Sports
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 likely has fond memories of the machine slowly circling the rink, humming along while leaving a pristine, glistening sheet of ice in its wake. Perhaps some even had the honor of riding shotgun, listening to the 1990 song “(I Wanna Drive the) Zamboni” by the Gear Daddies.
For those who played hockey at any level, the Zamboni has served as a universal clock for the start of the game. You’re in your dressing 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 finish getting dressed.
The Zamboni is so iconic the actual name for the machine — ice resurfacer — is rarely if ever spoken. Perhaps the only way to make the vehicle more revered by hockey lovers, is to fill it with delicious food.
That’s exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights have done.
The team’s newest promotion is selling small, plastic Zambonis at concession stands inside 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 is unique to the game of hockey, and something that was just very different from a traditional bucket or cup that would create a lasting experience,” said Kris Knief, the Golden Knights’ 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-filled Zamboni costs approximately $30, and the sales are already exceeding the team’s expectations. They sold more than 2,000 units during the first 10 home games.
“We didn’t know if this would be sticky or not, but in the end the sentiment has been fantastic,” Knief said. “We’re getting calls from several different NHL clubs around the league, and Levy (a restaurant and hospitality company that supplies food and beverage for T-Mobile Arena) is looking at other elements of what this concept could be for different venues outside of the traditional core-four sports.”
Kid is obsessed with Zambonis and calls them “momma” which is incredible. Gravy boat is definitely second to chicken finger basket Zamboni. pic.twitter.com/OQsymyOFnp
— Everett Duke (@Everett_Duke) November 20, 2024
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 around the NHL.
Vegas’ ticketing department generally orders 500 units for each special collectible giveaway in order to make it rare or exclusive, but Vegas knew the demand for the Zambonis would be much higher than usual.
“We doubled the order size just because we knew it was going to be such a success,” said Amanda Fleming, senior director of group and event suite ticket sales for the Golden Knights.
Fans received the gravy boat as a part of their single-game tickets, and the team also offered season-ticket holders who already have tickets the chance to add the gravy boat on for an additional $45. The gravy boats are currently selling on eBay for around $65, but there haven’t been too many that have made it to the secondary market yet.
“As you would imagine, it was one of our largest 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 ran their promotion this month. Other NHL teams, such as the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, will be doing gravy-boat giveaways. But as with just about everything, Vegas did have to put its own twist on it by painting it in chrome gold.
“The factory pushed back a couple of 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 what is true to the VGK brand that we’ve created,” Fleming explained.
Kitchen tables across the Las Vegas Valley will be glistening with gold Zambonis overflowing with gravy this Thanksgiving. The gleaming, lustrous centerpieces are sure to spark conversation, which is exactly what the team is hoping for.
“Our anticipation is to continue to evolve with more holiday, family talking points,” Fleming said. “We started with the apron (giveaway last season). We have a few more ideas in the mix to continue to bring Golden Knights merchandise to the family setting.”
The creative process is a lengthy one. Fleming says the team begins brainstorming ideas in March for promotions for the following season. That leaves plenty of time for them to work out the licensing and overseas production.
Vegas typically has approximately 20 special ticket packages throughout the season. They held an “Emo Knight” in October with distressed graphic t-shirt giveaways and puck rock music in the arena, and will host “Hello Kitty Knight” in late January.
The minor league AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, have followed suit. They gave team-themed Zamboni gravy boats to the first 5,000 fans in attendance for their game against the Abbotsford Canucks on Nov. 22.
we know what your holiday season needs! 🎁 pic.twitter.com/m8iSR2Yphp
— Henderson Silver Knights (@HSKnights) November 7, 2024
The Zamboni-themed promotions are a universal success, so expect plenty more to come. Whether you need your ice resurfaced, your mashed potatoes smothered, or your chicken fingers kept warm, there’s a Zamboni for that.
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(Top photo courtesy of Vegas Golden Knights)
The Cleveland Browns, rumored to be willing to trade down from their No. 6 overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, did just that Thursday evening when the traded the pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cleveland traded the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to the Chiefs, in exchange for the ninth overall pick, as well as pick No. 74 in the third round and No. 148 in the fifth round.
The Browns now hold the No. 9 and No. 24 picks in the first round of the draft. They have a total of 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns watch from the sidelines during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
So the Chiefs gave up three picks in making the first trade of the first round.
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And we know what the fan bases of both clubs were thinking prior to the selection:
Chiefs fans were thinking we know something they don’t. And then the Chiefs selected cornerback Mansoor Delane from LSU — a move no doubt forced by the club’s trade of Pro Bowl cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the offseason.
So, the Chiefs fill a major need, assuming Delane is indeed the quality corner they believe.
LSU Tigers CB Mansoor Delane celebrates a defensive stop against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in South Carolina. (Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network)
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ESPN’s Mel Kiper didn’t like the pick, by the way. He had Delane as the 14th best player in the draft.
“It was a necessity,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, a former NFL defensive back, responded.
