League of Fans

Founded by Ralph Nader, League of Fans is a sports reform project working to improve sports by increasing awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, exposing irresponsible business practices, ensuring accountability to fans, and encouraging the industry to contribute to societal well-being.

Email Alerts

Alerts is League of Fans' email announcements list. Alerts provides news, information, the actions of League of Fans and/or Ralph Nader regarding sports issues, and calls-to-action for subscribers. All email updates are either selected or written by League of Fans.

Actions!

League of Fans is motivated by people, just like you, who are upset with what has become of our sports and would like to make a difference. We work with concerned citizens, sports fans, civic groups and communities to increase awareness of the sports industry's relationship to society, influence a broad range of issues in sports at all levels and encourage the cooperative capacities that make the "sports powers-that-be" capable of helping, not just dominating, our society and culture.

News / Resources

We often think of sports as outside the realm of everyday citizen concern. But the many benefits to society that sports can provide are sometimes undermined by a different set of values, often based on the quest for higher and higher profits at the expense of fans, taxpayers, communities, culture and social justice.

Your Role

Get Involved! Your involvement will improve sports for communities and fans, and encourage the sports industry to better contribute to societal well-being.

Sports and the Gay Community

A toll free number has been established to facilitate communication with gay & lesbian professional athletes and future pro athletes in need of peer support and mentoring

The toll free number - 1 (866) 409-4522 - is available across North America, reducing barriers to services and support that may exist for athletes not located in major urban areas. For many individuals the toll free number will be their first and possibly only link to the Gay and Lesbian Professional Athletes Association (GLPAA). All calls will remain confidential. This is one of the first steps as the GLPAA builds a support network for both gay & lesbian athletes who want to come out of the closet and those that want to stay in.

General Resources on Sports and the Gay Community

Federation of Gay Games
Athletic and cultural event which welcomes all people without regard to their sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political belief, physical ability, athletic/artistic ability, or HIV status.

Gay and Lesbian Professional Athletes Association (GLPAA)
To create an atmosphere where professional athletes can compete without concerns about sexual orientation.

GaySport - European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF)
To promote gay and lesbian sports and sport groups where gays and lesbians are not discriminated against due to their sexual preferences.

Girljock
To discuss a mixture of sports, questions about being a lesbian athlete, and questions about being female in the masculine sporting universe.

Homophobia in Sport Project Grant - Women's Sports Foundation
To provide for the development of research, community outreach and educational programs addressing the issue of homophobia and other barriers to women's participation in sports.

How to Organize a Local Gay/Lesbian Sports Group
A guide from the Federation of Gay Games Outreach Committee.

International Front Runners
Promotes the sports of running, walking and related activities for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders and their supporters.

Iverson as Rap's Rocker
by Richard E. Lapchick

LesbiaNation - Sports
Dedicated to the celebration of lesbian culture and identity.

Lesbian.com - Sports
International resource for lesbians.

National Gay & Lesbian Athletics Conference (NGLAC)
To focus on the acceptance and visibility of LGBT athletes in the professional, amateur, and recreational athletics communities.

Outsports
To build the broadest, deepest, most informative and most entertaining gay sports community.

Project TEAMWORK
Diversity awareness and conflict resolution program composed of former professional and collegiate athletes working with middle and high school students to combat all forms of discrimination and teach practical conflict resolution skills.

QueerTheory.com
Online sports resources for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.

Team Flame
To promote elite athleticism, sport and fitness to the gay and lesbian community as well as to the world at large, and to promote equality through sport for all people.

Homophobia in Sports

Gay and Lesbian Professional Athletes Association (GLPAA)
To create an atmosphere where professional athletes can compete without concerns about sexual orientation.

"The Gay Dilemma" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (June 3, 2001 Transcript)
Explores the topic of homophobia in sports and whether or not American professional sports are ready to address the issue.

Iverson as Rap's Rocker
by Richard E. Lapchick

The Project to Eliminate Homophobia in Sport
Collaborative effort involving seven leading national organizations and is designed to create an educated public that respects all athletes and sports-affiliated personnel regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expressions.

Women's Sports Foundation
- Homophobia in Women's Sports
- Reasons Why Coaches Need to Address Homophobia in Athletics
Concerned that homophobia keeps girls and women away from the positive benefits of sports.

"The World of the Gay Athlete" - ESPN's Outside the Lines (December, 1998)
- The last closet: Sports
- Still waiting for a hero
- Gay hockey is no oxymoron
- Speaking out on coming out
- The brief history of gay athletes
- A gay comedian's take on sports
- Chat wrap: Openly gay AD Mike Muska