The hockey rink is the only place where fighting improves attendance.

This joke gets its laughs from a brilliant bit of ironic contrast, playing on our expectations of what constitutes good behavior in public. In most competitive settings, a brawl would get you thrown out and probably lose an audience. But professional hockey (Deals), particularly in leagues like the NHL, has a unique and often debated relationship with fisticuffs. While technically penalized, a good fight on the ice can actually whip up the crowd and, dare we say, even boost ticket sales among certain fans who appreciate the raw physicality of the sport.

The humor then pivots to pure absurdity with the punchline. Imagine trying to replicate that "success" at a chess tournament, an environment known for its intense silence and intellectual battles, not physical ones. The thought of grandmasters throwing punches over a pawn sacrifice is so completely out of place that it paints a hilariously ridiculous picture, highlighting just how specific and unusual hockey's tolerance for fighting truly is.