Shocker - sporting events featuring gay athletes are not profitable or interesting... just gay.

A follow up to this post...

CWA covers it with Spectators Are No-Show for Chicago’s “Gay” Games:

The fifth event in the series, Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival, took place in Chicago from July 15-22. Approximately 12,000 athletes from 100 countries participated in 30 sports, including softball, swimming, tennis, basketball, rowing, and same-sex couple figure skating. The Games' opening ceremony took place at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears. Approximately 30,000 people attended, not coming close to the 63,000 seat capacity.

Peter LaBarbera, of the Illinois Family Institute, told Concerned Women for America (CWA) that the success of such an event is based on its ability to draw a crowd. "So they got the athletes," LaBarbera said, "so what." "You can't have an athletic contest based on what kind of sex you prefer." In his report on the Games (http://www.illinoisfamily.org/news/contentview.asp?c=32930) he reminds readers, "Think about it: nobody who's not a participant or a homosexual, or a friend or family member of a participant, wants to pay money to see 'gay' athletes at the 'Gaymes'…"

Chicago media provided thousands of dollars worth of free publicity to the Games. The "Gaymes," as they were called, received extensive television coverage. NBC-5 in Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times provided financial contributions as well as advertisement.

City officials, including Mayor Richard Daley, openly embraced the Games. At the closing ceremony Mayor Daley passed the flag to Deputy Mayor of Cologne Elfi Scho-Antwerpes for the 2010 Gay Games. Before handing off the flag, Mayor Daley praised the LGBT [the standard abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons] community. "When you put forth your personal best, you are always a winner in the gay community," Daley said. "I want to thank the entire gay community for showing what Chicago is all about. I'd like to personally thank this community for showing what a city should be."

Huh? "what a city should be"? "what Chicago is all about"? Interesting. Brings a number of new meanings to "windy city"...insert your own joke here.

Looking for common ground...wouldn't gays like this too?

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