Watch CBS News

Mets To Hold LGBT-Themed Pride Night For First Time Ever

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- For the first time, the Mets will host an LGBT-themed Pride Night at Citi Field this baseball season.

The team will hold a news conference on Tuesday to announce the plans for Pride Night. LGBT Network chief executive officer David Kilmnick talked with WCBS 880 about the plan.

"We're real excited about it, because sports and athletics is one of the last bastions of homophobia that we have to tackle, and a lot of people – about lot of LGBT people – do not feel safe either going to games or on the ballfield if they're in school or in college," Kilmnick said.

Kilmnick said the Mets are sponsoring the Pride Night for all to feel welcome at Citi Field, and part of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to support anti-bullying efforts in Long Island and New York City schools.

He said Pride Night was the brainchild of the LGBT network, but the Mets were fully onboard.

"We approached the Mets back in October, as they were getting ready to go on their journey to the World Series, and the Mets were incredibly responsive, and the Mets have always been seen as an underdog in the New York sports landscape, so it makes sense for the Mets to stick up for every single New Yorker," Kilmnick said.

He said the Mets are the first New York team to hold a Pride Night.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.