Sharks' decision to add Ice Girls is a middle finger to their female fans
Better with tits? The San Jose Sharks seem to think so.
[Editor's Note: The following is a guest post from the great CTGray of Couch Tarts. Give her a follow!]
The Sharks have been awash with disappointing announcements this summer; the possibility of trading Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau, re-signing Mike Brown, calling it a rebuild then not doing a damn thing and now Ice Girls. In case you missed it, this link came across the official Sharks Twitter wire this morning.
Icing a team to maintain the ice during stoppages is nothing new. The Sharks have had a co-ed team of skaters for years that goes out, scoops up the snow, and then disappears once the break is over. They've always worn the same uniforms: black workout pants, usually baggy, a Sharks parka, and a Sharks cap. Makes sense, after all, ice is pretty cold. You don't need to be dressed for the beach when your job consists of skating around maintaining the integrity of a frozen surface. But now, now the uniforms are different.
Men will still have on the jacket and baggy pants, but the ladies? Ah, tight fitting pants and a mid-drift bearing cutoff jersey that fits pretty tight. While the listing advertises for both men and women, only the women's tryouts are listed and the overall focus makes it clear that only attractive ladies need apply. After all, who wants to watch a bunch of smelly men skate around on the ice at a hockey game?
I'm sorry but that's just flagrantly disappointing.
I was always proud of the Sharks for being an Ice Girls-free team. The sport itself is what brings fans in, not T&A, and the Sharks knew it. They didn't have to fall back on a sexy gimmick to get butts in seats. The sport sells itself. No objectification, just hockey. Now?
Now they've decided that sex is a better seller than skill. Instead of fixing the team on the ice, they're adding tits. They're telling female fans, young and old, that it's not athletic skill that matters, it's how hot you are. Girls don't play hockey, they just look cute watching it. Hell, you don't even need to be able to skate well to be on the Ice Team, so, screw your sweaty workouts, it's time to look hot. No hair up either, that would be far too efficient. Better wear it down, so it gets in the way. That messy look is super sexy. Make sure you have make up on, you wouldn't want to look ugly on camera.
I guess it makes sense; after all the Ducks and Kings both have Ice Girls and they've won Cups. Dallas has Ice Girls, and they've won a Cup...hell even the Islanders have a Cup. They also have Ice Girls. Clearly, Ice Girls are the winning factor.
In today's game, if you want to win, you don't need to worry about improving your product on ice, you just need tits. They make everything better.