Chapter Text
The Athletic
The NHL's Shifting Balance of Power: Three Champions, One Growing Divide, and a League Searching for Direction
Three seasons.
Three Stanley Cup champions.
And three very different stories.
If the last few years have proven anything, it is that the National Hockey League has never been richer in talent. It has also never appeared more divided—not simply by conference, but by philosophy.
The 2014 Stanley Cup belonged to the Boston Bears, whose victory was built around the spectacular play of captain Ilya Rozanov. Already regarded as one of hockey's most talented centers, Rozanov elevated his game after his loss at the Sochi Olympics, combining his trademark physicality with remarkable offensive production to lead Boston to its first championship in years. The victory cemented both the Bears' resurgence and Rozanov's place among the league's elite captains.
One year later, the balance of power shifted west.
The Los Angeles Kings, led by veteran captain Zane Boodman and new talent traded, more specifically goalie Wyatt Hayes, captured the 2015 Stanley Cup after a grueling playoff run that many believed represented the beginning of another Western Conference dynasty. Built around speed, disciplined defensive structure, and one of the league's best goaltenders, the Kings appeared poised to establish themselves as the NHL's next dominant franchise.
That prediction lasted exactly one season.
This year's championship returned to the Eastern Conference as the Detroit Red Wings lifted the Stanley Cup following one of the most complete postseason performances in recent memory. Their victory now means that two of the past three championships have been claimed by Eastern Conference teams, reinforcing what many analysts have quietly argued for several seasons: the East is no longer playing catch-up.
It is setting the standard.
While the conference standings remain competitive, the contrast between the two halves of the league has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Organizations such as Detroit and LA have embraced faster, more creative styles of hockey while investing heavily in player development and modern scouting. Younger stars have been given greater opportunities to flourish, international talent has become increasingly prominent, and front offices have shown a greater willingness to evolve alongside the changing game.
Several Western Conference teams, meanwhile, have struggled to keep pace.
The issue extends well beyond wins and losses.
Around the league, criticism has increasingly centered on the culture within several of hockey's oldest organizations—particularly members of the Original Six. Once regarded as the sport's gold standard, franchises such as the Toronto Guardians and the Montreal Metros now find themselves facing growing scrutiny over cultures many former players and league insiders describe as resistant to change.
The criticism is not merely about outdated systems or conservative roster construction.
It is about people.
Over the past several years, current and former players have spoken anonymously about locker rooms where racist remarks are routinely ignored, homophobic language remains commonplace, and diversity initiatives are often viewed as public-relations exercises rather than meaningful commitments. Opposing players have also accused both organizations of allowing those attitudes to spill onto the ice, pointing to repeated incidents involving racial taunts, anti-gay slurs, and targeted intimidation that have resulted in comparatively little disciplinary action.
Although neither organization has publicly acknowledged systemic problems, the growing number of similar allegations has become increasingly difficult for the league to dismiss.
Many believe responsibility ultimately lies with NHL Commissioner Roger Crowell.
Crowell has faced mounting criticism for what detractors describe as years of inconsistent discipline, reactive leadership, and an unwillingness to confront cultural issues before they became league-wide controversies. While the NHL has introduced initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion, critics argue those efforts have too often been undermined by weak enforcement and a reluctance to hold teams publicly accountable.
The commissioner has also drawn criticism for the league's uneven handling of player conduct, with punishments for discriminatory behavior frequently viewed as inconsistent from one incident to the next. As public expectations surrounding professional sports continue to evolve, many fans, sponsors, and media members believe the NHL has failed to evolve alongside them.
That dissatisfaction is no longer confined to editorials or social media.
Multiple league sources have told The Athletic that discussions regarding Crowell's future have intensified over recent months, with several owners privately expressing concern that the league's public image has suffered under his leadership. While no formal succession process has been announced, speculation surrounding a potential change in the commissioner's office has grown louder with each passing week.
The timing is significant as the NHL is enjoying some of the highest television ratings and strongest attendance figures of the past decade. Young stars are drawing new audiences, international interest continues to grow, and the quality of play has arguably never been higher.
Yet the league now finds itself at a crossroads. Because while its product on the ice has rarely been more exciting, its leadership has rarely faced more questions.
As another offseason begins, the conversation surrounding hockey is no longer centered solely on who will win next year's Stanley Cup. Increasingly, it is about what kind of league the NHL wants to become—and whether the people currently leading it are capable of taking it there.
