The NHL did not respond to the above tweet. So, roughly 24 hours before the puck was dropped on the season, #Kneel4Hockey began trending on Twitter. A quick scroll through the hashtag produced a stream of fans, mostly white, kneeling while wearing their favourite team’s jersey. Most included captions with a call for the sport to do more to visibly fight racism and inequality so that hockey is actually for everyone.
To their credit, the team’s Scotiabank Arena neighbours, the Maple Leafs, have done and said more than most with Kyle Dubas and Brendan Shanahan at the helm. The team wore Black Lives Matter shirts to work out, and the photo op made waves in the hockey world. The NHL is still trying to grow its audience in the U.S., so it can’t afford to rest on its laurels in terms of cultural inclusion and diversity. The league knows it needs to reach out to a broader range of customers, and existing BIPOC fans are extending the benefit of the doubt that change is something the NHL is motivated to see.
Shaming doesn’t lead to learning, so I’m not hating on the NHL. I’m expressing why I’m disappointed by the NHL.
ArashMadani donnovanbennett I’m not surprised.
donnovanbennett Thanks for this donnovanbennett - it is past time that hockey at all levels take concrete steps to be more inclusive and for the nhl to choose the right side of history on racism.
donnovanbennett There is the statement then there is the organization which is clearly Racist, anti Semitic and Marxist. They are indistinguishable and therefore the NHL actually got it right with We Skate For Black Lives and End Racism
donnovanbennett Spare me this woke fest . Where was thus systemic racism before the pandemic. What I have seen so far in the past two months is. A lot of racism, but not against black people
donnovanbennett Yet all these athletes support slavery for the brands that sponsor and support them. As hypocritical as it gets.
donnovanbennett Great article. Hope to see white reporters/NHL media have these difficult conversations amongst themselves and on air.
donnovanbennett Go ahead, keep pushing this bullshit. You’re just pushing fans away. You’ll see it in your TV ratings and merchandise sales.
donnovanbennett A lot of NHL players and their families are working hard in their communities for social justice. That matters. A picture of someone kneeling or wearing a BLM shirt means nothing if there is no action when the cameras are off.
donnovanbennett This is stupid, leave sports alone & stop trying to pollute them with politics!
donnovanbennett NHL really is ahead of the class tbh
donnovanbennett I think the most important way to use their platform is to try to get the puck in the other teams net all the while trying to keep it out of their own.
donnovanbennett Good article. Human rights are not political. BlackLivesMatter
donnovanbennett It’s a sport, not a political party. Play hockey and leave the politics to someone else. They don’t have an obligation to comment any further than they already have. Quite frankly I think they’ve done their part and then some. No disrespect.
donnovanbennett I actually have appreciated the way hockey has handled it the most. It’s beautiful to see players unite against racism in a united way vs a divisive way.
donnovanbennett Bunch of butt hurt people in the comments here
donnovanbennett Of course its donnovan cause who els is this stupid
donnovanbennett Keep your social justice ideas and politics out of sports.
donnovanbennett
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