Houston Rockets announce first annual Pride Night for April 2 - Rockets Wire

The Houston Rockets on Friday announced their first annual Pride Night for the April 2 game versus Golden State, to be held in alliance with the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

According to Houston’s OutSmart Magazine, the Warriors became the first NBA team to host a Pride Night during the 2017-18 season.

Per the official announcement, scheduled activities and events include:

• Private pre-game reception in partnership with the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce, featuring Rick Welts, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and president of the Golden State Warriors
• Pregame lift-off party in front of Toyota Center featuring live performances on the Budweiser stage
• Concourse community activation featuring The Montrose Center
• In-game elements such as First Shot for charity, National Anthem, and halftime performance from members of the LGBT community

According to the Rockets, more activities for the event will be announced in the coming weeks. Additionally, a special “H-Town” Pride Night merchandise collection will be available at the Toyota Center team shop, with a specialized Pride logo t-shirt already for sale.

🌈 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

On Thursday, April 2, the Houston Rockets will host Pride Night. The game will take place at Toyota Center as the Rockets take on the Golden State Warriors at 7PM.

📰 https://t.co/dL9OdpuwlG pic.twitter.com/ZB0S9DEzTP

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 28, 2020

“Embracing inclusivity is something our team believes in strongly,” Rockets CEO Tad Brown told OutSmart Magazine.

“It is our responsibility to celebrate all members of our community, including LGBTQ fans,” added Brown, who cited “overwhelming support” from owner Tilman Fertitta. “Pride Night will provide an experience that shows how much we support and appreciate them.”

Other NBA teams to have hosted a pride night include the Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, and Miami Heat.

“Rick [Welts] will tell us about his journey to becoming the first openly gay professional sports executive,” Brown said to OutSmart Magazine. “He’ll show fans how to embrace their own paths, and teach us more about how to support the LGBTQ community.”

Brown added that Pride Night will become an annual event moving forward as a means of showing support for the LGBTQ community.

Tickets for the April 2 event are available at the Toyota Center website.