Comments:
@BostonFaithful
The Bears winning in 2014 completely changed the direction of this league.
People forget how many teams copied Boston's transition game after that Cup run.
@HockeyHistory
Three years ago, everyone was asking if Ilya Rozanov could captain a team.
Now everyone is asking who the next Ilya Rozanov is.
@DetroitTillIDie
Detroit earned this one.
Best team in the playoffs.
No debate.
@WestCoastHockey
The East used to terrify everyone.
Now it feels like every contender is in the West.
@OriginalSixForever
I hate these articles.
Every year it's another excuse to trash the Original Six.
@PuckDrop
If your team keeps making headlines for racism and homophobia instead of hockey...
Maybe the article isn't the problem.
@MapleLeafMedia
It's honestly depressing watching Toronto waste so much talent because management refuses to change.
@MontrealBorn
As someone who's been a Metros fan for thirty years...
They're right.
We keep hiring the same people with the same ideas and expecting different results.
@NHLInsider
The part about Roger Crowell isn't exactly news.
The rumors have been circulating for months.
@SportsRadioMike
The question isn't if he's leaving.
The question is who's willing to replace him.
@EqualityOnIce
The NHL doesn't have a talent problem.
It has a leadership problem.
@HockeyFan88
The league is more diverse than it's ever been.
The people running it don't seem to have noticed.
@WestCoastBias
The West isn't better because of geography.
It's better because organizations actually adapted.
@AnalyticsGuy
Boston.
LA.
Detroit.
Even Philadelphia.
Those front offices embraced analytics years ago.
Some teams are still pretending it's 1998.
@OldSchoolHockey
Not everything old is bad.
@AnalyticsGuy
No.
But refusing to evolve usually is.
@BearsForever
Can we also acknowledge that Boston has one of the most international rosters in the league?
Turns out talent exists outside North America.
Who would've guessed.
@PrideTape
The article barely scratches the surface.
Players have been talking anonymously about locker-room culture for over a decade.
@HockeyMom24
As a parent with two boys playing hockey...
This is exactly why kids quit.
The sport should be welcoming, not toxic.
@FutureGM
Winning and inclusion aren't opposites.
Boston proved that.
LA proved that.
Detroit proved that.
You don't have to choose one or the other.
@SportsNetCentral
Crowell keeps talking about "protecting hockey culture."
Maybe hockey culture needs protecting from him.
@KingsKingdom
No matter what happens with the league...
Can we please get another Kings vs. Bears Final?
That series would've fed generations.
@RedWingsNation
You'll have to get through Detroit first. 🏆
@HockeyWorld
The hockey is better than ever.
Now it's time for the league itself to catch up.
@bostonfan
Was waiting for my bus this morning and almost missed it because I spent five minutes staring at this new Rolex campaign.
Boston really looked at Shane Hollander, captain of the Red Sox, two-time consecutive World Series champion, and decided, "Yeah, let's put him on every street corner."
No complaints from me.
[photo]
— A photograph taken at a downtown Boston bus stop. Mounted inside the illuminated advertising display is Rolex's newest campaign featuring Shane Hollander. The advertisement is composed as a striking close-up portrait cropped just below the shoulders, showing only the right half of his face. His dark hair falls loosely across his forehead, and the soft studio lighting emphasizes the freckles scattered over his cheek and nose.
One hand rests against the back of his neck, naturally drawing attention to the polished stainless-steel Rolex watch on his wrist. Against a deep black background, the silver Rolex crown and logo stand out above him, creating a minimalist campaign that lets his expression and the watch command the viewer's attention.
Comments:
@redsoxnation
Imagine winning back-to-back World Series and then immediately becoming the face of Rolex.
That's a ridiculous résumé.
@bostonborn
This city adores that man.
@FenwayForever
He gave us two championships.
I'd look at that ad every morning on my commute.
@watchcollector
That's honestly a gorgeous campaign.
Rolex knew exactly what they were doing.
@baseballfan22
The freckles.
Never change the freckles.
@LuxuryDaily
The minimalist styling is brilliant.
No distractions.
Just Shane and the watch.
@CityofBoston
Can we just give him the key to the city already?
@greenmonster37
Seconded.
@bostonhistory
Thirded.
@canuckpride
Pretty sure Canada might have something to say about Boston claiming him.
@BostonStrong
Look...
He's Canadian by birth.
He's Bostonian by adoption.
@MapleLeafForever
Excuse you.
