Before she was a global pop icon, Ariana Grande was just a kid from Boca Raton—and a diehard Florida Panthers fan. As the Panthers chase another Stanley Cup, it turns out one of their most loyal supporters has been following the team since long before anyone knew her name.
Ariana Grande’s connection to the Panthers goes far beyond attending games from time to time. Her Panthers fandom began at the age of two, when she started attending nearly every home game at what is now Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. And her story? It’s unbelievable and completely improbable.
The day the Panthers hit Ariana Grande, twice
In 1998, Ariana, then five years old, made headlines in South Florida after being hit by a hockey puck at a Panthers game. The incident left her with a bruise and a spot in the local paper.
But just months later, she attended the grand opening of the team’s new arena. And she was hit again, this time on the wrist. The Panthers, realizing the odds of this happening were almost absurd, gifted her team merchandise and even let her ride the Zamboni.
Those moments marked her first brush with the spotlight decades before stadium tours, Grammys, or Super Bowl-level fame.
The whole city is backing the Panthers
Grande’s return to the Panthers’ spotlight this season isn’t just a celebrity cameo. It’s a full-circle moment for both her and the team.
Born months before the franchise played its first game, Ariana’s life and the Panthers’ story have grown in parallel. They were both shaped by the same South Florida energy that blends music, sports, and community like nowhere else.
Now, the Panthers look to make history in the Stanley Cup Final. Reminding Miami that this team means more than just hockey.