The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced the return of professional sports’ largest LGBTQ Pride Night, as the team will host the LGBTQ community, and the Texas Rangers, on Friday, June 11. The game will be one of the few in-person celebrations for LA Pride this year.
Outsports has learned that over 8,000 tickets have been sold for the Pride Night celebration, which will make up about half of all of the fans in the stadium that night.
You can purchase tickets for the game at the Dodgers website.
The Dodgers have a long history of supporting the LGBTQ community. They hosted the first “Gay Night” we know of in pro sports, in 2000, when the team rallied to support a gay couple who had been mistreated by security at a previous game. In 2019, the team sold approximately 12,000 LGBTQ+ Night packages — the most ever for an LGBTQ night — in what was the team’s most-attended game in seven years.
The Dodgers also do a great job of engaging the LGBTQ community outside of Pride month, building relationships with us here at Outsports, as well as Varsity Gay League, the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association, Hi Tops Sportsbar and other groups. With out gay senior vice-president Erik Braverman and longtime 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 (see below).
“The Dodgers take so much pride in celebrating Los Angeles’ LGBTQ+ community and are excited to host our eighth annual LGBTQ+ Night at Dodger Stadium, which continues to grow into one of the biggest Pride nights in all of professional sports,” Braverman said. “After a trying year apart, we’re looking forward to working with our great partners to welcome the LGBTQ+ community back to Dodger Stadium for a fun and safe in-person event.”
This year, on behalf of the Dodgers organization, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss will be honoring LGBTQ+ frontline healthcare workers:
- KRISTINE LARSON with LAFD. She is a Battalion Chief and the highest ranking African American female in the LAFD’s history.
- KRISTINA KEPNER with LAFD. Kepner has been with the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) for 17 years and is currently the Battalion Chief in charge of the Firefighter Recruitment Section. She began her career as an LAFD Explorer at the age of 15 and has promoted through the ranks of Firefighter, Paramedic, Captain I, Captain II and is currently the youngest female Battalion Chief.
- The Dodgers will also award the Dodgers Community Hero Award to LA PRIDE Board President SHARON FRANKLIN BROWN. Sharon is the first black transwoman to ever hold that position in the organization’s 50-year history. She has been an activist for LGBTQ+ rights since the early 90’s and she continues to advocated for equality today.
- In addition, the Dodgers will award the Dodgers Community Hero Lifetime Achievement Award to REVEREND TROY PERRY, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church and founding member of Los Angeles Pride. Perry has worked tirelessly worked to advocate for members of the LGBTQ+ community globally for over 40 years.
The tickets for the Pride celebration are situated in what the Dodgers describe as a fully vaccinated-only section. Be sure to check out the requirements before purchasing your tickets.
Be sure to grab your tickets for the game here before they sell out.
For more LA Dodgers news, check out True Blue LA.
