Could Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Playing On The Jumbotron Be The Ticket To Shorter Intermission Beer Lines - And Why Is The Answer A Resounding Yes?

I love going to hockey games, but one of the things I absolutely can't stand is trying to deal with crowded concourses during intermission. However, the Chicago Blackhawks may have found a way to keep some butts in seats while the rest of us pee and replace that pee with more beer (ah... the Circle of Life) and it has to do with — of all things — Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

When I go to a game, if I know I need to make a beer or bathroom run I always have a plan. I leave my seat at what I guesstimate is going to be the final whistle of the period. Is it a perfect plan? No, it isn't. I've missed some goals doing this, but it amounts to a cheat code that gives me a concourse empty enough to drive a compact sedan through.

This means no waiting for a urinal and either walking right up for a beer or, at worst, having to wait in a minimal line.

Then, as I'm on the way back to my seat with an empty bladder and full beer, there's a mass exodus from the stands while I sit back and relax.

However, the Blackhawks may have found a remedy for this problem. It could be a perfect way to keep several generations of people's asses in their seats.

Blackhawks May Have Found A Way To Keep Kids In Their Seats During Intermissions

A video made the rounds on Tuesday night of the United Center Jumbotron with someone playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater.

I have no clue why they decided to throw some Pro Skater up there. I just hope they keep doing it.

That's because it will keep everyone under the age of 35 in their seats or at least make them think twice about braving the crowds jockeying for position in the soft pretzel line.

Meanwhile, they've got a perfectly functional video game console sitting feet away that would allow them to play the game themselves, and yet they'd prefer to watch someone play.

Guess who just minimized the number of kids on the concourse thanks to the hypnotic powers of video games?

That's right, the Blackhawks.

These dudes are stuck shoulder to shoulder because they clearly weren't playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on the Jumbotron. Had they been, everyone would get a little breathing room. (Getty Images)

It's Not Just Kids Who Would Be Enthralled By Tony Hawk's Pro Skater On The Jumbotron

But you said everyone under 35 would stay in their seats. People that old aren't hypnotized by watching other people play video games, you dumb oaf!

Calling me a dumb oaf was a little uncalled for, but that's a fair point. That's why specifically choosing Tony Hawk Pro Skater is so brilliant.

No, most people over 20 or so don't get hypnotized by watching others play games the way kids do. But want to know what does hypnotize them?

Late '90s and early-aughts nostalgia.

And you'd be hard-pressed to find a bigger hit of that sweet, sweet nostalgia than some Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

I, like a lot of people in their late 20s or early 30s, logged many an hour shredding gnar on my PlayStation. It was a great time in my life. I didn't have a care in the world. No bills, no responsibilities. My only focus was on nailing a 900 while playing as Bucky Lasek and crushing pouches of Capri Sun.

To this day, if I see a clip of someone playing some Pro Skater on social media, I'm taking a look. I have to. It might be coded into my DNA.

And I know that's the case for a lot of people my age. Throw another game up there and it doesn't have the same power.

If I was preparing to leave my seat at intermission and they threw some Pro Skater on the big screen, it'd stop me in my tracks.

I say we start tolling this idea out across the country. Maybe start in some AHL or ECHL barns. If we see results, maybe this becomes standard operating procedure to make everyone's intermission beer runs and bathroom breaks a little less hectic.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle