Pride Tape‘s creators are “extremely disappointed” that the NHL decided to forbid players from wearing the rainbow-hued stick tape this season in favor of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The league has recently utilized language that would forbid the tape from being in close proximity to NHL hockey. Pride Tape issued a statement in which it expressed its hope that the league and its teams would once more demonstrate their dedication to this crucial symbol of battling homophobia.
Teams were informed by the NHL in June that “specialty” jerseys were no longer permitted to be worn during warm-ups, practices, or games. A season in which numerous players declined to participate in warmups when their teams wore Pride night jerseys led to the unilateral ban. Ivan Provorov, a defenseman who was then playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, was the first athlete to withdraw in January, citing his practice of Russian Orthodoxy. Individual teams, such as the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and Chicago Blackhawks, elected not to allow any players to warm up in Pride jerseys due to these objections.
Beyond Pride nights, “specialty” jerseys that support organizations like Hockey Fights Cancer and those honoring Black and Latino heritage months as well as the military are also prohibited.
Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL, claimed that the new rule had been “terribly misunderstood & mis-portrayed” and that the league still supported “specialty nights where groups of all kinds are honored and consciousness is raised.” Additionally, the NHL gives money to organizations involved in the specialty nights.
“What happened this past year was that the debate over who wanted to wear a specific uniform on a specific night overshadowed all that our clubs were doing,” the author said. Therefore, we said, “Let’s not touch it,'” Bettman said on Tuesday’s episode of “UnSportsmanLike” on ESPN Radio. “We said that instead of having that distractions and having our players have to pick whether or not they want to do something or not do something & be singled out.
“Anything related to the game, off the rink. Our teams and players are constantly urged to give back to their communities and become engaged in the issues they believe in, the coach added. “But I believe we succeeded in eliminating the distraction. Therefore, the focus may now be on the causes we want to emphasize.
The NHL delivered a memo to teams last week that made it clear what players could do on theme nights this season. The amended guidance reiterated that on-ice player clothing and equipment worn in warmups, official team practices, and games may not be altered to indicate “specialty” theme evenings, even though players can willingly participate in themed festivities off the ice.
According to an NHL spokeswoman, Pride tape has long been an exception to the league’s stick tape rules, which would otherwise only let players use black or white tape. The current restriction of Pride tape, according to the league, was put in place to stop teams and players from utilizing it as an “end run” around the new uniform regulation.
Additionally, coaches are permitted to wear ribbons, but stickers and ribbons are not permitted on player clothing.
NHL players’ sticks covered with Pride tape have been auctioned off by teams to generate money for charity, just like the theme-night jerseys worn during games. A game-used autographed jersey might sell for far over $1,500 depending on the athlete. The price of a player-signed Pride tape stick might range from $600 to $1,000.
The NHL’s longtime social activism partner You Can Play, as well as LGBTQ+ charities in numerous NHL towns, will all benefit from the auction earnings, according to Jeff McLean, a co-founder of Pride Tape. Additionally, Pride Tape will be donated to hockey organizations all across the world with the money raised.
Despite the player tape ban, McLean and the NHL claimed their connection would continue. Pride Tape has been distributed by the NHL to several hockey leagues and clubs. This season, Pride Tape anticipates being present at Pride night activities all throughout the league.
McLean applauded the league’s part in expanding the project after learning of the restriction last week. “Pride Tape wouldn’t have existed without the NHL,” he stated.
Six years ago, Pride Tape was introduced as a symbol for players to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. NHL players including Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers took part in the initiative.
“I’ve stated disappointment in having not been able to wear the different jersey or the tapes … if that’s Pride tape or pink tape,” McDavid stated on Tuesday.
Is it something you’d like to see put back in place at some point? Of course,” McDavid continued.
Ironically, according to McLean, his organization decided on stick tape because it “didn’t want to make it something that players had to do” as part of a team mandate to promote the LGBTQ+ community.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be appreciated by everyone, but it was a way for there to be individual expression by players,” said McLean, who has additionally worked with the Premier Lacrosse League, baseball and softball organizations, and most recently a rugby league on Pride tape efforts. “What we found about the tape is that it was an individual decision by players.”
The NHL’s decision to impose the punishment, which was faced with strong opposition when Outsports revealed the story on Monday, has received no indications, according to McLean.
“It’s really weird, yet I’m actually optimistic about this,” remarked McLean. “The 48 hours following the Provorov incident were our busiest ever. There are a ton of caring people.