The Canadian and American women's national team may have the most fierce, even, and long running rivalry in sport. The two teams will meet again this week with the potential for a political narrative to creep in the Rivalry Series conversation.
The Canadian and American women's national team may have the most fierce, even, and long running rivalry in sport. The two teams will meet again this week with the potential for a political narrative to creep in the Rivalry Series conversation.
There has been significant conversation this week surrounding fans booing Canadian and American national anthems on both sides of the border at hockey games. Sport has always been political, so it's not surprising citizens are choosing to use the venue of sport as an opportunity to protest.
It makes the timing of this week's Rivalry Series, perhaps the best and longest running true rivalry in sport that exists, between Canada and USA's national women's hockey teams, even more interesting.
It is possible there will be boos during the national anthems at the Rivalry Series, or perhaps, there won't. Anthems have become the initial talking point of the newest conflict between nations. And while many may think national anthems at sporting events came about innocuously, or as a simple sign of celebration, the anthem itself was introduced at sporting events for specific political goals.
National anthems were first played at a sporting event in 1918, in the the 7th inning stretch during the World Series final, although the USA didn’t officially make the Star-Spangled Banner their anthem until 1931. Anthems again came into vogue during World War II, and by the end of the war, the anthem was ingrained in baseball culture, and soon spread to other sports, including hockey.
The anthem was originally used at war time to gain public support for the war effort. The United States government levied power of these patriotic displays, with the US Defence Department handing out millions of dollars to the NFL, MLB, NHL, and MLS for national anthem performances, military-appreciation nights, and activities promoting the military. The practice, which was called “paid patriotism” by Republican senators, has since been banned after a 2015 report exposed the practice.
Hockey has intersected with political considerations many times. Currently, the IIHF continues to ban Russia and Belarus from international competition due to Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine. And hockey games in the face of political unrest, including during the Cold War, have taken on political meaning, and places of nationalistic celebration. Perhaps the best known example is the displaced nationalism which came during the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. During those Games, Team USA completed their now legendary Miracle on Ice, which saw a team of American college players defeat the powerful Soviet Union.
The national spectacle that is entangled with sport can also go the other direction. For example, the now debunked myth of USA's women's hockey team "stomping" on Canada's flag at the 2010 Olympic Games.
"The Americans had our flag on their floor in the dressing room and now I want to know if they want us to sign it,” Canadian forward Hayley Wickenheiser famously said on live television after winning gold. This despite the fact the flag had not been "stomped" by anyone. But the motivation to defend nationalism was present.
Wickenheiser, a member of the Hockey Hall of Famer has also weighed in on the present political climate. While Wickenheiser did not directly name specific political points in her Instagram post, she did use her personal story of fierce competitiveness on the ice with Team USA, underlined by respect, and she alluded to the ability of both Canada and USA's on-ice rivalry, and the climate of the times to drive national support.
"There is nothing better than a Canada-USA Olympic hockey game," Wickenheiser wrote. "Nothing brings Canada together more—until maybe now. Canada and the U.S. are different in so many ways, and we need those differences to thrive."
With the 2024-2025 Rivalry Series playing out this week in Summerside, Prince Edward Island and Halifax, Nova Scotia, there might be more Canadian flags in the stands than usual, or a mixed reaction during the national anthem. And there might even be a decided increase in public interest in the series. It might also be just another series stop with already passionate fans in the stands focused on hockey and not thinking far outside the rink. Sports have always been political, and many will be watching this week's Rivalry Series with added interest to know whether fans will connect the events of today, or keep them in their own arenas.