Canada would like our national treasure back.
@FenwayForever
Too late.
We've emotionally adopted him.
@MLBCentral
Winning consecutive World Series tends to have that effect on a city.
@Rolex
Time looks good on him.
@redsoxnation
ROLEX IS IN THE COMMENTS.
@BeanTownDaily
I swear every luxury brand looked at Shane and collectively said, "Yes."
@watchenthusiast
He's one of the few athletes who actually elevates the brand instead of the other way around.
@commuterguy
Imagine you're just trying to catch the 8:15 bus and suddenly you're face-to-face with an ad that belongs in a museum.
@sportsradio624
Boston has Brady murals.
Boston has Orr statues.
Now Boston has giant Shane Hollander Rolex ads.
The city has its priorities straight.
@redsoxfan1999
The mayor should genuinely give him the key to the city.
@BostonStrong
He brought home two World Series.
He's earned more than a key.
@canuckpride
Fine.
We'll compromise.
Boston can keep him during baseball season.
We expect him back every winter. 🇨🇦
@ccmhockey
Some players chase greatness.
Others build it, one stride at a time.
Introducing Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov for CCM.
Built Different. Built CCM.
#CCMHockey #BuiltCCM #IlyaRozanov #BostonBears
[video]
The commercial opens before sunrise.
The rink is almost completely dark, illuminated only by a handful of overhead lights reflecting off freshly resurfaced ice. The arena is empty, silent except for the distant hum of the refrigeration system. A lone figure steps through the tunnel carrying nothing but a hockey stick over one shoulder.
Ilya Rozanov skates onto the ice without fanfare.
There is only the rhythmic scrape of his blades as he circles the rink alone, gradually building speed. His breath hangs in the cold air while he stretches against the boards, adjusts the tongue of his skates, tightens the laces one final time, and slides on a pair of brand-new black CCM gloves.
Then the music begins.
The pace quickens as Rozanov explodes into motion. He races through edgework drills, weaving effortlessly around rows of training cones before cutting sharply toward the net. His movements are economical rather than flashy, every stride powerful without appearing forced. Pucks leave his stick in rapid succession, each one finding a different corner of the goal as the empty arena echoes with the unmistakable crack of vulcanized rubber striking the glass.
The sequence transitions seamlessly from practice to game night.
The stands are suddenly packed. Thousands of fans rise to their feet as the Boston Bears captain steps over the boards. Under the bright arena lights, the familiar CCM logo appears repeatedly throughout the equipment he trusts every night: the skates digging into the ice during a tight turn, the gloves gripping his stick as he battles along the boards, the helmet absorbing a heavy collision before he immediately rejoins the play.
One shift flows into another. A perfectly timed defensive poke check becomes a clean breakout pass. A burst through the neutral zone becomes a blistering wrist shot. A goal celebration lasts only a heartbeat before the camera cuts to the next faceoff, emphasizing that the work never truly ends.
As the final horn sounds, teammates flood the ice around him following another Boston victory. Confetti begins falling from above, but Rozanov's attention drifts elsewhere. Sitting alone on the bench after the celebration, he quietly removes one glove and runs a hand across the worn tape wrapped around his stick.
The camera closes in on the white CCM logo.
A black screen follows.
Built for every shift.
Comments:
@bostonbears
That's our captain. 🐻
@NHL
Every shift.
Every season.
@sportscenter
CCM tried to say, "Let's make a hockey commercial."
Instead, they made a movie.
@stickhandlingcoach
The transition from an empty rink to a sold-out arena was beautiful.
Every game starts with someone showing up before everyone else.
@goalie35
That sequence where he absorbs the hit, gets back up, and joins the rush...
That's Ilya in one clip.
@bearsnation
You could've shown his Stanley Cups.
Instead, you showed him working before sunrise.
That's why he's captain.
@sportsillustrated
One of the strongest equipment commercials we've seen in years.
@hockeyjunkie
I expected product placement.
I got goosebumps.
@icelevelmedia
The best part?
You barely notice the equipment because it feels like part of him instead of an advertisement.
@BostonSports624
CCM understands hockey.
@NHLFansUnited
Some sports commercials try to tell you an athlete is great.
This one simply watches him prepare.
Much more effective.
@BearsForever
Every kid watching this is about to ask for CCM gear.
@hockeyhistory
There aren't many active captains who could carry an ad with almost no dialogue.
Rozanov is one of them.
