If it’s new and trending, chances are, it’s happening on TikTok. This popular social media platform is a place where users can create, watch and share short-form videos – on literally any subject.

A popular TikTok page known as “The Hockey Guys” has taken off in the last few years. Featuring over a million followers, this page got its start right here at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Founding member Lawson McDonald explained, “The Hockey Guys started with ten friends and teammates. We all played Yellowjacket hockey together, and eventually became really close as a group.

“We created The Hockey Guys in 2020, when COVID-19 hit. A lot of our games were cancelled and we weren’t practicing as much. So, we started making videos.

“People on the internet really liked seeing all the guys on camera,” he added. “We were just a group of friends and hockey players who wanted to have fun, and don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

Today, the brand has grown, and now includes large corporate sponsors and partners. The group even has its own clothing brand. The success of The Hockey Guys encompasses McDonald’s entire career.

The Guys

As noted, The Hockey Guys began with ten members – all UW-Superior students and hockey players:

• Will Blake – Class of ’22 – Transportation & Logistics Management
• Levi Cudmore – Class of ’22 – Transportation & Logistics Management
• Coltyn Bates – Class of ’22 – Finance
• David Kaplan – Class of ’22 – Accounting
• Jordan Martin – Class of ’22 – Exercise Science
• Martan Yelle – Class of ’22 – Transportation & Logistics Management
• Troy MacTavish – Class of ’22 – Biology
• Jonny Pace – Class of ’23 – Communication
• Austin Friesen – Class of ’23 – Marketing
• Lawson McDonald – Class of ’21 – Exercise Science

The group got its start creating silly videos of themselves in hockey gear, having fun and goofing off. For instance, one of their top videos has them each stating their “guilty pleasure song.”

Today, their TikTok library contains more than 1,000 videos, but the content has expanded and evolved as they’ve matured. For instance, a recent video followed the guys as they visited Pace’s grandmother in Toronto.

“We went to Jonny’s Nona’s house for a delicious Italian meal and to see his hometown,” McDonald explained. “People really like to see behind the scenes and learn about the people. We still create hockey content, but now it’s more about the overarching friendship angle.” 

As life has taken them in different directions, the group has also whittled down to just five members: McDonald, Cudmore, Yelle, Blake and Friesen. The men live in the Minneapolis area where they continue to create content.

Today, they have an office in Minnetonka, and even a business manager to help guide them. “The Hockey Guys is my career now,” McDonald noted.

Stats, Demographics and Partners

The Hockey Guys currently have 1.6 million followers on TikTok. They also have a significant presence on Instagram, with 236,000 followers. Interestingly, their demographic is mainly (about 80 percent) women, aged 18 to 27.

Their success has been picked up by some pretty big power players. The Hockey Guys have enjoyed brand partnerships with Toyota, Discover, Hey Dude, NASCAR, Body Armor and Celsius. The men enjoy getting to travel to NHL games and attend other high-profile events together.

They’ve also created a successful clothing brand, called NOBAD, in October 2023. “Something we said a lot during COVID was ‘no bad days,’” McDonald explained.

Thus, their brand name was born. NOBAD offers a variety of clothing items, including hoodies, hats, T-shirts, sweatpants and more.

Success Began at UWS

McDonald is proud that the success of The Hockey Guys started right on campus at UWS. And he is grateful that the university has always supported their efforts.

“We were always allowed to film, and people always seemed to respect us for doing something different and new,” he noted. “The faculty and staff – and, in particular, Athletic Director Nick Bursik – were always so supportive. They gave us the freedom we needed, and offered us a playground to succeed and grow our brand.”

To learn more, please find The Hockey Guys on TikTok or Instagram.