The NBA Champion Golden State Warriors will host an LGBT Pride Night during the team’s game against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 25. It’s believed to be the first time a defending NBA Champion team has hosted an LGBT Pride Night.
Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts, who came out publicly several years ago when he was with the Phoenix Suns and subsequently secured a job with the Warriors, told Outsports in a statement that the event is important to the team.
“LGBT Night is a wonderful opportunity to champion everything we’re about as an organization: diversity, equality and inclusion,” Welts said. “We’re looking forward to celebrating as a community at Oracle Arena at the game against the Raptors next month.”
Oct. 25 also happens to be Replica Ring Night, for those of you fans looking for a piece of the NBA title.
The Warriors won their second NBA Championship in three years last June by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-1. The 2015-16 Warriors set an NBA record for most regular-season wins (73) before losing, 4-3, to the Cavaliers in the Finals.
To say the Warriors have been successful since Welts joined the team is an understatement.
It is rare for an NBA team to host an LGBT Pride Night, as they simply have fewer tickets to sell than their counterparts in Major League Baseball (smaller venues, half the number of home games). That the Warriors are hosting such a night in the midst of their team success is a true testament to the team’s commitment to the LGBT community, which has been a staple of the Bay Area for generations.
The Warriors previously held an LGBT Pride Night in 2010 before the current management and coaching staff were in place.
You can buy tickets to LGBT Pride Night by clicking here and using the promo code SFLGBT. Tickets are currently $99.
