Gay Bowl XV - San Diego - Donations

"All sports must be treated on the basis of equality."
                               -- Pierre de Coubertin,
                  Founder of the modern Olympics

Even with the legalization of same-sex marriage and gay acceptance reaching an all-time high, LGBT athletes are sadly still stigmatized. There are very few openly gay athletes to serve as role models and even fewer active LGBT athletes. We must turn to ourselves and our community to provide these role models, as well as avenues like the Gay Games, and Gay World Series for LGBT athletes to compete at a higher level and strive to achieve equality through sports.

Once a year, LGBT and straight athletes from 20 member cities come together to play in the National Gay Flag Football League’s annual national tournament called the “Gay Bowl.”  In its fifteenth year, Gay Bowl XV is expected to attract a record 36 men’s teams, and 12 women’s teams from all over the United States and Canada. To put that in perspective, that’s almost 1,000 international players, across three divisions, playing over three days – all vying for the coveted championship and the bragging rights of earning the title of best team in the nation. The tournament is so much more than just playing to win however. Gay Bowl represents the opportunity to compete and showcase athletic ability without any consideration of sexual orientation or gender expression. Gone is the fear and stigma of being picked last because of perceived athleticism. The Gay Bowl tournament shatters any stereotypes associated with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender athletes.

This year, San Diego – America’s Finest City – plays host to Gay Bowl XV and the SDAFFL could not be more excited to share the beauty, weather, entertainment and hospitality our city offers with players from across the nation – players who will be traveling to San Diego with their husbands, wives, lovers, family and friends. Gay Bowl is as much for the players as it is for the over 3,000 friends and spectators watching the games; enjoying the energy and cheering their favorite player and teams on to victory. 

While this all sounds like the perfect made-for-TV movie-of-the-week, the reality is that all of this comes at a price. As the national league and its number of participants grow, so do the costs to organize such a massive event. Field fees, equipment rentals, tech services, licenses, permits, collateral materials, marketing campaigns and endless small administrative costs add up! In addition, games are FREE for spectators to attend. Though corporate sponsors and private donors help with much of the budgetary ‘heavy lifting’, they do not cover everything that is needed to pull off a national-level championship event of this magnitude. That is why we need YOUR help!

We are asking for donations of any size to help the San Diego American Flag Football League not only put on the best Gay Bowl in history, but also showcase our city's premier hospitality and LGBT community -proving that America’s Finest City isn’t just a tag line meant to attract tourists, it is a designation our citizens are proud to have earned.

Be it $5, $5,000 or any amount in between; your 100% tax-deductible donation and generosity will help us ensure that Gay Bowl XV makes history as the best Gay Bowl tournament to date!