The New England Patriots, San Francisco
Giants and Tampa Bay Rays are among the 379 companies that have
signed on to an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to
strike down state bans on gay marriage.
The nation's highest court will hear
arguments in a case challenging bans in four states – Ohio,
Tennessee, Michigan and Kentucky – on April 28, with a ruling
expected in June.
Such bans “hamper employer efforts to
recruit and retain the most talented workforce possible in those
states,” the companies say in their friend-of-the-court
brief.
Gay couples can currently marry in 37
states, plus the District of Columbia. (Conflicting
rulings in Alabama have blocked such weddings for now.)
“San Francisco is the epicenter of
the marriage equality movement and it is only fitting that its
professional sports team would join in this effort,” Giants
President Larry Baer said in a statement. “The San Francisco Giants
are proud to sign the brief because it speaks directly to our core
values of equality and social justice for all.”
Brian Auld, president of the Tampa Bay
Rays, said that it was important for his organization to send a
“signal of inclusion.”