Team DC Builds LGBTQ Community Through Sports
The nonprofit connects more than 49 LGBTQ sports leagues while fostering visibility, leadership, and community across Washington, D.C.
“Team DC is the network of LGBTQ+ sports in the D.C. metro area,” says Miguel Ayala, president of the nonprofit, which has served as the umbrella organization for LGBTQ sports since 1990.
“We represent over 49 different teams and leagues — everything from kickball, football, and volleyball, which are some of our larger groups, to things like birding, rodeo, and billiards, and even recreational or group activities that you might not think of as sports,” he says.
The organization serves as a resource for LGBTQ sporting and recreational groups, helping them navigate the logistics of running a league — everything from establishing bylaws and a governing board to setting up a website and social media accounts to promote schedules and off-field events like social mixers or fundraisers.
“We’ve served as a fiscal agent to different sports as they’ve started,” he says. “So they use our bank account to get things in order. And on the other side of that, we advocate for the teams and leagues. We work very closely with the mayor’s office on things like working with the Department of Parks and Recreation.”
To join Team DC, leagues must be not-for-profit organizations primarily dedicated to providing athletic or recreational opportunities for LGBTQ people.
Team DC also organizes “Night OUT” events — often informally dubbed “Pride nights” — where the organization partners with D.C.’s professional men’s and women’s sports teams and sells tickets for designated game nights set aside to celebrate the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ sports fans and Team DC members pack the stadiums in a strong show of visibility.
“We’re the only region that has all its professional sports teams doing a Night OUT,” he adds. “So we’ve worked with the NFL, Major League Baseball, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s basketball. We’re working with those teams and leagues to expand what Night OUT looks like while getting more people to attend and participate in those events.”
Ayala also notes that Team DC has established a scholarship program honoring LGBTQ student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership in the classroom and on the field. While modest in dollar amount, the scholarships help defray some first-year college expenses. This year, Team DC is awarding seven scholarships, which will be presented at its Night of Champions gala on Saturday, April 18, at the Washington Marriott Georgetown.
“When we were first thinking about a scholarship program, we wanted to make sure we were supporting young people participating in high school sports,” Ayala explains. “Some participate at their schools, but others attend schools without strong athletic programs and instead compete in external leagues and teams. But they’re part of our community.
“These athletes are out and proud at a very young age, which many of us couldn’t have imagined 20, 30 years ago,” he continues. “They are often excelling in their sport and serving as leaders, captains, and coaches. They are young people who — regardless of whether they pursue sports in college or not — have made an impact just by being who they are.”
Team DC’s 2026 Night of Champions Gala is Saturday, April 18, at the Georgetown Marriott, 1221 22nd St. NW. Reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Individual tickets are $200. Visit teamdc.org/champions.
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