The New York City Pride March on June 24 will feature the largest collection of professional sports leagues ever for an LGBTQ Pride March or Parade.
Virtually all of the major professional sports leagues based in the United States will all be taking part in the Pride March. The NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA and WNBA are all registered as leagues to march in the parade and will have floats. Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Hockey League will have employees and players marching as well.
In addition, other sports entities — like Outsports, whose contingent will feature 100+ LGBTQ athletes, coaches and others in sports — will take part. And a vast array of local LGBTQ sports leagues will participate as well.
This will be the sportiest Pride March ever.
The National Football League will have a float in the parade that features former NFL player Ryan O’Callaghan, who came out publicly last year. The NFL is also sending O’Callaghan to the Outsports Pride Summit that Friday. Wade Davis, who often works closely with the league to further conversations about LGBTQ inclusion, will also be featured on the float. San Francisco 49ers coach Katie Sowers will march with Outsports as well.
Major League Baseball will feature a huge contingent of about 200 employees, including out former MLB umpire Dale Scott and gay MLB executive and former player Billy Bean. Also on the float will be deputy commissioner Dan Halem. In addition, MLB employees will volunteer at the Pride Run and Youth Pride on Saturday, June 23.
This will be the first time the NFL or MLB have participated in the Pride March.
Returning to the NYC Pride March is the National Hockey League, which is marching for the second consecutive year. The league front office will also participate in the Toronto Pride Parade on the same day, and in the Montreal Pride Parade Aug. 19. In addition, various teams will march in their local parades.
Also marching in New York City on June 24 will be the NBA and WNBA, which started the trend with their joint participation in the 2016 NYC Pride March. The two leagues have set the bar very high, with the participation of NBA commissioner Adam Silver and WNBA president Lisa Borders over the years. Jason Collins will be returning as a featured guest on this year’s float.
Members of the National Women’s Hockey League, as well as Major League Soccer staffers, will also be marching in New York City, alongside You Can Play.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King has been named one of the Grand Marshals of NYC Pride.
Now that’s a lot of sports in the streets of Manhattan June 24!
If you’d like to join Outsports for our Outsports Pride weekend running in conjunction with New York Pride, June 21-24, and to march in the NYC Pride March, visit outsportspride.com and join us! Everyone interested in sports is welcome.
