CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy will hold their fourth annual Pride Night on Saturday when Los Angeles host Sporting Kansas City at StubHub Center.
The match has become one of the most celebrated events of the team’s promotional calendar and an inspiration for other activities league-wide. The idea of holding a Pride Night at StubHub Center was in large part thanks to Galaxy group sales manager Mike Demko. Demko organized the Galaxy’s first Pride Night and has remained at the helm since.
“We had never done a Pride Night before. It was something that I’m passionate about like a lot of people,” Demko told LA Galaxy Insider. “I know a lot of members of the LGBT community, and I’ve got family members in the LGBT community, and I thought it would be a great idea to make sure that the sport of soccer, which is the beautiful game, has a night that celebrates that community.
“Everyone in the organization gets involved. Whether it’s sales, marketing or the players, everyone wants to get involved. I’ve also noticed that there are people who came out to the game [in 2015 and 2016] for their first-ever Galaxy game who now have season tickets, which I think is fantastic.”
Pride Night has experienced tremendous growth since Demko helped start the event in 2014, with the Galaxy official receiving calls and posts on social media of others interested in attending the event. As the team looks ahead to their fourth annual event, Demko admits that he’s proud of how the night has grown under his stewardship.
“I am very proud. It’s not just me but the whole organization,” Demko said. “It’s something that other teams from all MLS teams to other sports as well to help expand their Pride Night or even hold their first ever Pride Night. If we can have that impact, it would be exceptional.
“I want to keep building on [the growth] in the years to come. Just like we have people excited for Fourth of July and fireworks, I want to create the same excitement behind Pride. That’s the overall goal.”
