BUFFALO, N.Y. — Over five days of game play, about 700 players representing seven different states made up the 11th annual Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament.

"The first year we were down at Erie Basin Marina, we only had 16 teams. So the fact that we have 126 teams, I mean that's phenomenal and it just speaks to the city and their love for the sport," said Gina Heine, Labatt Blue associate brand manager.

Now, the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament at Riverworks is just one of many local tournaments taking place in Buffalo throughout the year.

"Buffalo's a hockey town. We have a lot of hockey players here, a lot of people growing up playing the sport; we have a lot of hockey fans. And so, not surprised to see that the growth of the sport is coming with the growth of the city,” said Heine.

And for local businesses, more hockey tournaments means more business for them.

Owner of Bardown Creative, Tim Turner, plays in the tournament while also promoting his business. 

"It's nice to be able to promote the product on the ice and then have people come check it out afterward and have a chance to order something similar," he said.

And in true Buffalo fashion, these pond hockey tournaments have something for everyone, even hockey fans in the making.

"I think for anyone that's not even a hockey fan, this is a great way to kind of get into the sport to just come and check it out," said Colleen Holmes, a resident of Springville.

For many, the pond hockey tournament is a way to get back to their roots and remember why they love the game.

"Some people had backyard, outdoor rinks and that was always fun to do that. I think that's kind of the concept behind it, doing pick up with your friends, just hanging out and having a good time,” said player Dan Spellman.