Gay Games VII has signed a deal with PlanetOut Inc. for more than $1 million worth of advertising, mostly online, to promote the 2006 event in Chicago, the largest sponsorship ever for the Gay Games.
The corporate sponsorship deal, signed last week, will kick off with ads starting next month—and has enormous worldwide potential. PlanetOut has 3.3 million registered members worldwide, with 6,000 new members joining daily.
The popular chat site, Gay.com, is a division of PlanetOut—and Gay Games advertising soon will appear on Gay.com, too.
'The importance of PlanetOut.com to the gay and lesbian community is huge. They have the reach. They have the ability to reach people directly,' said Gay Games Co Vice-Chair Kevin Boyer. 'This deal is extremely valuable because it gives us the reach globally that we otherwise would have to pay for.'
San Francisco-based PlanetOut has four offices on four continents, and its Web sites are available in six languages. By the end of 2004, Gay Games ads will be online in several languages, Boyer said.
'What (this deal) gives them is affiliation with the premier gay and lesbian sporting event worldwide and one of, if not the, most recognizable brand names worldwide within the gay and lesbian community,' Boyer said.
Planet Out was a sponsor of the Gay Games in 2002 in Sydney, though not on as large of a scale.
The Planet Out deal is a major step toward the quadrennial event, to be held July 15-22, 2006, with the potential for more than 75 million advertising impressions online over the next couple of years.
Chicago Games, Inc. (CGI), the organizing committee for the Chicago Games, is on, or ahead of, schedule for the 2006 event, according to the International Federation of Gay Games (FGG), who had representatives visit Chicago in mid-July
The event is expected to attract 8,000 to 12,000 athletes and artists, 'and I don't think we'll have any trouble reaching 12,000,' Boyer said. 'In fact, I think we'll exceed that total.'
There already are more than 400 registrants, each paying $160 to $260 apiece.
CGI officials hope to have 1,800 registrants by the end of 2004, 'and I think we'll significantly exceed that (total),' Boyer said.
Sailing already is sold out, and Boyer said golf also could be full by the end of the year. Diving and racquetball also have limited registration remaining.
Every sport has some registrants so far, Boyer said.
Pre-registration also is strong for swimming, bowling, cycling, and all track and field events, he said. Registration for team sports, such as softball and basketball, 'is exactly where we thought they'd be,' Boyer said.
So what is happening on the Gay Games front? Let's see:
— The Gay Games was prominently featured at this past weekend's inaugural Los Angeles Gay Life Expo, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
— When the Olympic Torch was run through London en route to Greece, the Out For Sport organization set up a Gay Games booth, complete with a Gay Games banner along the Torch route, done at the request of the office of the Mayor of London.
— Boyer predicted the event will significantly exceed expectations for its international impact. 'The out-pouring for the Gay Games has been just phenomenal,' he said. The event's e-mail list has expanded from 400 to 4,000 in just six weeks.
— Boyer also predicted that the financial projections for the Gay Games will be exceeded, based on pending corporate sponsorships and registrations, among other things. 'I predict that we will have a significant (financial) surplus at the end of Gay Games VII—and to many here in our community, that's a really, really important thing because the last four Gay Games have lost money.'
— Boyer said having a direct competitor—the 1st World Outgames Rendez-Vous Montreal 2006—has been positive, much more than negative. 'With regard to our work and the speed and clarity or purpose, and focus, having a competitor has certainly been beneficial; there's no question about it,' Boyer said.
— Boyer said the Gay Games definitely will lose some Canadian athletes because Montreal hosts the Rendez-Vous event, and those athletes will choose to compete in their own country. And, some European athletes will opt to participate in Montreal as opposed to Chicago because of President Bush's anti-gay marriage stance, Boyer said.
— If Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry is elected in November, 'it probably would help us a bit,' drawing foreigners to America for the Gay Games. But, 'I really don't think the (Presidential) election will have a tremendous impact on registrations as a whole,' Boyer said.
— There definitely has been interest in the Gay Games among the mainstream media, Boyer said; however, 'the media still has a hard time figuring out what kind of event this is.' Sure, it's a sports event, but, like professional wrestling, it's an event that is more likely to be covered in the Life section of USA Today as opposed to the sports section. Boyer said there is much more mainstream media coverage for the Gay Games in Europe versus the U.S. After the U.S. Presidential election in November, there will be a major mainstream media push in America for, and about, the Gay Games, Boyer said.
See www.gaygameschicago.org .
PlanetOut Signs
$1 Million Sponsorship
From Chicago Games, Inc.
CHICAGO—In a sponsorship agreement valued at just over $1 million, online global media company PlanetOut Inc. Sept. 20 announced that it has become a Premium Sponsor of Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival, scheduled for 15-22 July 2006 in Chicago. PlanetOut's sponsorship is believed to be the largest corporate sponsorship ever for an international LGBT sporting event and doubles the size of their commitment to Gay Games VI in Sydney, Australia in 2002.
The sponsorship agreement provides Gay Games VII organizers access to PlanetOut's 3.3 million active members residing in more than 100 countries throughout the world, including sites specifically serving the LGBT communities of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, USA (both English and Spanish), and the United Kingdom.
'The Gay Games is a much-beloved worldwide event with a 20-plus year legacy,' said Mark Elderkin, president, PlanetOut Inc. 'Our support for the Gay Games is inspired by how we've personally seen the Gay Games combat bigotry and challenge negative stereotypes. Our decision to double our support for this event is based upon several months of research that lead us to have confidence in the organizers in Chicago and their plan for Gay Games VII. We view the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago as a key opportunity for the movement to be strengthened by partnerships between athletes, artists and fans of the Gay Games and companies like PlanetOut, Inc.'
'We are extremely excited to partner with this international media company,' said Tracy Baim, Gay Games VII Co-Vice Chair and head of the Corporate Fundraising Committee. 'PlanetOut Inc. and Gay.com are recognized worldwide for their ability to reach the LGBT community. It is especially nice to welcome back a sponsor from Gay Games VI in Sydney, showing the continuity of the corporate support for the Gay Games movement. We are also gratified by the confidence shown in our team and its business plan as PlanetOut becomes the Gay Games first million-dollar sponsor ever.'
'The new relationship with PlanetOut means that Gay Games VII will be able to expand its worldwide reach exponentially,' said Kevin Boyer, Gay Games VII Co-Vice Chair and head of the Marketing Committee. 'The partnership is expected to add millions of advertising impressions, in six languages and on four continents, to our overall marketing campaign. This relationship strengthens Chicago and Gay Games VII, and the partnership with PlanetOut means we can share the inspiring story of Dr. Tom Waddell with those in the LGBT community who have still not heard of the Gay Games. Future Gay Games hosts in 2010, 2014 and beyond will also benefit from this dramatic increase in profile.'
The agreement with PlanetOut is effective immediately with advertising focused on Gay Games early registration discounts running on the worldwide PlanetOut network within the next 10 days as part of a $2.5 million print, online and broadcast campaign. Directed by the Gay Games VII Marketing Committee, the advertising campaign is being created by the Chicago design firm of McKnight Kurland Baccelli.
Companies interested in learning more about Gay Games sponsorship should visit www.GayGamesChicago.org/sponsors/ or call (773) 907-2006.
Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival will take place July 15-22, 2006. Over 12,000 athletes from more than 100 countries are expected to compete in 30 sports ranging from softball to dancesport, swimming to tennis. The weeklong event will include an arts festival, band, cheerleading and chorus performances, and a series of community-organized social events and parties. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Soldier Field, with closing ceremony at Wrigley Field.
E-mail info@GayGamesChicago.org, or phone (773) 907-2006.
