Adrian Kraus/AP
Buffalo Sabers left winger Victor Olofsson, left and right winger Jack Quinn and right winger JJ Peterka wear special warm-up jerseys at Pride Night before an NHL game against the Buffalo Canadiens Montreal to Buffalo, New York, March 27, 2023.
CNN
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National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman said he has advised NHL teams to stop wearing special-themed jerseys during warmups, including Pride-themed jerseys.
The decision follows Major League Baseball’s announcement last week that teams would not put Pride logos on players’ uniforms and after a handful of NHL players refused to wear sweaters Pride or participate in their teams’ Pride parties because of their personal beliefs. Some hockey teams have chosen to forgo their planned Pride Night warm-up jerseys altogether.
“I suggested that it would be appropriate for clubs not to change shirts during warm-ups as it becomes a distraction and takes us away from the fact that all of our clubs, in one form or another, are having parties in the honor of various groups or causes, and we prefer that they continue to receive the attention they deserve and not be a distraction,” Bettman told Canadian broadcaster Sportsnet in an interview Thursday after the board of governors meeting of the league.
The NHL says the commissioner’s recommendation extends to all special-themed warm-up jerseys. Bettman said the league will continue to support its teams by hosting parties to support various causes.
“Thirty-two of our clubs have had pride nights, some have heritage nights, everyone is doing Hockey Fights Cancer, some are doing military nights. All these nights will continue,” he said. “The only difference will be that we won’t be changing shirts for the warm-up because that just becomes a distraction from the essence of what these evenings are all about.”
François Lacasse/NHLI/Getty Images
Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens wearing the Pride Night jersey during warmups before a game with the Washington Capitals at the Bell Center on April 6, 2023 in Montreal.
Bettman also confirmed that NHL Pride jerseys will still be designed and sold and players will be free to wear them when not on the ice.
Last week, MLB made a similar decision, citing “the desire to protect players.”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a June 15 news conference, “We’ve told the teams, in terms of uniforms and hats and bases, that we don’t think putting logos (of Pride) on it is a good idea simply because of the desire. protect players and not put them in a position to do something that might make them uncomfortable due to their personal opinions.
“Apart from that, we really leave it up to the individual clubs to decide on their promotional nights,” Manfred continued. “We give them advice on what we think they should do from a process perspective. This is very much a local activity – somewhat out of necessity, because each market is really best placed to decide what is good in its market – what activations make sense.
A source with knowledge of the situation told CNN that MLB players are allowed to wear Pride clothing during pregame warmups and can also wear Pride-themed accessories during games. MLB teams are also allowed to use Pride logos on outfield walls and field stencils.
