You Can Play

You Can Play
Name	You Can Play
Formation	2012
Type	Nonprofit advocacy organization
Headquarters	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Founders	Brian Kitts, Patrick Burke
Focus	LGBT athletes, inclusion in sports
Website	official website

You Can Play is an advocacy organization founded in 2012 focused on promoting inclusion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender athletes and ensuring equal opportunity in professional, collegiate, and amateur sports settings. The organization has collaborated with major NHL franchises, NFL teams, NBA organizations, and collegiate programs to develop policies and cultural practices that protect athletes from discrimination. Its activities range from public awareness campaigns to partnerships with leagues, clubs, and athlete ambassadors to improve climate and policy across United States and Canada sports institutions.

History

You Can Play was co-founded by Brian Kitts and Patrick Burke in response to prominent coming-out stories and discriminatory incidents affecting athletes in the early 2010s, a period that included notable public figures and policy debates in NHL, NFL, and MLB. Early supporters included players associated with franchises such as the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers, along with public endorsements from coaches and executives linked to the University of Minnesota and Boston University. The organization launched media campaigns timed around events like the Olympic Winter Games and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, leveraging visibility from athletes such as Roberto Luongo and personalities with ties to ESPN, NBC Sports, and TSN. Over time, You Can Play forged relationships with players' associations including the NHLPA, the NBPA, and the MLBPA to influence collective bargaining and workplace climate discussions. Milestones included public service announcements, collaborative projects with the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, and recognition by municipal bodies in cities like Minneapolis and New York City.

Mission and Programs

The stated mission emphasizes safety, respect, and equal treatment for LGBTQ athletes across professional and amateur competitions, engaging stakeholders from NCAA institutions to USA Hockey and Hockey Canada. Programs have included educational toolkits used by collegiate departments at institutions such as Ohio State University, University of Michigan, and Penn State University', locker-room training adopted by teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, and campaigns partnered with broadcast partners including NBCUniversal and Fox Sports. Initiatives have targeted coaches, athletic directors, and front-office personnel connected to leagues like the AHL and tournaments such as the IIHF World Championship to reduce harassment and promote inclusive locker-room environments. You Can Play has also produced content featuring athlete ambassadors and allied figures from franchises like the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Lakers, and universities including University of Notre Dame.

Athlete and Team Partnerships

You Can Play established formal partnerships with numerous athletes, teams, and leagues to amplify athlete voices and model inclusive behavior. Ambassadors have included current and former professionals and college athletes with ties to clubs such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and San Jose Sharks. League partnerships extended to the NHL, the NBA, and the MLS, and collaborations with national sport governing bodies such as U.S. Soccer and USA Basketball enabled outreach to youth clubs and academies. The organization also worked with coaching networks linked to NCAA Division I programs and with sporting events like the College Football Playoff and the US Open (tennis), helping teams adopt inclusive policies and facilitating public-service content distributed via partners such as Bleacher Report and The Athletic.

Advocacy and Impact

You Can Play's advocacy has targeted policy reform, cultural change, and increased visibility for LGBTQ athletes through campaigns during major events like the Winter Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, and playoffs in the NBA and NHL. The organization contributed to shifting discourse that influenced team-level nondiscrimination policies at franchises including the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings, and aided educational efforts at collegiate conferences such as the Big Ten Conference and the Pacific-12 Conference. Measurable impacts include adoption of inclusive language in team codes of conduct, expanded diversity training in athletic departments at universities like UCLA and USC, and greater media representation in outlets such as Sports Illustrated and The New York Times highlighting LGBTQ athlete narratives.

Controversies and Criticism

You Can Play has faced criticism on several fronts: questions about effectiveness relative to scope, debates over partnering with faith-based organizations and private-sector sponsors, and scrutiny concerning responses to high-profile incidents involving teams or athletes. Critics from advocacy groups such as GLSEN and commentators at publications including The Atlantic and The Guardian queried whether celebrity-driven campaigns adequately addressed structural discrimination in leagues like the NFL or collegiate systems governed by NCAA rules. Some religiously affiliated institutions and conservative commentators connected to outlets like Fox News objected to certain partnerships, prompting public debate involving municipal leaders in cities like Minneapolis and Chicago.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The organization operated as a nonprofit with an executive leadership team, board members drawn from sports executives, athletes, and legal professionals with connections to entities like the NHLPA, the NBPA, and university athletic departments at institutions such as Harvard University and Stanford University. Funding sources included corporate sponsorships from companies partnered with leagues—such as broadcasters NBC Sports and brands with ties to Nike and Adidas—philanthropic grants from foundations and individual donors connected to figures in the Silicon Valley and sports ownership groups, and in-kind support from teams across the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Financial partnerships and sponsorship arrangements sometimes prompted scrutiny over influence and priority-setting from oversight commentators at outlets like ProPublica and USA Today.

Category:LGBT sports organizations