The NHL has reportedly banned a basic act of solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities, banning teams from using Pride Tape for the 2023-24 season, as first reported by Outsports.
ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark previously reported on Oct. 5 that the NHL sent a memo to all 32 teams clarifying which ‘special initiatives’ they could participate in with Pride Nights falling under this umbrella. The league stated that teams could celebrate whichever initiatives they’d like, as long as it adhered to the dress code.
After seven players opted out of Pride Night initiatives last season, the NHL elected not to wear Pride-centered practice jerseys for the 2023-24 season, with Gary Bettman calling the jerseys “a distraction” from the special interest nights.