Chicken fingers or gravy? Food-filled Zambonis are popular collectibles in Las Vegas

The Zamboni is an institution in hockey.

Anyone who grew up attending hockey games as a child probably has fond memories of the machine slowly circling the rink, humming along as it leaves a pristine, glistening sheet of ice in its wake. Perhaps some even had the honor of riding shotgun and listening to the Gear Daddies' 1990 song “(I Wanna Drive the) Zamboni.”

For those who have played hockey at any level, the Zamboni has served as a universal clock for the start of the game. You're in your locker room lacing up your skates when a teammate walks through the door and says, “The Zam has two turns left,” and suddenly everyone in the room knows exactly how much time they have to get dressed.

The Zamboni is so iconic that the actual name for the machine – ice mop – is rarely, if ever, spoken. Perhaps the only way to make the vehicle more revered among hockey fans is to fill it with delicious food.

That's exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights have done.

The team's latest promotion is selling small, plastic Zambonis at concession stands in T-Mobile Arena, filled with chicken fingers and fries.


(Photo courtesy of Vegas Golden Knights)

“It was something that would be memorable for all fans, something that was unique to the game of hockey, and something that was very different than a traditional bucket or cup that would create a lasting experience,” Golden Knights' Kris Knief said. ' vice president of strategy and innovation. “It's one of the most iconic elements of hockey. It's not just youth-driven. It's every demographic across the board.”

The chicken-stuffed Zamboni costs about $30, and sales are already exceeding the team's expectations. More than 2,000 copies were sold during the first ten home games.

“We didn't know if this would be sticky or not, but in the end the sentiment was fantastic,” Knief said. “We're getting calls from several NHL clubs around the league, and Levy (a restaurant and hospitality company that provides food and beverage for T-Mobile Arena) is exploring other elements of what this concept could be for various locations outside the league . the traditional core four-sports.”

The chicken buckets aren't the only Zamboni-themed promotion for the Golden Knights this season. The team also created a special ticket package for the Nov. 11 game against the Hurricanes that included a Zamboni gravy boat – a promotion that is becoming a popular trend within the NHL.

Vegas' ticket department generally orders 500 copies for each special collector's giveaway to make it rare or exclusive, but Vegas knew demand for the Zambonis would be much higher than normal.

“We doubled the order size just because we knew it would be such a success,” said Amanda Fleming, senior director of group ticketing and event suites for the Golden Knights.

Fans received the gravy boat as part of their single-game tickets, and the team also offered season ticket holders who already had tickets the chance to add the gravy boat for an additional $45. The gravy boats are currently sell on eBay for about $65but not many have reached the secondary market yet.

“As you can imagine, this was one of our biggest add-ons to date,” Fleming said.

The Golden Knights didn't invent the gravy boat promotion. The Detroit Red Wings have been producing them for years and promoted them this month. Other NHL teams, such as the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, will be doing gravy boat giveaways. But as with almost everything, Vegas had to put its own spin on it by painting it in chrome gold.

“The factory pushed back a few times just because you can't microwave that chrome material or put it in the dishwasher, but we really wanted the look and feel of the VGK brand that we created,” Fleming explained.

Kitchen tables across the Las Vegas Valley will glisten with golden Zambonis overflowing with gravy this Thanksgiving. The shiny, glossy centerpieces are sure to spark conversations, which is exactly what the team is hoping for.

“Our expectation is that we will continue to evolve with more topics of conversation around vacation and family,” said Fleming. “We started with the apron (last season's competition). We have a few more ideas in the mix to continue bringing Golden Knights merchandise into the family sphere.”

The creative process is a long process. Fleming says the team will begin brainstorming promotions for next season in March. That leaves them plenty of time to work out licensing and overseas production.

Vegas typically has about 20 special ticket packages throughout the season. They held an “Emo Knight” in October with giveaways featuring distressed graphic t-shirts and punk rock music in the arena, and will host “Hello Kitty Knight” in late January.

The minor league AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, has followed suit. They gave out team-themed Zamboni gravy boats to the first 5,000 fans in attendance before their game against the Abbotsford Canucks on November 22.

The Zamboni-themed promotions have been a universal success, so expect many more to follow. Whether you want to resurface your ice cream, smother your mashed potatoes, or keep your chicken fingers warm, there's a Zamboni for that.

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(Top photo courtesy of Vegas Golden Knights)



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