RELEASE: Oilers to celebrate Pride this Thursday

EDMONTON, AB – The annual Edmonton Oilers "Celebrating Pride" game will take place on Thursday, January 18 when the club hosts the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Place, showcasing the organization's unwavering support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

This year's celebration will include an in-venue transformation of Rogers Place with Pride colours on full display. Edmonton's own Pride Tape will be featured in the Oilers warmup, while the Orange & Blue Ice Crew, along with Hunter and MacEwan University's mascots, will demonstrate their support throughout the night with special Pride-themed attire.

In addition, Oilers alumni Craig MacTavish and Ben Scrivens will be taking pictures with fans at the Pride Tape booth in Ford Hall from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

The Oilers will also be spotlighting 2SLGBTQ+ community leaders whose work has helped make Oil Country a more inclusive place for everyone prior to the national anthem, sung by Robert Clark, a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and throughout the game.

Limited tickets for Thursday's game are available at EdmontonOilers.com/Tickets, while exclusive Edmonton Oilers Pride Collection merchandise is available at the Oilers Team Store in ICE District Plaza or online at IceDistrictAuthentics.com.

"We are looking forward to celebrating the Pride community in Oil County and shining a spotlight on community leaders who are shifting the paradigm of diversity, equity and inclusion," said Tim Shipton, EVP, External Affairs, OEGSE.

"Whether it's the Pride Cup, Oilers and Oil Kings Pride games, helping to launch Pride Tape right here in Edmonton, or continued community investment and partnerships, OEGSE will always stand alongside the 2SLGBTQ+ community as friends, allies and partners—and will always do our best to ensure everyone feels welcome and included in Rogers Place and ICE District."

Thursday's Oilers 50/50 beneficiary is MacEwan University's Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity (CSGD), supporting cutting-edge, community-based research, teaching and service work related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression throughout Oil Country. Raffle tickets are available to anyone currently in Alberta at EdmontonOilers.com/5050.

"Our history working with the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) and the Oilers goes back over a decade,” said Dr. Kristopher Wells, Director of the MacEwan Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity and co-founder of Pride Tape.

"Together, we've marched in Pride parades, hosted Pride nights, launched the Pride Cup, and supported important community groups like Pride Tape, Edmonton Inclusive Hockey Association, Outloud and the MacEwan Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity. This year is extra special as we are thrilled to see Pride Tape back in the NHL – and more visible than ever – thanks to the strong support of the Edmonton Oilers, players, and fans from across the world. Pride night is an important time of celebration and commitment as we stand alongside the 2SLGBTQ+ community all 365 days of the year."

"We are honoured to further our support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community through MacEwan University's Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity (CSGD) through our 50/50 raffle for the Oilers Pride game," said Corey Smith, Board Chair, Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF). "With support from Oil Country, the EOCF and the CSGD can help ensure students are supported and treated equally on campus and in the community."

Dr. Wells and Edmonton-based art director Jeff McLean have previously partnered with the Edmonton Oilers and OEG Sports & Entertainment on various initiatives to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community, including the launch of Pride Tape, which is now used by all 32 teams in the NHL as a symbol of inclusivity, and the 2022 and 2023 Pride Cup events in ICE District Plaza, featuring the Edmonton Rage and Calgary Pioneers.

The third annual Pride Cup will be held in ICE District Plaza this summer with the date and additional details still to be announced.