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Sports in Society

Pro Sports Teams Show Increased Support For LGBTQ Community With Pride Nights

U.S. sports leagues are "increasingly sending the message" that LGBTQ fans are "welcome" at venues, according to Jeff Green of BLOOMBERG NEWS. So far this year, about "three dozen professional baseball, soccer, and women’s basketball teams have hosted pride nights." NBA Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Oris Stuart said, "This is a core value and a core strategy of how we are running our business and ultimately growing the game." He added that more teams will be "hosting such events in the coming season." Green noted the Magic will "honor the victims of the Pulse shooting at their home opener on Oct. 26 and [are] planning a pride night for later in the season." At least half of all NHL teams will "host LGBT nights as part of a diversity week in late February." The league partnered in '13 with the group You Can Play, which "promotes LGBT sports participation." NHL VP/Special Projects & Corporate Social Responsibility Jessica Berman said that last season, "nine teams hosted pride nights." WNBA N.Y. Liberty Senior VP/Business & Basketball Operations Kristin Bernert said that ticket sales were about 7% "above average for a pride night held" by the team in June. Athlete Ally, an advocacy group whose mission is to end homophobia in sports, is "developing tolerance ratings for 127 venues based on several factors, including whether the stadium has held a pride night and if it makes accommodations for transgender people." Athlete Ally Founder & Exec Dir Hudson Taylor said that despite the efforts, pro sports still "aren't seen as inclusive." The number of venues that "haven't yet hosted a pride night outnumber those that have" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/27). 

DUCK SOUP: A USC-Oregon women's soccer match tomorrow will serve as the opening event for a new diversity and inclusion initiative stemming from the partnership between Nike and the university called "BEOREGON." Members of the UO team will wear "BEOREGON" gear featuring the school's Duck logo. The gear is intended to spark a conversation. The initiative was inspired by Nike's "BeTrue" campaign (UO).

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