NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has announced that teams will no longer be wearing LGBTQ jerseys for warm-ups to celebrate Pride Night.
In an interview with the NHL’s Board of Governors, Bettman explained that the league does not want teams wearing LGBTQ gear because it would be a “distraction.”
“I’ve suggested that it would be appropriate for clubs not to change their jerseys in warmups because it’s become a distraction and taking away from the fact that all of our clubs in some form or another host nights in honour of various groups or causes, and we’d rather them continue to get the appropriate attention that they deserve and not be a distraction.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman
Bettman acknowledged that some fans may be concerned about the league’s announcement being made in the middle of Pride month. However, he replied by saying that the NHL wants to keep “the focus on the game.”
Last season, NHL teams were divided on whether or not they should wear Pride-themed jerseys for games that took place on the team’s “Pride night.” A number of teams opted out of participating in this spectacle despite announcing they would. Many players opted out of their teams’ Pride Night warmups as well.
The most notable player to refuse to participate was former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov. Provorov made headlines last January when he refused to participate in his team’s decision to wear Pride jerseys. The NHL player cited his religious beliefs and stated that he wanted “to stay true to [himself] and [his] religion.” After he was condemned by the mainstream media for holding true to his religious beliefs, Provorov’s jersey sold out on the team’s online store.
The NHL has the most conservative fanbase in American professional sports. Because of this, the league’s past decisions to heavily emphasize LGBTQ values have contradicted the values of the league’s target audience. Perhaps the NHL has acknowledged its wrongdoings and is attempting to avoid similar mistakes that other corporations have made in recent days.
