L-R: Eric Stonestreet, LA Kings mascot Bailey, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Will Ferrell at last night’s hockey match (Photo: @BaileyLAKings | Twitter)
LA Kings are Los Angeles’ top ice hockey team. Last night they held a Pride Night match against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Staples Center in LA.
Pride Nights are are opportunity for sports teams to remind their fans they welcome everyone – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. They have become an increasingly common tradition among sporting fixtures in the US.
LA Kings are one of the 31 teams in the US National Hockey League. All of them are hosting Pride nights (between 1 February-5 March 2018).
Last night’s ice hockey match at the Staples Center had some celebrity attendees. Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, who play gay couple Mitch and Cam on Modern Family, had the honor of dropping the puck at the beginning of the match.
You can watch the moment below.
Amazing to have @jessetyler and @ericstonestreet drop the puck for #PrideNight 🌈❤️ pic.twitter.com/rEq3FHwAoN
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 2, 2018
Former hockey player turned LA KIngs match commentator Daryl Evans also dressed up for the occasion in possibly the most eye-catching rainbow suit ever to grace to Staples Center!
Kings vs Bluejackets . Pride night at Staples Center. Time to Shine . Go Kings pic.twitter.com/JucTpnC1IR
— Daryl Evans (@DarylEvans15) March 2, 2018
Elsewhere in the arena, it was impossible to fail to pick up on the Pride Night theme. There were rainbow logos everywhere proclaiming ‘We Are All Kings.’
PUCK NIGHT on #PRIDENIGHT!
>> https://t.co/rcOeaH1gJN pic.twitter.com/lF2a8zhZcd
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 2, 2018
However, on social media, not all the LA Kings fans were impressed by the initiative. On the club’s Facebook page, Curt Earnest wrote: ‘Pride night. What is next? Kings fan since 1967! This is ridiculous!’
The club’s response?
‘What’s next? Another Pride Night in 2019 and beyond because we at the LA Kings are proud to celebrate the LGBTQA+ community and encourage a more inclusive environment in hockey. ’
And the score? LA Kings won 5-2. Go Kings!
See also
Gus Kenworthy calls out homophobic abuse on his YouTube channel
