Professional sports teams across New York City are preparing to shine a spotlight on the LGBTQ community throughout Pride Month.
GOTHAM FC
Gotham FC, New York and New Jersey’s professional women’s soccer team, is planning to mark Pride Month at Sports Illustrated Stadium during a matchup against KC Current at 1 p.m. on June 7.
Before the match, attendees can attend a 10:30 a.m. fan fest with live music, a mini pitch, a sign-making activity, face painting, and more. Fans can also purchase a Pride Brunch buffet ticket, which includes food, a free brunch drink, and performances led by drag artists Chelsea Piers and Mariyea.
Jan Sport of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will perform the national anthem.
METS
On June 13, the New York Mets will host their ninth annual Pride Night — a Friday evening game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field — and fans are encouraged to arrive early to join a pre-game Pride Party at the K Korner complete with DJ Mack Mackey, Mr. and Mrs. Met photo ops, giveaways, and performances by The Queens Crew. Days after joining Gotham FC’s Pride festivities, Jan Sport will also host the pre-game Pride festivities at Citi Field.
The first 15,000 fans to attend the 7:10 p.m. game will receive a complimentary Mets Pride tank top. The evening will also feature in-game entertainment, DJs, Mets Pride merchandise, themed cocktails, and more.
Fans interested in attending the game can take advantage of a special ticket offer known as an NYC Pride Ticket. This ticket includes a Pride Night fanny pack and a $15 credit to use at concession stands. Part of the proceeds from the tickets will be donated to NYC Pride.
“Don’t miss out on the one night each year when Citi Field swaps blue and orange for the entire rainbow!” the team’s Pride Night page says.
BROOKLYN CYCLONES
June 13 is also when the Mets’ local minor league affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones, will host their own Pride night at Maimonides Park in Coney Island at 6:40 p.m. Dubbed “Brooklyn Pride Night,” the evening matchup against the Asheville Tourists will feature giveaways and special packages for fans.
The first 1,000 fans will receive a complimentary Cyclones skyline cap. For $30, attendees can purchase a limited edition package featuring a field box ticket and a Brooklyn Pride baseball jersey. A similar $35 package comes with two beers, seltzers, or soft drinks, along with the jersey and hat.
YANKEES
On June 16, the New York Yankees are slated to host their annual Legacy of Pride Night when they take on the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium at 7:05 p.m. Special ticket packages include a $15 food and beverage voucher along with a Yankees hat in the colors of the Progress Pride Flag.
There will be an on-field ceremony before the game featuring the recipients of the Yankees-Stonewall scholarship, which awards $10,000 to students in each borough of the city.
OTHER PRIDE NIGHTS
Some New York sports teams have already hosted their annual Pride Night game this year or plan to do so at some point outside of Pride Month. The Knicks, for example, commemorated Pride in January, while the Nets hosted a Pride Night game in April.
The New York Liberty, which welcomed queer fans during last October’s ticker-tape parade to celebrate the franchise’s first-ever WNBA title, will host Pride Night on July 25 at Barclays Center.
The New York Red Bulls are celebrating what they are describing as a “kickoff to Pride” during the team’s May 31 matchup against Atlanta United at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
In mid-May, the Pride Center of Staten Island hosted a night of Pride at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, home to the Staten Island FerryHawks — a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a partner league of Major League Baseball. The borough previously served as the home of the Staten Island Yankees, a minor-league affiliate of the Yankees.
