News from Outsports on "You Can Play"

News from Outsports on "You Can Play":

Patrick Burke’s ‘You Can Play’ project launches on NBC featuring eight NHL players
Mar 4th, 2012 by Cyd Zeigler jr.

Philadelphia Flyer scout Patrick Burke has unveiled a new non-profit organization created to lay out the welcome mat in sports for LGBT athletes. The “You Can Play” project focuses on producing videos of mostly professional athletes with a simple message: If you can play sports, you’re always invited to play with us.

A 30-second video of eight NHL players (including Blue Jacket Rick Nash, right) saying various incarnations of “You can play” airs on NBC during the first intermission of the New York Rangers-Boston Bruins game Sunday, March 4. The game starts at 12:30pmET. The spot was shot and produced by HBO. It is the first of many the group says will soon be available on their Web site. You can watch a 60-second version of the video below.



Burke is the brother of the late Brendan Burke, the openly gay Miami (Ohio) men’s hockey manager who was killed in a car crash in 2010. Since Brendan’s death, Patrick has found incredible support for his brother and for gay equality in sports. In fact, he struggles to think of any personally homophobic incidents he has encountered in the NHL since Brendan’s death.
The “You Can Play Project” is designed to show that sports simply aren’t as homophobic as many people think.

“The sports world is all about just talent,” Burke told Outsports. “If you’re good enough to help a team win, you can play. Athletes aren’t as homophobic as people think. Athletes are ready for and would support a gay teammate. And for most of these guys it’s a complete non-issue.”

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