185 LGBT softball teams from 43 cities across North America “Driving Pride” to compete in Columbus, Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nissan will partner with the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) to sponsor its 39th Annual Gay Softball World Series event taking place Aug. 14 to 22 and will leverage the partnership in the company’s first LGBT-themed ad campaign. Nissan vehicles will be showcased throughout the nine-day event in Columbus, Ohio that expects to draw more than 10,000 athletes, coaches and fans.
“We’ll be driving pride with Nissan all the way to Columbus, Ohio,” said Chris Balton, commissioner of NAGAAA. “We’re extremely excited to have a company as committed to diversity and inclusion efforts as Nissan batting a thousand for us this year.”
Created in 1977, the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance Open Division is a 501(c)(3) international sports organization comprised of men and women dedicated to promoting amateur athletics for the LGBT community.
“Nissan has the most diverse consumer base of any automotive manufacturer and is eager to champion grassroots LGBT events that give consumers a chance to interact with both our vehicles, and our LGBT and ally employees,” said Rick Ash, senior manager, Nissan Marketing. “It’s also an honor for Nissan to bring more visibility to out athletes (past and present) like Glenn Burke, Billy Bean, Sean Conroy and all of the LGBT athletes competing this week.”
More than 185 teams from 43 cities across the United States and Canada are participating in nine days of events, which include opening ceremonies, a five-day multi-division tournament, community events and the closing ceremonies.
Since 2013, Nissan has scored a perfect 100 in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality Index for its LGBT-inclusive policies and commitment to the community. The company was among the fastest risers in the history of the index.
Nissan’s Gay Straight Alliance Network (GSAN) is the driving force behind the company’s LGBT outreach efforts. Nissan also offers inclusive benefits and Championing Diversity workshops for employees, and a “Diversity and Inclusion” team works closely with advocacy groups such as the HRC to drive a culture of equality in the workplace. Other Nissan LGBT sponsorships have included the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and a number of regional events and groups.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2010.
About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. It is the best-selling EV in history.
