Oilers fans take serious action to protest hiring of Stan Bowman

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Liam McCormick
July 24, 2024 (3:21 PM)

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The Edmonton Oilers announced the hiring of Stan Bowman today as General Manager, and thousands of Oilers fans are already protesting.

Stan Bowman was banned from the NHL in 2021 due to his inaction on claims of abuse by his player, Kyle Beach. Plenty of fans are livid to be giving him a second chance in the NHL, especially right to the top of the Oilers. Nearly 3,000 fans have signed a petition to stop the Bowman hiring, and hundreds more are cancelling subscriptions to Oilers services this season.

I've canceled my subscriptions. Who else is with me? They've hired a man who covered up a rapist's actions allowing him to rape again. They know it's bad because JJ has gone private on Twitter. It's really too bad. This was going to be an exciting season. Now I can't support this team the same way I always have. Money is obviously the only thing these guys care about, so I've stopped paying for Oilers+, and SN.

Please join me. Maybe if Sportsnet loses enough subscription money someone will listen.

I will also not support any of the Oilers main sponsors. Anyone advertising on their jerseys or on the ice is complicit in supporting the employment of someone who contributed to the rape of minors. So I've canceled my Play Alberta account, as well.

Let's make a stink about the sponsors. Maybe they'll care more than Katz.

I'm so disgusted by this decision.

Even before Bowman was hired, there was plenty of fan uproar that he was even in consideration for the job. Now that it's official, plenty of Oilers fans will be in full press to make their voices heard. Nothing will likely change the decision unless Bowman makes a colossal mistake early on, a rare occasion like Mike Babcock. Still, thousands of fans taking action and even targeting sponsors with a boycott will make some noise within the Oilers organization.

Bowman has answered fans doubts about his character by simply saying he understands their concerns, and their opinions are valid. He says fans will come to judge him by his trades and signings with the Oilers, but even then, many will always remember him for a mistake of the highest magnitude.