"They're taunting politicians" - NHL fans see the irony in Washington Capitals being sponsored by TikTok on their road jerseys 

The Washington Capitals' announcement of TikTok as their road jersey sponsor has sparked a flurry of reactions among NHL fans.

The news prompted debate among fans due to the controversies surrounding the TikTok's ownership. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that has faced scrutiny from U.S. politicians over potential national security risks and data privacy concerns.

Early this year, the United States Senate voted on a bill proposing a nationwide ban on TikTok unless Byte Dance sells its U.S. based operations. During this period, CEO of TikTok Shou Chew also gave testimony to Congress regarding the apps' connections to China and potential risks to security.

One fan tweeted in response to the Capitals' announcement:

"The perfect irony. it's like they're taunting politicians lol."

Others made jokes about Washington teams being sponsored by a company that Congress is trying to ban.

"So the Capitals will be banned come January?," a user wrote.

Another wrote:

"Great, a Chinese company credibly accused of spying on Americans is a Capitals sponsor. WTF?," on X.

One confused fan quiestioned:

"I thought the Biden administration was banning tik tok in the U.S?," wrote on X.

"Why do all the patches look like cheap a** iron ons? The logo is hideous," one fan wrote.

"Did they really just put a sticker on the jersey smh," another fan wrote.

It marks the first time the Capitals will have a sponsor patch on their away uniforms.

The Capitals and TikTok have teamed up for a long term collaboration. It extends beyond the NHL team to include the Washington Wizards of the NBA and the Washington Mystics of the WNBA as well, as the Capital City Go Go of the NBA G League and Wizards District Gaming from esports.

The logo of TikTok will appear on their away or alternate uniforms until the 2026–27 season.

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TikTok's global head of marketing Kate Jhaveri on partnership with the Washington Capitals

Kate Jhaveri explained that TikTok is excited to collaborate with the Washington Capitals because of their innovative use of the app to engage with fans.

“We couldn't be more excited to partner with MSE as they celebrate 50 years of the Washington Capitals and we're thrilled to be a part of their journey in bringing the joy of sports to a new generation of fans on TikTok" Jhaveri said in the press release.

The Washington Capitals' first road game is a preseason matchup against the Bruins in Boston on Sept. 24.