America’s major sports leagues and teams marked the federal Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Their approach contrasted with how they began Pride Month. The NFL, the leading professional league in the U.S., acknowledged Juneteenth on social media by sharing some teams’ recognition of the day.

The league did not do the same for Pride Month on June 1. The NFL’s X account, with over 36 million followers, and its Instagram account, with 32 million followers, did not mention Pride Month. This difference in approach was notable, as nearly all NFL franchises, except for the Detroit Lions, highlighted Juneteenth.

When Pride Month began, several NFL teams, like the New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kansas City Chiefs, did not celebrate it. Most of these teams had also been silent during the previous year’s Pride Month.

The Detroit Lions, typically supportive of social justice causes, such as when they modified their logo for Pride Month, did not recognize Juneteenth this year. This was unusual, given the significance of Juneteenth to many Black Americans.

The NHL, despite supporting Pride Month on social media, remained silent about Juneteenth, making it the only major sports league not to recognize the holiday. In contrast, the NBA and MLB acknowledged Juneteenth.

Interestingly, the Texas Rangers, the only MLB team without a dedicated Pride Month event at its stadium, celebrated Juneteenth.

The significance of these actions is clear. In a country divided over social justice issues, fans are increasingly attentive to where their sports teams stand on these matters. Sports teams and leagues that once focused solely on sports now engage with social causes and holidays they choose to celebrate, or ignore.

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union Army Major General Gordon Granger informed enslaved people in Texas they were free under the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. However, it was the 13th Amendment, passed by Congress and ratified later in 1865, that officially ended slavery.

In 2020, former President Donald Trump proposed making Juneteenth a holiday. Though he lost the election, President Joe Biden signed it into law as a national holiday in 2021.

Recognizing Juneteenth and Pride Month, or choosing not to, reflects the complex relationship between sports, social justice, and public sentiment.