Browns fans weren’t thinking that way.
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They were probably thinking something akin to “We screwed up.”
This is understandable because they’re Browns fans and this could have been the Browns Browning.
Well, the Browns, moving down three slots, gave up a shot to draft linebacker Sonny Styles of Ohio State to the Washington Commanders, receiver Jordyn Tyson to the New Orleans Saints and then the Browns got their chance with the newly acquired No. 9 pick:
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Offensive tackle Spencer Fano of Utah.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Fano is good. And he makes the Browns offensive line instantly better because he’s going to likely start at left tackle for them.
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So what will Browns fans think of this pick?
They’ll probably wonder why the Browns didn’t pick Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, who went with the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants and promised “to die for” Jaxson Dart if necessary. They’ll wonder this because Browns fans expect the worst.
UCLA women’s basketball team has added some star power as its revamped roster begins to take shape.
Former Iowa State forward Addy Brown announced Thursday she is committing to UCLA, giving the Bruins one of the top players in the portal.
Brown averaged 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 43.1% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point distance with the Cyclones last season. She played just 21 games due to injury, but she is one of the better two-way players in the nation on the transfer market.
The 6-foot-2 forward co-starred with Audi Crooks for Iowa State the past few seasons and was a part of the mass exodus from the Cyclones’ program.
The Bruins reeled in former North Carolina junior guard Elina Aarnisalo and former Texas Christian senior guard Donovyn Hunter a few weeks ago, adding two more experienced players to the depleted starting lineup after a record six UCLA players were selected in the WNBA draft.
UCLA also signed Arkansas sophomore guard Bonnie Deas earlier this month. She is likely to start at point guard for the Bruins and is one of the best rebounding guards in the nation.
Along with returner Timea Gardiner, the Bruins are starting to form somewhat of a core to defend their national championship. Gardiner was a starter during UCLA’s 2024-25 Final Four run, but missed all of this past season with injury and has one season of eligibility left.
A lineup with Deas and Aarnisalo in the backcourt, Hunter at the three and Gardiner or Brown at the four and adding another big or Sienna Betts at the five would be a competitive lineup in the Big Ten.
Before going to TCU, Hunter played two seasons at Oregon State where she earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honorable mention and All-Pac-12 Freshman team honors. This past season with a Horned Frogs team that went to the Sweet 16, she was third in scoring with 10.2 points per game and averaged 3.2 rebounds per contest. She also shot 45.7% from the field and was 33.7% from beyond the arc.
Aarnisalo played her freshman year in Westwood after she originally committed to UCLA in 2025. Due to injuries from point guard Kiki Rice at the start of the 2024-25 season, she was forced into action early her freshman season and finished the year averaging 5.1 points per game.
The Helsinki, Finland, native averaged 10.2 points per game for the Tar Heels as a sophomore last season while shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.3% from the arc. The Bruins will desperately need to replace the three-point production lost with the departure of Rice, Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker.
UCLA coach Cori Close said she wanted to sign five players from the portal. She probably needs one more guard and a little more forward depth coming off the bench following the departures of Gabriela Jaquez and Angela Dugalic.
Lena Bilic and Amanda Muse are returners coming off the bench who got a little bit of playing time in the tournament and should have much larger roles, but they are still relatively unproven in late-game situations. They will get a chance to develop as backups with some more Power Four experienced starters now in the fold.
Trump says there’s ‘no time frame’ to secure Iran deal
Republican Minnesota Senate candidate Tom Weiler joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Iranian conflict continues and react to Gov. Tim Walz’s, D-Minn., criticism of the president.
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Saudi Arabia was among the countries seeing missiles fly into their airspace as a conflict broke out in the Middle East between the U.S. and Iran.
The prospect of Iran targeting its Middle Eastern neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates put some sporting events on hold and questioned others. Formula 1 races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were canceled and rumors swirled around whether future WWE events could be held in the kingdom.
Roman Reigns celebrates his win during WWE’s Royal Rumble at Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 31, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
As the Trump administration brokered a ceasefire with Iran, WWE announced on Thursday that its Night of Champions premium live event will be held in Riyadh on June 27.
“We are proud to welcome Night of Champions back to Riyadh and look forward to delivering another unforgettable night of WWE action for fans in the Kingdom and around the world,” General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh said in a news release.
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Sami Zayn makes his entrance during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
The release touted that WrestleMania 43 will still be held in Riyadh in 2027. It will be the first time that WrestleMania is held outside the U.S.
WWE president Nick Khan was adamant before WrestleMania 42 that the event will still take place in Saudi Arabia despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We’re doing WrestleMania next year in Saudi,” he said at a Sports Business Journal event, via The Sporting Tribune. “First time ever, WrestleMania will be outside the United States or Canada. And we’ve had a big, fruitful partnership with them.”
John Cena wrestles CM Punk during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
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He added that those complaining about WrestleMania being held in Saudi Arabia were a “vocal minority.”
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