On Oct. 10, just ahead of National Coming Out Day, in a proud and moving message posted on LinkedIn, Bucks sales associate Nick Cottrell reflected on his personal journey and obstacles overcome as a gay man working in professional sports. He wrote about the team’s acceptance, encouragement and support – along with that of the NBA and his friends – of who he was, and he used the platform as an opportunity to introduce "a big idea" he’d conceived with a couple of colleagues: the first annual Milwaukee Bucks Pride Night.
Today, Cottrell’s big idea became an awesome reality, as the organization officially announced the date and details of the event. The Bucks will host Pride Night – presented by the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network and in partnership with the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce – on Saturday, March 4, when the Toronto Raptors visit the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Milwaukee will celebrate diversity and inclusion throughout the game, highlighting members of the local LGBTQ community, including during the singing of the national anthem and the halftime entertainment.
"We’re proud to join with our great partners at the Froedtert & MCW health network and the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce to host this special night celebrating diversity and the vibrant LGBT community here in Milwaukee," Bucks President Peter Feigin said in a statement released by the team. "As an organization, we strive to create an inclusive atmosphere for all of our fans at every game. Pride Night will be another wonderful opportunity for the entire community to come together and celebrate what makes our city special."
Added Cathy Jacobson, president and CEO of Froedtert Health, "The wealth of diversity in our community is something to be valued and respected. Recognized as a national leader in LGBT healthcare equality, our health network is committed to equality and inclusiveness for all. We’re proud to be part of this celebration."
Bucks Pride Night was originally scheduled for a Jan. 28 game against the Boston Celtics. According to the team, performances for the March 4 event have not yet been finalized.
Back in April, the Bucks joined the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce as a platinum member, which costs $5,000 and is the second-highest premium level after the $10,000 diamond membership. That announcement came in the wake of NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s highly publicized admonishment of a controversial North Carolina law restricting anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people in the state. The All-Star Game was scheduled to be played in Charlotte, but in July the league moved the event out of the city, citing HB2, a decision that was widely praised by not only the LGBTQ community, but also by NBA fans and sponsors.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is a Milwaukee-based organization that provides networking opportunities, business development efforts within the LGBTQ community and educational programming to its members and allies with the goal of growing a pro-fairness local business environment.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with the Bucks as we invite members of the LGBTQ community to the first ever Pride Night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center," said Jason Rae, executive director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber, in the statement. "The Milwaukee Bucks are a true hometown team, focused on engaging all members of the community. This event is just another testament to their dedication and commitment to diversity and inclusion. We know that this night will be an exciting one as the LGBTQ community comes out to support the Milwaukee Bucks and cheer them on to victory."
Other NBA organizations have hosted similar events before, and in June the league unveiled Pride Month t-shirts for every team, but this is the first time the Bucks have held a special LGBTQ-themed night.
Milwaukee’s Pride Night game will feature a package that includes tickets at up to 20 percent off the regular single-game pricing, with each attendee receiving a limited-edition Bucks Pride Night t-shirt. A limited number of ticket packages will also be available that include access to a pregame reception in Suite 414 at the team’s Schlitz Park headquarters, where there will be complimentary food and beverages and guests can mingle and network with representatives from the Bucks, the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network and the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
While the Milwaukee Bucks #OwnTheFuture with their exciting young team on the court and #BuildTheFuture with their new arena and entertainment district down the street, they’re promoting #LGBTPride right now, in the Bradley Center and in this city at the present time, and that is a very cool and good thing to be doing.
Born in Milwaukee but a product of Shorewood High School (go ‘Hounds!) and Northwestern University (go ‘Cats!), Jimmy never knew the schoolboy bliss of cheering for a winning football, basketball or baseball team. So he ditched being a fan in order to cover sports professionally - occasionally objectively, always passionately. He's lived in Chicago, New York and Dallas, but now resides again in his beloved Brew City and is an ardent attacker of the notorious Milwaukee Inferiority Complex.
After interning at print publications like Birds and Blooms (official motto: "America's #1 backyard birding and gardening magazine!"), Sports Illustrated (unofficial motto: "Subscribe and save up to 90% off the cover price!") and The Dallas Morning News (a newspaper!), Jimmy worked for web outlets like CBSSports.com, where he was a Packers beat reporter, and FOX Sports Wisconsin, where he managed digital content. He's a proponent and frequent user of em dashes, parenthetical asides, descriptive appositives and, really, anything that makes his sentences longer and more needlessly complex.
Jimmy appreciates references to late '90s Brewers and Bucks players and is the curator of the unofficial John Jaha Hall of Fame. He also enjoys running, biking and soccer, but isn't too annoying about them. He writes about sports - both mainstream and unconventional - and non-sports, including history, music, food, art and even golf (just kidding!), and welcomes reader suggestions for off-the-beaten-path story ideas.