@CanadianPuck
That final shot of the worn tape around the stick...
Perfect ending.
@ESPN
Simple and very much like hockey.
@CCMHockey
Built for every shift. 🏒
The Boston Globe
How Shane Hollander Changed Baseball Long Before He Changed the Record Books
When Shane Hollander announced that he was gay following the Boston Red Sox's World Series victory in 2015, the reactions across Major League Baseball were immediate and, in many corners, predictable.
Support poured in from teammates, players across the league, and thousands of fans who celebrated the moment as historic. At the same time, television panels questioned whether the announcement would become a distraction, radio hosts speculated about the impact on endorsements, and countless commentators insisted that baseball—perhaps more than any other North American sport—wasn't ready for an openly gay superstar.
Underlying much of the discussion was an assumption that Hollander's career would inevitably change. Some believed opposing teams would make him a target. Others argued that the pressure of becoming a public symbol would eventually affect his performance. There were even those who wondered whether a captain could realistically lead an entire roster after placing such an intensely personal part of his life into the public eye.
Hollander never attempted to answer any of those questions himself.
He simply returned for Spring Training, prepared the way he always had, and spent the next eight months reminding everyone why he had become one of baseball's most respected players in the first place.
When the Red Sox won the World Series again in 2016, giving Boston back-to-back championships under his captaincy, the conversation changed almost overnight. The doubts that had dominated sports television the previous winter suddenly felt irrelevant. Whatever fears people had imagined about distractions, divided teams, or fractured leadership had been answered not through interviews or carefully crafted statements, but through another championship parade rolling through the streets of Boston.
If the first title established Shane Hollander as one of baseball's brightest stars, the second cemented him as one of the defining athletes of his generation.
His importance, however, extends far beyond the trophies.
As the son of a Japanese mother and a Canadian father, Hollander entered a sport that has historically struggled with diversity, particularly in positions of leadership. While baseball has long celebrated international talent, Asian players have remained significantly underrepresented among the faces of the league, and even fewer have worn the captaincy of one of its most storied franchises. Seeing Hollander lead the Red Sox onto the field each night challenged decades of assumptions about who could represent baseball at its highest level.
When he became the league's first openly gay active player, that representation took on an entirely new dimension.
Several younger players who have since come out have pointed directly to Hollander's announcement as the moment they began believing there might still be a place for them in professional baseball. One American League rookie described watching the news conference from his college apartment before being drafted, later saying that what stayed with him wasn't the announcement itself, but what happened afterward.
"The next day he was still the captain," he recalled during Spring Training. "Nobody treated him differently. His teammates still followed him. That's when I realized maybe I could have this career too."
The response inside the Red Sox organization played no small part in creating that image. Rather than issuing carefully worded statements, players made it clear that, to them, nothing had changed.
Manager David Sullivan dismissed questions about potential clubhouse tension less than twenty-four hours after the announcement.
"The only distraction," he told reporters, "is that people keep asking silly questions instead of focusing on what’s important. Baseball."
Veteran catcher Marcus O'Connell was equally direct.
"We've followed Shane through injuries, losing streaks, playoff runs, and two World Series championships. If anyone thinks who he loves changes whether we'd follow him tomorrow, then they don't know this team."
That unwavering support has become one of the defining characteristics of modern Red Sox baseball. Younger players consistently describe Hollander as the standard-setter within the organization, someone whose professionalism dictates the tone of the team long before the first pitch is ever thrown. Coaches often speak about his preparation with almost reverential admiration, while teammates routinely describe him as the first person to arrive and the last to leave.
The bond between Hollander and Boston has grown just as naturally.
Sports cities often embrace athletes because they win. Boston embraced Hollander because he won and because he never stopped giving the city reasons to believe in him.
Every June, Fenway Park becomes one of the most recognizable Pride celebrations in professional sports. Rainbow flags line the concourses, the stadium fills with LGBTQ+ organizations and families, and Pride merchandise bearing the Red Sox logo consistently sells out before the month is over. Jerseys featuring Hollander's name disappear from team stores almost as quickly as they're stocked, while the annual Pride Night has evolved into one of the franchise's highest-attended regular-season games.
What could easily have remained a symbolic event has instead become part of the team's identity.
Visiting players frequently remark on the atmosphere and broadcasters mention it every season. Fans who attend for the first time often leave surprised not by the scale of the celebration, but by how completely ordinary it feels. There is no sense that acceptance is being performed for cameras. Instead, it feels like a city celebrating one of its own.
