Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson drew some strong reactions on social media after showing up to a game in a Blue Lives Matter-themed jersey.
“No fit goes harder than Robo’s Dallas Police jersey 😮💨🔥,” the Stars posted via X on Tuesday, April 7, showing Robertson, 26, wearing the custom uniform as he walked into Dallas’ American Airlines Center ahead of the NHL team’s game against the Calgary Flames.
The numbers on Robertson’s jersey were stitched with a Blue Lives Matter flag, with the words “Assist the Officer” spelled out on the bottom. Robertson was also wearing a Dallas Police Department hat as he entered the arena.
Assist the Officer organizations provide financial, emotional and logistical support to police officers and their families during crises, such as serious injury or line-of-duty death.
“When the league and its players regularly pull stuff like this I’m actually baffled that the ‘sports aren’t political’ narrative isn’t six feet under yet,” one person commented.
Another wrote, “This is actually so embarrassing I need to die.”
Political and social connections aside, some fans simply mocked the jersey’s aesthetics.
“Dallas police have a 600 million dollar budget and cannot hire one competent designer, not only does this jersey have the blue lives matter flag on it, it is also ugly as sin,” one commented.
Another said, “Not only is it weird, it’s objectively ugly.”
Robertson wearing the jersey came on the heels of a separate scandal circling the Stars organization. Earlier this week, the team banned a fan from American Airlines Center for life after he and a group of men were seen repeatedly doing a Nazi salute during a recent game.
“We identified and spoke with the individual that purchased the tickets and will be banning the individual indefinitely from American Airlines Center,” a team spokesperson said in a statement to the Dallas Morning News on Monday, April 6.
The statement continued, “Additionally, we are increasing in-arena messaging regarding the Fan Code of Conduct and how our fans can report violations, along with prioritizing staff training to identify and handle situations that arise. Any type of discriminatory or hateful behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in our arena,” the team concluded. Creating and sustaining environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful is a non-negotiable for the Dallas Stars.”
While the team was able to identify one of the men in the video because he bought the tickets, they have not identified the rest of the group.
