(Repost from the LA Dodgers Newsroom)
April 2, LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Dodgers will play host to their seventh annual LGBT Night at Dodger Stadium, presented by Blue Shield of California, on Friday, May 31, the team announced today. A special event ticket package that includes a game ticket for the Dodgers’ May 31, 7:10 p.m. game against the Phillies and an exclusive Dodger LGBT-themed duffle bag (image attached) is available for purchase now by visiting www.dodgers.com/LAPride.
For the third consecutive year, the Dodgers have partnered with LA Pride and will host the official 2019 LA Pride kickoff party at Dodger Stadium beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Right Field Plaza Bar and lasting until first pitch at 7:10 p.m. Produced by non-profit organization Christopher Street West, LA Pride is Southern California’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebration, with the LA Pride Festival and LA Pride Parade taking place in West Hollywood on the weekend of June 8-9. The festival, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its straight allies through music, art, and culture along with community activations and signature events, will feature Grammy-winning superstar Meghan Trainor and British electronic pop trio Years & Years as its headliners. This year’s powerful theme, #JUSTUNITE, recognizes that the work the LGBTQ+ community does together is ultimately what will make it stronger and more resilient than ever before.
LGBT Night at Dodger Stadium will feature a ceremonial first pitch by Dodger Owner Billie Jean King. Regarded by many as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, King won 39 Grand Slam titles, including a record 20 Wimbledon championships, in her historic career. Life Magazine named her one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century” and in 2009 President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of her work on and off the court. She was the first female athlete and the first woman from the LGBTQ community to receive the Medal of Freedom. The founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, King is a lifelong advocate for gender equality and LGBTQ Rights and has long been a pioneer for equality and social justice.
The world’s largest provider of programs and services for LGBT people, The Los Angeles LGBT Center, and its CEO Lorri Jean will be honored during pregame ceremonies with a Dodgers Community Hero Award. Jean is nationally recognized as one of the most seasoned and effective leaders in the LGBT civil rights movement, with OUT magazine twice listing her as one of the 50 most powerful gay and lesbian people in the nation. In 2006, Los Angeles Magazine named her as one of the 100 most influential people in Los Angeles, and in 2014 it named her one of the 10 most inspiring women in Los Angeles. A longtime activist, Jean served as the lead plaintiff in the successful landmark lawsuit against Georgetown University to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The national anthem will be performed by singer, actor and strong supporter of the LGBT community Nikki Blonsky, who is best known for her roles in Hairspray, Geography Club and This is 40. The Dodgers will also welcome the cast and creator David Collins of Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, and former Dodger Billy Bean, who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Vice President & Special Assistant to the Commissioner, as special guests on LGBT Night.
“We are once again excited to work with so many incredible partners for our seventh annual LGBT Night at Dodger Stadium,” said Dodgers’ Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Broadcasting Erik Braverman. “We look forward to creating a fun and memorable night as we strive to grow this annual event into the largest in all professional sports. The Dodgers, with a long and well-documented history of diversity, recognize the value of an inclusive environment.”
The Dodgers will welcome back many partners for this special night, including:
- Outsports, a sports news website focusing on LGBT issues and personalities in amateur and professional sports. Outsports is the world’s leading gay-sports publication.
- Varsity Gay League (V.G.L.) is the nation’s largest LGBT Recreational Sports league, established in 2007. With thousands of members, V.G.L. is committed to connecting players of all ages and skill levels, gay or straight, with new ways to socialize and play. A pregame kickball game with select members of V.G.L. will take place in the outfield following the Dodgers’ and Phillies’ batting practice on May 31.
- The Greater Los Angeles Softball Association (GLASA) is a gay and lesbian slow-pitch softball league committed to providing an opportunity for both gay and non-gay participants to compete in an environment conducive to the gay community.
- Hi Tops Sportsbar, a casual sports bar with an LGBTQ focus in West Hollywood.
LGBT Night on May 31 will also include Friday Night Fireworks presented by Denny’s and will feature a special music mix by DJ Bowie Jane. Fans are invited on the field immediately following the game for the fireworks show.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.dodgers.com/LAPride.
About the LA Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with six World Series championships and 23 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence. The Dodgers are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world.
Visit the Dodgers online, follow them on Twitter @Dodgers and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Dodgers.
For media information, visit www.dodgerspressbox.com.
About Christopher Street West (CSW) & LA Pride
Christopher Street West (CSW), a 501(c)3 non-profit, organized the world’s first permitted parade advocating for gay rights on June 28, 1970, as a response to and in commemoration of the Stonewall Rebellion on Christopher Street in New York City the year prior. Since then, we have built a rich history as an active voice for the LGBTQ+ community across the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Today, we continue to produce the globally-recognized LA Pride Parade and Festival every June in the City of West Hollywood. We also organize a number of events throughout the year with our non-profit, philanthropic, community, and corporate partners. Visit lapride.org for more information.
Media Contacts
Erika Satler
MWWPR
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Mark Umbach
MWWPR
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