Perhaps that is Hollander's greatest achievement.
Today, discussions about Shane Hollander rarely begin with the fact that he is gay. They begin with his two World Series championships, his captaincy, his leadership, and his place among baseball's elite. His sexuality remains an important part of his story because of what it meant for countless young athletes watching from the stands or from their own locker rooms, but it no longer defines how people speak about him.
Instead, it has become something rarer.
It is simply another fact about one of the greatest players of his era, a captain whose legacy is measured not only by the championships he brought to Boston, but by the doors he quietly opened for everyone who came after him.
Comments:
@FenwayFaithful
The day Shane came out, sports radio spent a week asking whether he'd become a "distraction."
A year later he won another World Series.
Turns out the ones distracted were everyone else.
@RedSoxNation
Back-to-back championships.
League MVP.
Captain.
If anyone still has doubts about him, they're choosing ignorance over reality.
@BostonStrong624
I still remember his first Pride Night after coming out.
People online swore Fenway would be half empty.
It sold out and the crowd gave him a standing ovation during introductions.
That told me everything I needed to know about this city.
@GreenMonsterGirl
The article mentioned the Pride merch and it's not exaggerating.
If you don't get to the team store early in June, you're leaving empty-handed.
@PrideAtThePark
I volunteer every year during Pride Night.
I've seen parents bring little kids wrapped in rainbow flags just so they can see Shane play.
It's honestly one of my favorite days of the season.
@baseballdad84
My son came out when he was fifteen.
He cried because he thought he'd have to quit baseball.
A week later Shane hit a walk-off home run and gave an interview talking about how there was room for everyone in the game.
My kid never quit, he starts varsity this fall.
I'll always be grateful for that.
@CoachRamirez
I'm a high school baseball coach.
You would not believe how many of my players wear number 24 because of Shane now.
Not because they're gay, but because they want to be leaders.
@RainbowRunner
Representation isn't about making someone gay.
It's about making a scared kid realize they still have a future.
People who don't understand that have never needed it.
@LeftFieldBleachers
I'm gay.
I grew up loving baseball while hearing it wasn't a sport for people like me.
Watching the captain of the Red Sox announce he is gay after winning the World Series healed something I didn't know was still broken.
@HomePlateHero
My dad wasn't exactly thrilled when Shane first came out.
Now he owns a Hollander jersey.
People can change.
@SoxSince78
I'm a straight sixty-three years old.
I don't pretend to understand everything.
What I do understand is baseball.
Shane plays it better than almost anyone on Earth, treats people with respect, represents Boston with class, and never complains.
That's enough for me.
@OldSchoolBaseball
I grew up in a different generation.
The idea of an openly gay captain would've seemed impossible back then.
Now it just feels...normal.
Honestly, that's probably progress.
@BostonBlueCollar
The only thing I care about is that he keeps bringing trophies down Boylston Street.
Everything else is his business.
@DirtyWater624
Some people spend way too much energy worrying about who another grown man dates.
Meanwhile Shane is busy winning championships.
@GreenMonsterGuy
I've been a season ticket holder for nineteen years.
The loudest Fenway has ever been wasn't a home run.
It was when Shane came back for Opening Day after all the media circus and the entire stadium stood for him before he'd even stepped into the batter's box.
I've never forgotten that.
@MaddieLovesBaseball
I met Shane during a charity event.
There were dozens of kids waiting for autographs and he stayed until every single one had a signature and a picture.
That told me more about him than any interview ever could.
@QueerInQueens
It's funny how quickly the "teams will never accept him" narrative disappeared once his teammates started talking.
Every interview was basically, "That's our captain."
@RedSoxPitcherFan
One reporter asked a teammate whether coming out changed the team.
The answer was, "Yeah. We had to buy one more Pride shirt."
Still one of my favorite responses.
@FaithAndBaseball
I'm religious.
I'm also a lifelong Red Sox fan.
Those things don't stop me from recognizing a decent human being when I see one.
Shane deserves every bit of success he's earned.
@MLBHistoryNerd
People forget how much pressure he was under.
Being the first openly gay active player meant everyone expected him to become a spokesperson overnight.
Instead, he kept showing up, playing elite baseball, and letting consistency speak louder than headlines.
@LittleLeagueMom
My daughter asked if girls could play baseball because she wanted to be "like Captain Shane."
He told an entire generation that they belonged.
That's bigger than baseball.
