A new TikTok trend has emerged, with women rebranding ice hockey rinks as 'boy aquariums'. The term, inspired by the sport's growing popularity among female audiences, refers to the practice of attending hockey games to watch male players, likening them to fish in an aquarium.
The trend has been fuelled by hockey-themed romance books like Icebreaker and TV shows such as Heated Rivalry. TikTok users have shared videos of their experiences, with captions like 'Went to the boy aquarium last night' and 'Where'd all the fish go?' pointing at players through the plexiglass.
Some women have even joked about 'feeding' the players, with clips showing rink employees distributing hockey pucks. The Stavanger Oilers, a professional team, joined the trend with a TikTok featuring a candy bar tied to a hockey stick, captioned 'Who wants to go fishing at the boy aquarium?'
Heated Rivalry, which follows a secret romance between two closeted gay and bisexual hockey players, has further boosted interest. Actor Hudson Williams, who plays Shane Hollander, revealed that closeted professional athletes have reached out to him, saying the show 'was hitting people right in the nerve'. The series, renewed for a second season, has drawn messages from players across multiple sports.
