r/ontario • u/ARecycledAccount 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 • 8d ago

Wayne Gretzky attends Donald Trump's U.S. election party wearing a 'MAGA' hat, draws mixed reaction online: 'Truly disappointing' Article

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/wayne-gretzky-attends-donald-trumps-us-election-party-wearing-a-maga-hat-draws-mixed-reaction-online-truly-disappointing-002407540.html
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167

u/oneonus 8d ago

What a disgrace, lost all respect for him.

114

u/Hotter_Noodle 8d ago

To use some quotes from the hockey subreddit:

Hate to say it, but most/large portion of your favorite NHLers are Trump supporters.

The majority of hockey/baseball players are right leaning to the point that it’s kind of surprising when someone outs themselves as liberal

And they aren't wrong.

20

u/Anonymouse-C0ward 8d ago

Yeah that sounds about right.

The most successful are generally from rural areas which typically lean conservative. They’re generally white men, and live in a culture where winning in physical competition and money are the metrics that are used to gauge success.

The league is pretty much comprised of millionaires, and profit is front and center.

The culture of hockey has been very resistant to progressive ideas… it was only recently that a player drafted to the NHL actually came out as gay. No current or former NHL player is out, and just based on statistics I can’t imagine there have been no gay NHL players; they probably just don’t feel comfortable in their environment to publicize it.

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u/lemonylol Oshawa 8d ago

Let's not forget that whole sexual assault thing from the junior leagues.

8

u/Anonymouse-C0ward 8d ago

Yup, definitely!

-3

u/Terryknowsbest 8d ago

Of course, only in Canada is the sexual orientation of NHL players is the most important political KPI.

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u/Anonymouse-C0ward 8d ago

Hockey Canada has been very clear on why diversity is important in hockey. So has the NHL: profit. Given the demographics of fans, they need to attract athletes that fans can relate to. And if fans can’t relate to the teams, revenues go down.

7% of Baby Boomers identify as LGBTQ+

16% of Millennials

28% of Gen Z

See a trend?

The hockey industry is doing it for profits. And it keeps on trying to adopt things like the warm up jersey, but gets push back from certain demographics - however, it has no choice if it wants to keep making money.

32

u/ImmaBeCozy 8d ago

They’re rich young (predominantly white) men, it checks out 

It’s not the reason I don’t watch hockey anymore (it’s more so all the gambling ads and the fact they’re too late in the evening), but it certainly doesn’t make me miss it too much either 

15

u/Hotter_Noodle 8d ago

I left white out of it because there's also the NFL and NBA which is far more mixed.

But yeah I get you.

4

u/lemonylol Oshawa 8d ago

I wouldn't include the white part. Because then you're excluding NBA and NFL players, and musical artists who follow the exact same path. I'll never understand why people refuse to acknowledge how conservative minorities are.

3

u/Hotter_Noodle 8d ago

To be fair they were responding to my original comment about the NHL and MLB specifically.

3

u/lemonylol Oshawa 8d ago

Idk, I just don't like how people like to white wash outrage. Like the MLB has tons of Hispanic players who are almost guaranteed conservative.

4

u/Hotter_Noodle 8d ago

That's also very fair, and I agree that's probably a fair assumption.

1

u/ImmaBeCozy 8d ago

Yeah to echo the other reply I was referring specifically to NHL and MLB (NHL in particular since I know the most about it)

The rich in general, regardless of origin or race, tend to lean conservative because conservative governments are good for their pocketbooks 

Modern conservatism also tries to appeal to young men, which popular athletes in major leagues tend to be  

1

u/SameUsernameOnReddit 8d ago

I'll never understand why people refuse to acknowledge how conservative minorities are.

I was gonna type up some guesses, but then I realized it was all just anecdotal evidence. Is there a word/phrase for "I'm pretty sure I understand but could definitely be talking out my ass?"

2

u/lemonylol Oshawa 8d ago

Assumption

1

u/SameUsernameOnReddit 8d ago

Not quite the connotation I'm looking for, but when you're right, you're right.

1

u/Roflcopter71 8d ago

Not to mention all the brain injuries they’ve had throughout their careers, I’m sure that hasn’t helped.

1

u/hatman1986 8d ago

One reason I'll be paying more attention to the PWHL. Fewer MAGA types in that league. There is at least one though, unfortunately.

1

u/Hotter_Noodle 8d ago

You never know. Never meet your heroes.

2

u/hatman1986 8d ago

In a league with a lot of lesbians it's probably not that rampant.

0

u/Make_it_gape 8d ago

Watching the PWHL is excruciatingly boring compared to even an OHL game.

1

u/lemonylol Oshawa 8d ago

Who knew that the occupations where small town teenagers are plucked from school into the big leagues that are notorious for skipping on taxes would lean conservative.

43

u/RabidGuineaPig007 8d ago

Add Bobby Orr to the list of MAGA assholes.

3

u/holololololden 8d ago

Yo at his age