@FenwayForever
Winning once can be luck.
Winning twice makes history.
Leading a franchise through all the noise while doing it makes legends.
@BostonTillIDie
People from outside Boston keep trying to tell us how we should feel about Shane.
We're the ones packing Fenway every night.
I think we've made our opinion pretty clear.
@JustHereForSports
Do I care that Shane is gay?
No.
Do I care that he hits .330, is a two-way player, and captains a team that keeps winning championships?
Very much so.
@NorthOfTheBorder
Canadians are so proud of him.
Boston may have adopted him, but he'll always be one of ours too. 🇨🇦❤️
@BeanTownBeliever
Give the man another contract.
Give him another parade.
And while we're at it, somebody really should give him the key to the city.
@emilycarter617
I still can't believe this happened today. ❤️
I took my son to grab ice cream after his baseball practice, and completely by chance we ran into Shane Hollander while he was out spending the afternoon with his daughter.
He could not have been kinder.
He stopped to talk, signed my son's jersey, asked him what position he played, laughed when my little guy proudly announced he was "basically the next Red Sox captain," and then happily took a picture with us before wishing him luck this season.
The sweetest part, though, wasn't even meeting Shane.
It was watching the kids.
His daughter immediately asked if my son wanted to play catch while we talked. Within minutes the two of them were running around the park like they'd been friends forever. I've never seen a baseball thrown so hard by someone who can't even reach her dad's shoulder yet. 😂
If that little girl ever decides to play professionally, every batter in the league should be terrified.
She's going to throw absolute heat just like her father.
Thank you, Shane, for making one little baseball fan's entire year.
❤️⚾
[Photo]
Shane Hollander stands beside a smiling young boy wearing a home Boston Red Sox jersey with HOLLANDER 24 stitched across the back. One arm rests lightly around the boy's shoulder as they grin toward the camera outside a neighborhood ice cream shop.
Comments:
@RedSoxNation
This is the least surprising Shane Hollander story I've ever read.
Everyone who meets him says he's unbelievably kind with kids.
@FenwayForever
I've volunteered at the Boston Children's Hospital and I’ve crossed paths with many Red Sox players.
He stays until every kid gets a chance to talk to him and the staff absolutely loves him.
@BostonMama22
My daughter met him at a literacy event years ago.
He knelt down so they were eye level the whole conversation.
Little things like that matter.
@BeanTown617
Wait...
Shane has a daughter??
@sportsfan89
He does.
He just keeps her completely out of the spotlight.
@MLBWatcher
I have followed baseball for years.
HOW AM I ONLY LEARNING THIS NOW??
@FenwayFaithful
Because he's incredibly protective of her privacy.
Boston has always respected that.
You'll almost never see her in public unless someone happens to run into them like this.
@RedSoxHistory
He adopted her when he was a rookie.
Most fans know, but it's never been something he talks about publicly.
@baseballnerd44
HE ADOPTED HER AS A ROOKIE???
@GreenMonsterGirl
Yep.
She's adopted.
@ConfusedFan12
She is clearly adopted.
I just found a pic of her, she looks nothing like Shane.
Why was it so hard to find pics of his daughter? There are like only five tops!
@CanadianBaseball
She is.
One of the few photos ever posted of her online showed she has blond hair and blue eyes.
People have always respected Shane's wish to keep her life private.
@historybuff617
The adoption story is actually pretty well known around Boston.
After he was drafted, Shane flew to Japan to visit his grandparents in Kyoto before reporting to the organization.
On the trip back, he stopped in Paris and met a young woman who was trying to escape an abusive husband.
He helped her get safely to Canada, connected her with organizations that support women fleeing domestic violence, and stayed in contact while she got back on her feet.
When she gave birth by the end of his first year as a professional baseball player, she made the incredibly difficult decision to place the baby for adoption.
Shane adopted her.
Her name is Sofia Yuna Hollander.
@BeanTown617
...
I was expecting baseball trivia.
Not to cry.
@HopeLivesHere
I knew the story, but every time I read it, I get emotional.
@FenwayForever
He also donates a ridiculous amount of money every year to organizations that help abused women and children.
He almost never publicizes it.
People find out because the charities thank him.
@BostonStrong
The guy wins championships, adopts a little girl, funds shelters, visits children's hospitals...
Seriously.
What can't this man do?
@MLBWatcher
I thought he was just an incredible baseball player.
Turns out he's somehow an even better human being.
