Long before packed arenas, Grammy Awards, and global fame, Ariana Grande had another kind of spotlight: center ice at a Florida Panthers game. Her connection to the team didn’t begin with a celebrity appearance or a VIP invitation. It started when she was a child.
Music and hockey united
Many celebrities attend sports events, publicly cheer for famous athletes, and enjoy being shown on jumbotrons for no real reason. It’s not the case for a Florida-born Ariana Grande, who was a Panthers fan first and found her stardom many years later.
On Jan.16, 2002, she performed the national anthem before the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Florida Panthers game. She was just eight years old at the time. Who knew that one of her first public outings would lead to such a brilliant music career?!
Way before that, she made a few headlines by being struck by a hockey puck and riding a Zamboni. Some fans hoped the singer-turned-actress would show up at the 2026 Winter Classic in Miami, but she never did.
It's always sunny in Sunrise
The “Wicked” actress continues her Eternal Sunshine Tour around North America and has stopped by Sunrise for three shows. The three-time Grammy Award-winning singer came back home to Amerant Back Arena with special treatment from the Florida Panthers.
Not only did the Panthers create a customized, sparkly jersey for their famous fan, but they also sent their mascot Stanley to greet the singer and her crew.
While on stage, Grande once again shared her famous story about singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Panthers’ home arena, then called the Office Depot Center. She also included a toy rat into her performance to pay tribute to her team and the “rat trick” tradition. Once again, it goes back to 1995, when a winger Scott Mellanby scored two goals after taking down a rodent in a locker room. Since then, Cats fans have thrown plastic toy rats on the ice as a celebration of victories.
For longtime Panthers fans, these moments serve as familiar pieces of team history. For Ariana Grande’s global audience, it may be a first introduction to Florida hockey, the rat tradition, and the Panthers themselves.
That is what makes her connection to the team so valuable and special. She is not simply a celebrity wearing a Panthers jersey. In her own way, Ariana Grande has become an ambassador for the franchise - one toy rat, one story, and one stage.
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