The New Jersey Devils of the NHL will hold their Pride Night on Feb. 1 at Prudential Arena in Newark for their game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The special guest will be Harrison Browne, a transgender man who plays in the National Women’s Hockey League and has been a forceful and effective spokesperson for transgender rights in sports. He was named one of Outsports Male Heroes of the Year for 2017.
Tickets for the event are still available and cost $47.28 or $70.20 depending on the section. Attendees will receive a New Jersey Devils Pride Night T-Shirt and a Devils Drawstring Bag. The deadline to purchase tickets is midnight Friday.
Joe Altenau, the Director of Events operations for the Devils and Prudential Center, is openly gay and wrote last year about how he has been supported by the team.
“After I came out publicly at work last year the support was overwhelming,” Altenau said in an email to Outsports about this year’s Pride Night. “Everyone from my family at work to the Devils fans I would see on the concourse were incredibly supportive.
“I was astonished at the number of fans who came up to me and commented on the article and offered their support. From the skate guards who wrapped their shovels with Pride tape to the wives and girlfriends of the players who volunteered to sell N.J. Devils Pride T-shirts, everyone went above and beyond to show their support for the entire LGBTQ community.
“Being a part of the group that helped plan Pride Night was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my career. I’m fortunate to work for a team that uses the platform of sports and entertainment to promote acceptance and awareness. I’m extremely thankful for my work family who have supported me from day one on the job. We are once again working to make our Pride game this year a meaningful and powerful evening for everyone.”
