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Astros to host an LGBTQ Pride Event

"Baseball is for everyone," the Houston baseball team says.

The Houston Astros announced Tuesday, February 4, that they will host a Pride Night during the 2020 season. 

Anita Sehgal, Astros’ vice president for marketing and communications, confirmed during the team’s annual media luncheon that an LGBTQ-themed game against the Minnesota Twins would be held on June 24, just days before Houston’s annual Pride celebration. 

“Houston is the most diverse city in the country,” Sehgal said, “Baseball is for everyone.” 

In 2019, the Astros and the Texas Rangers were the only two Major League Baseball that did not host a Pride night, according to OutSports. Both teams have hosted LGBTQ celebration games in the past. 

President of the Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce Tammi Wallace, and chamber member and OutSmart magazine sales manager Jack Berger, presented the Astros with the idea of hosting a Pride Night in 2020, to which the team agreed. 

“We are excited to be able to partner with the Astros on this important addition to their schedule,” Wallace said. “Pride Night is about more than the LGBTQ community, but about the economic development including LGBTQ tourism, attracting the best and brightest LGBTQ talent, etc.”

The Astros plan to create a special “rainbow logo” hat that will be included in a soon-to-be-announced ticket package for the June 24 game. The team says they hope Pride Night will become a fixture on their annual promotional calendar. 

“[The Astros’ Pride Night] is about our great city being seen for who it is,” Wallace says. “The most diverse city in the country, and an LGBTQ inclusive city. All of this translates to economic opportunity. It’s about sending a message that Houston is open to business for everyone.” 

For more information on the Astros or Pride Night, visit mlb.com/astros.

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Lourdes Zavaleta

Lourdes Zavaleta is a frequent contributor to OutSmart magazine.
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