Business professor Norm O’Reilly spoke to The New York Times about the Toronto Raptors’ decision to become the first NBA team to introduce team-branded hijabs.

The move is considered an effort to be more inclusive to fans of all cultures, with the team saying the athletic apparel was “inspired by those brave enough to change the game.”

O’Reilly, the director of the International Institute for Sports Business and Leadership, said the marketing decision was a big step and one that could set a precedent.

“It takes a first step to push for acceptance in a gender, race or cultural issue, but it usually ends up working out in the end,” he told the newspaper.

O’Reilly is the assistant dean of executive programs in U of G’s Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, and is considered a leading scholar in the business of sport. He studies marketing, sponsorship, sport finance, social marketing and tourism management.