As part of their Pride Night festivities on Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks hosted a drag show during halftime of their game versus the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum.
Those attending the game may purchase a ticket package that included a “Bucks Pride” scarf and beanie to display their support for the LGBTQ+ community. The Bucks also highlighted members of the community who serve as identifiers.
The drag spectacle received mixed reviews on social media and generated controversy among some NBA fans and critics who were concerned about the presence of minors in the stadium during halftime.
In addition to the Pride celebrations, Fiserv Forum announced on Tuesday that it had joined the Safe Place initiative and had been designated by the Milwaukee Police Department as a “safe space for underrepresented members of our community, including the LGBTQIA+ community, to call for police assistance.”
Bucks players also appeared in a video explaining to fans why it’s essential to welcome everyone into sports.
“Sport has the capacity to bring people together. It doesn’t matter your gender. It does not matter what race you are. In a video released to social media before the game, Bucks guard Pat Connaughton said, “It doesn’t matter what your political views are, and it certainly doesn’t matter what your sexual identity is.”
Joe Ingles said that it was necessary for “fans, athletes, and everyone in the world to make sporting events and other events more accessible and welcoming for the LGBTQ community.”
Milwaukee won the game by a score of 107-99.
There seems to be no dispute among players regarding the Pride Night events.
Last week, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov chose against wearing a Pride warm-up shirt before a game, sparking a controversy in the National Hockey League.
»Bucks’ halftime drag display generates discussion on social media«