The NZ Breakers are copping plenty of backlash over their decision not to wear a pride jersey in the NBL this season. Photo / Photosport
The naming rights sponsor of the Breakers basketball team admits it does not agree with the Auckland club’s decision not to wear the rainbow pride flag in next year’s NBL Pride Round.
The Breakers are facing public scrutiny after becoming the second club to opt out of the pride jersey since the round began in January 2023, with some players raising religious and cultural concerns about wearing the insignia.
They say that “to protect individual players from being singled out for their beliefs, the team collectively decided they would either all wear the insignia, or none would”.
It is unclear exactly how many players didn’t want to wear the pride logo, but the call hasn’t been well received by one of the club’s biggest sponsors, BNZ, which signed a three-year deal in August 2023 to become the club’s naming rights partner.
“We have spoken with the BNZ Breakers, and while we don’t agree with the decision, they let us know the call on what the team will wear was made by the players themselves in line with the league’s voluntary participation policy,” a spokesperson for the bank said.
“They’ve confirmed that Pride will be visibly recognised at the game and in stadium with activations supporting the rainbow community, and we look forward to celebrating the NBL Pride Round with the wider basketball community.
“We’re a big supporter of the NBL Pride Round and inclusion in sport for all people.”
In a statement to the Herald, the NBL said it remains committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful environment where everyone feels welcome.
“While wearing the Progress flag on playing jerseys is not mandatory, we encourage all clubs and players to engage with Pride Round in ways that reflect their own beliefs while upholding our shared values of acceptance and belonging,” a spokesperson said.
While the decision is voluntary, Otago University sports management professor Sally Shaw believes the NBL can do more to raise awareness around gay rights.
She feels the responsibility for making that happen lies with sporting organisations and leagues because this is not the first time a team or individual athlete has faced scrutiny for not supporting the LGBTIQA+ community.
Shaw, who is openly gay, is undertaking the country’s first academic study into homophobia in sport and told the Herald that questions need to be asked around the nature of talks within the club and the information provided by the NBL.
“We will keep on doing the same things we’ve done and feel good about ourselves for a week,” Shaw said. “It’s like a rainbow sugar rush for a week or so, and then we go back to business as usual and that’s not good enough.
“If sport really means it, then there needs to be more work done. And that is to help people who are hesitant or unsure, or think it clashes with their beliefs, to learn something different and maybe make a slightly more informed decision.
“Pride rounds have been around for ages now and they’re great. They show community engagement and they certainly signal inclusion.
“The bigger question around sport is what happens for the other weeks of the season?”
The Breakers have previously worn a pride jersey, while players across the league have chosen not to wear the flag.
The decision drew criticism from the NRL’s first openly gay player, Ian Roberts, who told RNZ’s Morning Report the Breakers are “absolute cowards”.
But Shaw believes name-calling is not going to encourage anybody to have the discussions required to progress the matter.
“We’re not going to get anywhere by taking sides and calling each other names about this,” she said.
“I get that response, that commentator’s anger. I totally get it. But at the same time, name-calling is not going to encourage anybody to come and have a reasonable conversation about anything.
“I don’t believe that professional sports teams and leagues necessarily do a very good job of understanding why they’re doing some of these social outreach, community engagement type things.
“If the players are not convinced by it, then maybe the leagues need to look at themselves and say, well, we need to do a better job of understanding why we’re doing this and explaining that to the athletes.”
Shaw said education is key as it helps people understand all kinds of diversity within sport.
Pride and sport have drawn plenty of headlines over the past decade, from Israel Folau’s comments, which led to him being sacked by Rugby Australia, to football captains not wearing rainbow armbands and the Manly Sea Eagles’ pride jersey debacle.
The Herald has since asked the NBL what education is provided to players to give them a better understanding of sensitive topics.
The Herald has reached out to Burger King for comment, while 2degrees, an affiliate partner, didn’t want to comment on the club’s decision.
“2degrees is a long-standing supporter of Aotearoa’s Rainbow communities and is proud to hold the Rainbow Tick,” a spokesperson said.
“We actively back a range of LGBTQIA+ initiatives and events throughout the year. As a company, our commitment remains unchanged – we’ll continue to stand alongside and support our rainbow communities across Aotearoa.”
The Herald also contacted the Adelaide 36ers, who have the league’s only openly gay player, Isaac Humphries, on their roster and are scheduled to play the Breakers during the Pride Round, between January 21 to February 1, but they didn’t want to comment because they have a match on Wednesday night.
The controversy is putting the spotlight back on the Breakers, who are struggling this season with a 4-10 record, having blown multiple double-digit leads in the second half of matches.
The Breakers are back in action on Saturday when they face the Taipans in a bottom-of-the-table clash.