Sounders proudly display LGBTQ support in Pride Day celebrations

Seattle Sounders players and staff have a number of activities lined up ahead of Saturday’s Pride Day and home match against New York City FC, which marks the club’s first full-stadium game this year. This is the second year the Sounders have celebrated Seattle’s LGBTQ community with Pride Day activities.

To kick the week off, on Wednesday afternoon, Brad Evans and Stefan Frei handed out Pride-themed cupcakes to happy fans around Pioneer Square.

On Thursday, forward Jordan Morris will be signing autographs from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. at 356 Denny Way in Queen Anne, near the Pacific Science Center. Morris will also be joined by Ozzie Alonso to promote and sign posters created for the recent Sounders ad campaign. These posters remain up in Queen Anne, Rainier Valley, West Seattle, Capitol Hill, and Ballard. Fans can enter to win Sounders gear by snapping an image at any poster location and sharing it using the hashtag #SoundersInSeattle.

On matchday, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will receive a Golden Scarf during the pre-match ceremony, which will also feature members of the LGBTQ community displaying rainbow flags and banners, with participants wearing a special Pride Day shirt. The Sounders will also give away 50,000 pride flags to fans upon entering the gates.

Seattle Sounders FC / Corky Trewin

To pay tribute to and honor the victims of the Orlando shooting, a moment of silence will be observed prior to the national anthem, sung by Tacoma native and The Voice participant Vicci Martinez.

The Pride Day celebration will continue throughout the match, which airs on ESPN. Brad Evans will wear a Pride-themed captain’s armband, and the Sounders will roll out customized rainbow corner flags and LED graphics.

Seattle Sounders FC / Jane Gershovich

Fans are also invited a pre-match party from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PT at The NINETY, which will include Pride-themed cupcakes, a photo booth, and beer for purchase — with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the club's community partners.

The world of sports can still be an incredibly threatening environment for many LGBTQ people. Soccer is no stranger to the dark side of homophobic fans, chants, and athletes. While Seattle is still much more liberal than other cities, having a team proudly celebrate and embrace its LGBTQ community can send a powerful message: all fans are welcome here. That’s why I’m so excited to soak in and celebrate love on Saturday with 50,000 other fans this weekend.