Staelens, who joined the national governing body in 2024.
“The tone of the article is not just absurd and inaccurate in relation to ice hockey, but also to women who watch sport in general – something that shouldn’t even be a talking point in today’s society.
“We’re proud that our sport is a welcoming place to so many women, men and children, who turn out to support their teams, for the pure love of the sport, across all four nations week-in and week-out.
“Ice hockey is the most popular indoor sport in the UK, and stories such as this show a clear lack of respect for the brilliant people who play it, support it and work across it.”
Elite League ‘dismayed and disappointed’ by portrayal of female fans in Financial Times article:
Spencer Naas, Dundee Stars (Image: Derek Black)
Drake’s article connects rising female attendance numbers with the popularity of hockey romance novels, opening with an account of how “forty players streak on the ice, drop down on to their hands and knees and… gyrate” before a “gaggle of women” during pre-game warm-ups.
“The Elite League would like to place on record our dismay and disappointment at the portrayal of our female fanbase in the recent Financial Times article,” wrote a league spokesperson on Sunday.
“We’re very proud to have an incredibly diverse fanbase watching our great sport and they play a vibrant part in our incredible hockey community.
“Attendances across the Elite League continue to rise year on year and we are incredibly grateful for the enthusiastic and dedicated support our fans give every week across all four nations.”
Added a spokesperson for the Glasgow Clan: “We’re incredibly proud to have such a passionate and inclusive Purple Army, with fans from all walks of life who support the Clan for the love of the game, the community and the excitement that hockey brings.
“Hockey is for everyone and we’ll continue to celebrate the diverse, dedicated fans who make our sport what it is.”
British Ice Hockey has approached the Financial Times for comment.
