The NHL’s Surprising Alliance: How Inclusion Meets Controversy with Donald Trump
When Gary Bettman rolled out the NHL’s inaugural diversity and inclusion report back in 2022, he made a compelling case that embracing varied backgrounds and perspectives isn’t just a moral choice—it’s vital for innovation, creativity, and solid decision-making that drive the sport forward. Fast forward to last week, and you find Bettman stepping onto a far less inclusive stage: joining Donald Trump’s sports council, a group tasked in part with enforcing a controversial “tradition” in college athletics that explicitly targets trans athletes. It’s a stark juxtaposition, to say the least. Bettman’s track record on social issues has never exactly been straightforward—remember the canceled career fair after political pushback, or the scrapping of Pride jerseys after player pushback? These moves suggest a league—and a commissioner—caught between evolving public sentiment and entrenched cultural battles. And as the NHL’s diversity efforts seem to stall or even reverse course under his leadership, the stakes aren’t just about optics. They touch the very future of hockey as a welcoming and growing sport. This isn’t just about policies; it’s about the soul and direction of the game Bettman vowed to make more “user-friendly” three decades ago—and now risks leaving behind. LEARN MORE
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