LA Dodgers Announce Return of LGBTQ+ Night
June 4, 2021
In recognition of International Pride Month, this June we’re spotlighting some of the incredible organizations and individuals in our network working to achieve equal justice and equal opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community. Today, we feature Beyond Sport long-time supporters, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers along with its official team charity and Sport for Reduced Racial Inequalities Collective Impact Award winner, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, will host their seventh annual LGBTQ+ Night, one of sport’s largest Pride Night’s on June 11 in a game against the Texas Rangers.
“The LGBTQ+ Community is well known for gathering together to share memorable experiences together. The last year has been trying on all of us and I am personally excited to be able to create an event that is just the beginning of us bringing our community back together. The Pride shirts this year proclaim, “WE’RE BACK” and those 2 words seem really powerful this year,” said Erik Braverman, the Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Broadcasting for the LA Dodgers.
The Dodgers have a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community. It will be the third time LA Pride, a non-profit that acts as an active voice for the LGBTQ+ community across the Greater Los Angeles area, and the LA Dodgers have teamed up for the event. They hosted the first ‘Gay Night’ in professional sports in 2000, when the team rallied to support a gay couple who had been mistreated by security at a previous game.
The last Dodgers LGBTQ+ Night, held in 2019, was the team’s most attended game in 7 years with an estimated 12,000 fans attended. In addition, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, who are part of the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group have been avid supporters of the celebration.
“Mark Walter and the entire Dodger organization are a first-class operation that has proven to be leaders in sports on and off the field of play. We share a commitment to equality and inclusion, including the LGBTQ community, and we hope to further expand the team’s efforts in those areas as we move forward together,” said King on her announcement of becoming a minority owner in 2018.
The Dodgers also engage and support the LGBTQ+ community outside of Pride Month, building relationships with sport-associated organizations that support LGBTQ+ athletes and feature LGBTQ+ news, including Outsports, Varsity Gay League, the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association, Hi Tops Sportsbar and other groups. With openly gay Senior Vice-President Braverman and long-time ally Lon Rosen having seats at the table, the Dodgers make their commitment to the community year-round.
This year the Dodgers are incorporating an 11-color Pride flag into the team’s logo for the first time.
“As a long-time member of the community and a supporter of justice and equality for ALL, I am deeply passionate about spotlighting the Dodgers LGBTQ+ Pride Night every year. In 2021, our night will be as fun and exciting as in past years, but we are especially proud to highlight that we have incorporated all 11 colours into the logo and flags that will be flown at Dodger Stadium on June 11th. The Dodgers organization is well known for being ground-breaking and inclusive of all and this is just another example of continuing in that tradition,” Braverman said.