Earlier this year, the Philadelphia Flyers joined such major-league teams as the Phillies and 76ers in hosting an LGBT night for their fans, and two more sports clubs are following in their lead this month.
The Camden Riversharks will host its first Gay Pride Night at its July 13 game at Campbell’s Field, while local tennis team the Philadelphia Freedoms will welcome the LGBT community to its OUT With the Philadelphia Freedoms at its July 12 match at Villanova University.
Stefanie Harms, Riversharks group sales assistant, said the team also hosts such theme nights as Irish Pride Night, Jewish Heritage Night and Health and Wellness Night, and the LGBT event was a natural extension of this effort.
“The gay community in this area is a large group, and we have yet to reach out to them before this season, so it was about time,” said Harms.
Adam Lorber, Riversharks general manager, noted that the team was an active supporter of the Plays and Players’ production of “Take Me Out” — about the intersection of the LGBT and sports communities — this spring, which he said motivated the club to do their own part to bring the two closer together.
“A few months ago, we had one of our coaches speak to the audience at the play and it just kind of triggered this idea and got us thinking about why we hadn’t ever done something like this before,” he said.
Larry Felzer, who spearheads local LGBT outings like the Phillies’ Gay Community Days, which will be held this year on Aug. 23, applauded the Riversharks for taking the initiative and reaching out to the LGBT community.
“They realize that this is a market,” Felzer said. “Gay people like sports, too, and that’s something that they appreciate.”
At the Riversharks game, the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Choir will sing the national anthem to kick off the game, and a yet-to-be-determined member of the LGBT community will throw out the first pitch.
Harms said the team is also inviting other LGBT entertainers to the field for performances before and during the game and will recognize the night on the scoreboard.
The team is also offering specials for gay-owned or gay-friendly businesses, such as ad space in the monthly newsletter, marketing tables at the game and highlights on the screen, depending on the number of tickets the company is able to sell.
The Riversharks are also looking in the possibility of painting the bases rainbow, and Harms said the Philadelphia community should take the short trip over to Jersey to show its own colors.
“This is a chance to show their pride, meet other members in the community and enjoy a fun night at a minor-league baseball game,” she said. “If they have never been to our ballpark, coming out for the Philadelphia skyline and Ben Franklin Bridge view is more than enough reason to visit.”
Lorber said the Riversharks offer their fans more than just baseball.
“We’re not just about sports, we’re also about entertainment. We bring people onto the field for different things, we have times where you can meet players. We’ve got a carousel, and a rock wall and do fireworks every Friday night, and we have a great view of Philadelphia. We look at the Riversharks as an oasis. There’s three hours where you can just sit in your seat and not worry about anything else and just be entertained at a very reasonable cost.”
For more information or to purchase tickets for the Riversharks game, which are $11, contact Harms at (856) 831-0431 or [email protected] or visit www.phillygaydays.com. The game begins at 7:05 p.m.
The Freedoms match, also billed as Billie Jean King Night in honor of its out owner and tennis legend, will start at 7 p.m., and tickets are $30. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.philadelphiafreedoms.com.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].