The Detroit Lions are doing their part.
The Detroit Regional LGBT Chamber of Commerce, which has hosted events with the city's other three professional sports teams, will host an LGBT pride night with the Lions, according to the Detroit Free-Press.
The event is believed to be the first such event to be held in the NFL and will take place when the Lions take on the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Oct. 25.
"It means a lot, in particular the support and rapid response from (the organization)," said James Felton Keith, the CEO of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce. "It means the world, actually. I think, as the Chamber of Commerce we're usually the boring LGBT group. We're the suits in the back of the room just trying to make sure that things are moving along. But these large sporting events play into our inDetroit campaign (and) our inclusive Detroit campaign, which primarily affects the large corporations in the area. But these sports franchises are some of the largest corporations in the area and they affect the overall social sentiment."
Keith says the team has provided the Chamber of Commerce access to a block of tickets in the upper levels of Ford Field along with rooftop seating. The event will also be called out by the team in some way during the game. The team, which has yet to comment about the event, is also pitching in to find sponsors for the event and a pre-game tailgate party.
The Chamber of Commerce drew 1,400 people when they put on an event with the Detroit Tigers in June and previously hosted pride nights with the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. Keith anticipates the Lions' event will draw a "good 1,400-1,500" people.
"We expect a lot of those that can't get in the stadium, that they'll at least be available for the tailgate."
(H/T to Sporting News)
