Tampa, FL (June 1, 2023) – In honor of Pride Month, the United Soccer League (USL) today launched its 2023 ‘Proud to Be’ platform, including the announcement of a new partnership with You Can Play (YCP).
Currently designated as an “Official Inclusion Partner of the USL,” You Can Play is committed to ensuring the safety and inclusion of all who participate in sports, including LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches and fans. They accomplish this by creating a community of peers in which they can develop a true sense of belonging. This is made possible by sports teams focusing less on a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and more on a person’s skills, work ethic and competitiveness. YCP aims to improve the culture of her locker room and spectator area by developing a culture of respect for all players, coaches and fans.
“Over the past several years, You Can Play has provided valuable resources and tools to support USL’s core values of advancing inclusion in football,” said USL Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. President Christopher Busey said. “We are thrilled to enter into an official partnership with You Can Play to further strengthen our commitment to ensuring facilities that are inclusive and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community on and off the pitch.”
Through this partnership, YCP will provide ongoing and year-round support to the entire USL ecosystem with training, education and policy-making support, as well as resources and Pride activation guidance. Additional partnership elements include:
- Pride Nights and Events: A resource for best practices during USL Pride events, including a custom USL Pride Guide.
- Organization Education: Access to YCP Education Modules.
- Community Education: Focus on incorporating training for parents, players, referees and coaches to support YCP training for events throughout the year.
- Social Media and Communications: Assisting in developing campaigns focused on LGTBQ+ engagement.
- Policy and Organizational Development: Resources and training materials to support policy review and organizational development activities.
“USL understands the importance of inclusion in ensuring football is a home for all athletes, coaches, referees and fans,” said You Can Play COO Kurt Weaver. . “We are excited to work with USL and its clubs to not only raise awareness of this work, but also provide support for the already important work USL is doing for the LGBTQ+ community. .”
In addition to the You Can Play partnership, USL 2023’s “Proud to Be” campaign, which launched in 2022, will include activations across the USL ecosystem throughout the month.
Developed in collaboration with Seattle-based designer Fio Bazo, the “Proud to Be” campaign is USL’s mission to support the LGBTQ+ community and provide USL fans with information and resources to learn and act. This is a declaration of action.
The ‘Proud to Be’ platform will be enabled throughout June through an extensive awareness campaign, including new custom ‘Proud to Be’ captain armbands, content on digital channels and messaging on USL broadcasts. Storytelling focuses on the efforts of clubs, players, coaches, staff and supporters.
Visually, “Proud to Be” is expressed through the energy patterns of Bazo’s custom-designed architecture and a clear and supportive message to members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Fans can show their support through Bazo’s custom capsule collection available in the USL Shop. Proceeds from the capsule collection will be donated to You Can Play. For more information, please visit USLsoccer.com/proud-to-be.
From this month through the end of September, several USL clubs will be hosting their own Pride activations. Dates and participating clubs include, but are not limited to:
June
- Charleston Battery: Pride Night, June 2nd
- Orange County SC: Pride Night, June 3
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Pride Night, June 3
- Forward Madison, Pride Night & Trek Pride Ride, June 3
- San Antonio FC: Pride Night, June 10
- El Paso: Pride Night & Fanny Pack Giveaway, June 14
- Minnesota Aurora: Pride Night, June 17
- Richmond Kickers: Pride Night at Black Pride RVA and Virginia Pride, June 17
- City of Louisville: Pride Night and Jersey Towel Giveaway, June 24
- Monterey Bay: Pride Night, June 24
- New Mexico United: Pride on the Pitch, June 24
- Republic of Sacramento: Pride Night, June 24th
- Union Omaha: Pride Night, June 24
- North Carolina FC: Pride Night, June 30
July
- Indy 11: Pride Night, July 8
- Miami FC: Pride Night, July 8
August
- San Diego Royal: Pride Night, August 5
- Greenville Triumph: Pride Flag Giveaway, August 26th
September
- Colorado Switchbacks: All-Night Soccer, Sept. 2
- Auckland Roots: Pride Night, September 2nd
- Hartford Athletic: Pride Night, September 27
