Sports
Apparel companies expand LGBT product lines
Nike, Adidas, others marketing to new generation of out fans
The Washington Nationals created an LGBT-themed cap and shirt; both items sold out.
After decades of a misconception that the LGBT community isn’t interested in sports, the secret is finally out.
The LGBT community likes to play sports, talk about sports and watch sports. It also actively supports local professional teams. All over the country, LGBT community nights are popping up at college, minor league and major league sports games. And, similar to other community nights that recognize the military and children’s charities among others, sports apparel is starting to appear in support of the LGBT community.
Obtaining the necessary licensing to produce sports clothing related to teams can be tricky. Everything down to the design has to be checked off before items can be produced by approved apparel companies. ’47 is a company that sees a huge opportunity and market for licensed sports merchandise.
Located in Westwood, Mass., ’47 is a licensed partner with Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and more than 650 colleges.
’47 has a niche market with its Black Fives clothing line that honors the all-black basketball teams and their associated cities. The teams existed in the United States between 1904 and 1950 until they were integrated into the National Basketball Association.
’47 is one year into testing the market for the response on another niche market — LGBT sports apparel.
“We are still in the infancy of our LGBT line of apparel,” said Brian Maurer, a sales rep for ’47. “We started on a small scale and so far have only produced caps and shirts.”
’47 first reached out to Major League Baseball, which first approved apparel for the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees.
“We don’t want to focus on the team’s logo. Instead we want to show off the city, the sport and the pride in the city,” Maurer says. “This is about people representing their city.”
Washington, D.C. is home to the popular Night OUT Series hosted by Team DC with LGBT community nights held annually with professional sports teams such as the Washington Nationals, D.C. United, Washington Mystics, Washington Kastles and the Washington Prodigy.
The 11th Annual Night OUT at the Nationals was held in June and ‘47 was contacted by the Washington Nationals to create an LGBT-themed cap and shirt for the event.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive as evidenced by how quickly we sold out of the items,” says Jennifer Giglio, vice president of communications for the Nationals. “We have heard from fans both in person and via social media who loved the items and asked us to stock more of them in the store.”
Due to popular demand, both of the items have been re-issued for this season. The shirt is available at the main team store at Nats Park. The cap is expected to arrive in the next couple weeks and will be available there as well.
“Beginning on opening day in 2016, fans should expect to see more options arriving at the stadium,” Giglio says.
The annual United Night OUT event with D.C. United will be held on Sept. 19 at RFK Stadium and the idea of LGBT apparel was recently proposed to their front office.
“We don’t have anything at the moment, but we certainly support our LGBT fans,” said Craig Stouffer, director of communications for D.C. United. “We’re always listening to the community and considering new and different ideas.”
Three major sports apparel companies have jumped into the market in a different way.
The #BETRUE collection from Nike offers a variety of shoes and shirts that feature rainbow colors as a reflection of the diversity in sports. At least $300,000 has been donated to groups that are furthering the LGBT sports movement such as GO! Athletes.
In honor of LGBT Pride, Adidas released its Pride Pack, which re-imagined three types of iconic footwear into rainbow-themed styles. Proceeds from the line are being donated to Portland-area LGBT groups, including New Avenues for Youth, an LGBT youth advocacy program.
Converse, which is Nike-owned, released three items in the Proud to Be line of its Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Two designs were dedicated to San Francisco and New York because of their history with the LGBT community.
Perhaps the most interesting show of apparel support is coming in the form of minor league teams wearing LGBT awareness uniforms during a match. In some cases it is just in warm-ups, but others such as the San Francisco Bulls (hockey) and Detroit City FC (soccer) played a complete match in those uniforms.
It’s a little far-fetched to think that a team in major professional sports would outfit themselves in LGBT apparel for games that are part of their regular schedule. However, a soccer team in Madrid has set an inclusive example with the release of its first away kit for next season.
Rayo Vallecano has produced a rainbow-themed kit and will donate roughly $10 from the sale of each jersey to seven causes that represent the colors of the rainbow. The seven charitable causes are environmental protection, the fight against HIV/AIDS, sexual discrimination, child abuse, gender-based violence, discrimination for disabilities, and to ”never lose hope.”
Iran and Egypt on Friday faced off during the World Cup’s “Pride Match” in Seattle.
Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death. Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity is commonplace in Egypt.
Friday’s match coincided with Pride weekend in Seattle. The Egyptian Football Association and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran both objected to playing in the “Pride Match.”
Egypt and Iran tied 1-1.
FIFA, for its part, allowed Pride flags inside the stadium during the match.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds,” a FIFA spokesperson told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events. General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”
Human Rights Watch welcomed FIFA’s decision to allow Pride flags inside the stadium. Outright International, a global LGBTQ and intersex rights group, distributed Pride flags in Seattle on Friday, which was Pride Match Day.
“Visibility matters,” said Outright International Executive Director Maria Sjödin. “Pride is now being celebrated in more than 100 countries, including this weekend in Seattle. For many LGBTIQ people, seeing a Pride flag in public is a reminder that they are not alone, and that their rights and dignity are recognized.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this year told Die Weltwoche, a Swiss magazine, that “there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the (FIFA) World Cup.”
“There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organized by external organizations will be taking place in the city,” said Infantino. “But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
Peter Tatchell, a long-time LGBTQ activist from the U.K. who is director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, was among those who traveled to Seattle for Friday’s match. Tatchell accused FIFA of not vetting World Cup teams — specifically Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Algeria — over whether they would allow gay players.
“FIFA is protecting LGBT+ visibility in the stands while failing to protect LGBT+ players on the pitch,” said Tatchell.
The Baltimore Orioles will take on the Washington Nationals on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m. for Pride Night at Oriole Park.
The first 15,000 fans will receive an exclusive Pride Night Orioles jersey. The Washington Blade is a media sponsor of this event.
To purchase tickets, visit Orioles.com/Tickets.
Sports
Minor league team in York, Pa., forfeits Pride Night game after some players refuse to wear special jersey
City is roughly 20 miles north of Md. border
An independent minor league baseball team says it is forfeiting a game because some of its players refused to wear a special Pride Night jersey.
The Atlantic League Pro Baseball’s York Revolution were planning to hold their 11th annual Pride Night event Thursday for a game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
But the Revolution announced the day of the game that it wouldn’t be played. York is about 20 miles north of the Maryland line. The Blue Crabs play in Waldorf.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
New book reveals what we can learn from animal sex
Who might replace Lindsey Graham? The contenders and their LGBTQ records
PHOTOS: Westminster Pride
Un terremoto también se vive desde el exilio
PHOTOS: Emerald City Pride
Mr. Henry’s celebrates 60 years of proud inclusivity
It’s good to see some justices standing up to Trump
Egyptian authorities refuse to allow gay cruise to dock in country
Queer media dominates 2026 Emmy nominations
