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The Carolina Hurricanes found themselves with a hit on their hands after debuting a drinking vessel known as the “beer skate” during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Thousands of fans purchased them when they debuted at the Lenovo Center over the weekend, and some of them are turning a very tidy profit by flipping them online.
Sports fans have become accustomed to shelling out more money than they’d prefer when they attend a game in person. Sure, no one is forcing you to spend your hard-earned dough on overpriced beer and souvenir cups, but many people are willing to pay a premium while falling victim to the de facto monopoly you’re subjected to inside stadiums and arenas.
Teams have become increasingly creative when it comes to the items that are served up at concession stands, which applies not only to the food and drinks they offer but the containers that they come in.
That includes some NHL teams that offer a unique take on the traditional beer cup. The Sabres made waves with the beer swords that were introduced at the start of the season, which had a fair amount in common with the hockey stick-inspired cups that started popping up at arenas around the league a few years ago.
The Hurricanes were one of the franchises that went that second route, but they’ve taken things to the next level with a new offering that’s taken the world by storm.
Fans are dropping a ton of money to buy the beer skates that the Carolina Hurricanes are selling
On Saturday, the Hurricanes hosted the Flyers for the first game of their second-round playoff series, and fans who made the trek were informed they would be able to purchase the “beer skates” the team unleashed upon an unsuspecting world.
BEER SKATES ARE HERE 🚨
Get yours at any bar, select stands, and carts TONIGHT at the @LenovoCenter. pic.twitter.com/DbKTdpb1p9
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 2, 2026
The standalone skates, which are basically the hockey equivalent of a German beer boot, sold for $19 each. However, you could get one for $12 if you also paid for the 28 ounces of beer they’re capable of holding (you could also buy one filled with candy for $22), which reportedly brought the price up to a little over $30 depending on your brew of choice.
The team says it sold 4,687 skates at a game that was officially attended by 18,620 people, and some of them have been able to make some money by reselling them online. Dozens of them have already traded hands on eBay while selling for upwards of $230, and while some people have bought one for as little as $69, most of them have fetched a triple-digit sum.
The Hurricanes have not confirmed the beer skates will be returning for Game 2 on Monday night, but it’s pretty obvious the demand is there.