Hockey fans who attended the New York Rangers’ “Pride Night” game on Jan. 27 were promised a range of special perks, from rainbow decorations to a pride-themed gift.
But when the night came, one of the planned events was conspicuously absent: Rangers players did not wear “Pride Night” gear for pregame warmups.
“The Rangers promoted Pride Night to fans by saying players ‘will be showing their support by donning pride-themed warm-up jerseys and tape in solidarity with those who continue to advocate for inclusivity.’ Instead, the team wore their ‘Liberty Head’ jerseys in warmups,” ESPN reported.
The jerseys’ mysterious absence was notable given what occurred during an earlier “Pride Night” event hosted by the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 17.
That night, Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov declined to wear a pride-themed warmup jersey due to his Russian Orthodox faith, sparking a leaguewide debate about whether the NHL’s approach to LGBTQ rights needs to change, as the Deseret News previously reported.
When faced with pushback, the Rangers organization chose not to give a specific reason for abandoning its jersey and rainbow tape-related plans.
Instead, it released a statement expressing support for the LGBTQ community and for everyone’s right to express their beliefs.
“Our organization respects the LGBTQ+ community and we are proud to bring attention to important local community organizations as part of another great Pride Night. In keeping with our organization’s core values, we support everyone’s individual right to respectfully express their beliefs,” the statement said, according to ESPN.
The Rangers’ remarks did not satisfy some of the team’s critics, including NYC Pride, an LGBTQ rights organization that took part in “Pride Night.”
In a statement to ESPN, NYC Pride said that it would continue to talk with the Rangers and the NHL about what “meaningful allyship” really means.
Similarly, Steve Buckley, a columnist for The Athletic, has called on the NHL to do more to ensure that openly gay or closeted young hockey players know there’s room for them in the league.
“By not wearing those Pride sweaters during warmups — warmups! — the Rangers are saying, in so many words, that you’re not 100 percent welcome in their dressing room if you happen to be a queer hockey player. Or to get closer to the truth, not 100 percent of the players want you there,” Buckley wrote.
The NHL addressed recent “Pride Night” controversies by putting out a statement clarifying that individual NHL players have a right to decide what causes they support, according to ESPN.
“Clubs decide whom to celebrate, when and how — with League counsel and support. Players are free to decide which initiatives to support, and we continue to encourage their voices and perspectives on social and cultural issues,” the statement said.