The NHL’s Nashville Predators paid homage to the homosexual demographic by revamping the team’s logo to promote its “Pride Night” game against the visiting New Jersey Devils.
In posts on social media, the professional hockey franchise featured the traditional logo of the snarling sabretooth tiger head, revamped to prominently feature a rainbow-colored background, and brought in the LGBTQ+ country music group “The Cowgays” to perform at Thursday’s game at Bridgestone Arena.
For the freedom to live authentically and boldly 🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/vjk08NUgNf
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 26, 2026
“Inspired by the dreamy, expressive art styles of the 1960’s and 70’s, this design pays tribute to the generations who paved the way for LGBTQ+visibility and progress,” the team announced in a statement.
“The layered foundation represents those who came before us, lifting up today’s community through their courage and advocacy. Flowing through the logo, the vibrant wave symbolizes present-day self-expression, representing the freedom to live authentically, boldly, and without limits,” the Preds said.
The team’s 11th annual “Pride Night” celebration started hours before the puck dropped with a pre-game party on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza with entertainment and a party.
“The party will also include an interactive ‘What Does Pride Mean to You’ mural, in partnership with Nashville Pride, that fans can fill out; a photo booth; a glitter bar; and activations from Imaginarium, Queertopia, the Frist Museum and more,” the team said on its website.
Religious organizations took exception to the inclusion of “a queer country band who routinely mocks Jesus.”
This is disgraceful.
The Nashville Predators are hosting a Pride Night featuring the national anthem performed by The Cowgays, a queer country band who routinely mocks Jesus.
Horrible.@NHL stop promoting this garbage. https://t.co/4TQd69rdJu pic.twitter.com/8s5V6WnHb5
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) March 26, 2026
The lucky first 5,000 fans received a special poster commemorating the event, and various LGBTQ+ organizations set up shop on the concourse to pass out information.
The combination of “predators” and homosexuality presented a field day for X users, with the jokes writing themselves.
“A team called the Predators is proudly gay”
I guess I appreciate the honesty https://t.co/M2xJqKiPu9
— Auron MacIntyre (@AuronMacintyre) March 26, 2026
The LGBTQ+ Predators. Branding team did not think this through. https://t.co/qtmd7UWBks
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 26, 2026
Predators, devils, and lgbtq pride. The symbolism here is wild https://t.co/nhVhQmEjgC
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 27, 2026
That’s one virtue signal that’s going to come back and bite them on the ass!
— Telepathic Bunny Comics (@TelepathicBunny) March 26, 2026
A team called the predators doing a pride night. The jokes write themselves.
— randy beans (@randy_beans2003) March 26, 2026
What does hockey have to do with sodomy?
— Matt Barber (@ThatMattBarber) March 26, 2026
We get it, the LGBTQ community is a bunch of sexual predators. We all agree, you can stop posting about it.
— FedUpMajority (@FedUpMajority) March 26, 2026
Didn’t a Trans person commit a mass shooting in Nashville….
— BVeT (@BVeT1776) March 26, 2026
The Nashville “pedophile” Predators vs The New jersey Devils. Lol this is soo fitting.
Enjoy meeting Satan in hell! If the Devils win i will die of laughter.— CANADA FIRST (@Jake33967531) March 26, 2026
Alas, it wasn’t a gay old time for the home team, which ended up on the receiving end of a 4-2 loss to the visitors.
There’s something symbolic about a team called the Devils winning on Predators Pride night. https://t.co/jlgSOONEJH
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) March 27, 2026
The defeat may have dealt a blow to Nashville’s playoff hopes, with the Los Angeles Kings and Seattle Kraken nipping at their heels in the race for the second Western Conference wildcard playoff berth.
Nashville hosts the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night before heading out for a six-game road trip.
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