@SafeHarborFoundation
Our organization has worked with Shane's foundation for several years.
He has never once asked for publicity.
He simply asks what families need.
@baseballdad84
You know what's really telling?
Nobody in Boston tries to sneak pictures of Sofia.
People see them together and leave them alone.
That's how it should be.
@BostonMama22
Exactly.
She's a little girl, not a celebrity.
@sportsfan89
One of the things I love most about this city is that everyone seems to have silently agreed that Sofia is getting to have a normal childhood.
@GreenMonsterGirl
The internet doesn't always respect boundaries.
Boston actually has and I'm proud of that.
@CanadianEh
Sofia Yuna Hollander.
Named after Shane's mother.
That's such a beautiful name.
@LittleLeagueCoach
Imagine growing up with Shane Hollander teaching you how to pitch.
Life isn't fair.
😂
@BaseballKid24
"If that girl ever goes pro..."
I'm already scouting.
Sign her immediately.
@BeanTownBeliever
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Shane Hollander isn't just the captain of the Red Sox.
He's one of the best ambassadors this city has ever had.
@FenwayFaithful
Every time I think I couldn't respect this man more, I learn another story about him.
@BostonStrong617
Forget building another statue.
Just rename half the city after him.
@RedSoxNation
Shane Hollander is a baseball legend.
Shane Hollander is a devoted dad.
Shane Hollander is, somehow, also an actual saint. ❤️⚾
@cityseltzer
The city runs on great taste.
Meet the captain who does too.
We're excited to welcome Shane Hollander to the City Seltzer family.
#CitySeltzer #ShaneHollander #RefreshYourCity
[Billboards]
The first billboard shows Shane Hollander standing on the rooftop of a downtown Boston building overlooking the skyline at sunset. He wears a crisp white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms and dark navy trousers, the top buttons casually undone. Resting against the rooftop ledge, he holds an ice-cold can of City Citrus, the can covered in beads of condensation. The bright yellow and orange design stands out against the muted cityscape behind him, while the Boston skyline stretches into the distance. Across the billboard, large lettering reads:
"FIND YOUR FAVORITE."
The second billboard shows Shane seated on the hood of a vintage pickup truck parked beside a citrus grove, a can of City Citrus balanced loosely in one hand. The final frame is a close-up of the drink itself beside fresh yuzu and mandarin slices.
Comments:
@BostonFoodie
Not me immediately noticing he's holding City Citrus.
@SeltzerSociety
Didn't he once say his favorite drink was Canada Dry?
@RedSoxNation
He did.
He said if he's grabbing a soda, it's almost always Canada Dry.
@InterviewArchives
You're all forgetting the rest of that interview.
He was asked what flavors he keeps stocked at home.
@BaseballDigest
Exactly.
He said his daughter is obsessed with Berry Whip.
Apparently, there's always a fridge full of it at the Hollander house.
😂
@CitySeltzer
Can confirm. 😉
@FenwayForever
So, Shane drinks City Citrus...
Sofia drinks Berry Whip...
The marketing team definitely did their homework.
@BostonMama22
Honestly, Berry Whip is ridiculously good.
I understand Sofia completely.
@CanadianEh
Yuzu and mandarin sounds like exactly the flavor Shane would pick.
@CitrusFan
City Citrus is elite.
I'm glad someone finally agrees with me.
@SportsCenter
I appreciate that they didn't pretend his favorite soft drink suddenly changed overnight.
The campaign actually fits what he said in interviews.
@GreenMonsterGirl
That's what makes it feel authentic.
He's never claimed to drink only one thing.
He literally said he likes City Citrus the most out of the City lineup, but he will forever be a Canada Dry boy.
@FlavorHunter
I bought Berry Whip because of that interview.
Stayed for the black currant.
@BostonStrong617
Shane somehow manages to make sparkling water look like luxury.
@FenwayFaithful
Rolex.
Now City Seltzer.
The man's advertising résumé is getting ridiculous.
@RedSoxUpdates
Can we appreciate that every endorsement somehow still looks classy?
@CityLiving
That rooftop shot belongs in a magazine.
@BostonViews
Putting the Boston skyline behind the captain of the Red Sox was the correct creative decision.
@BaseballLife
At this point I buy products just because Shane is incapable of having a bad photoshoot.
@FenwayForever
I'm still laughing that half the comments are debating soda while the other half are admiring the billboard.
@CitySeltzer
We'll happily take both. 🍊🥤⚾