CBS Sports, the NFL, and the New England Patriots commemorate Gay Flag Football with a compelling new video.
“When I first began playing flag football in Los Angeles back in 1989, envisioning something like the NFL’s participation would have seemed utterly improbable,” Buzinski remarked. “And it was just as unimaginable in 2002 when we organized the inaugural Gay Bowl on the mostly dirt field at Hollywood High, with three teams playing in a day that concluded with players squeezed into a hot tub at a West Hollywood hotel. It’s akin to the founders of the NFL in the early 1920s contemplating what the league would eventually evolve into.”
The New England Patriots and their owner, Robert Kraft, who graciously hosted the production team and the Boston LGBTQ Flag Football League at Gillette Stadium, have long been champions of the LGBTQ community. They have consistently supported and participated in events such as the most recent Gay Bowl held in Boston.
The project was overseen by a production crew that included “several LGBTQ+ members of the CBS Sports team,” as revealed by CBS Sports to Outsports. This included Mike Defusco, CBS Sports’ senior director of creative marketing.
“Our objective was clear and direct: to showcase that football welcomes everyone, irrespective of their identity or orientation,” DeFusco stated to Outsports. “It was an empowering experience collaborating with a predominantly LGBTQ+ crew. The synergy and the outcome underscore that the essence of football transcends all barriers.”
Over the years, the NFL and various teams have forged strong ties with the NGFFL and its constituent organizations. This collaboration dates back to 2003 when the New England Patriots partnered with the Boston league to support that year’s Gay Bowl. Other teams like the Denver Broncos and New York Giants have since followed suit.
Joel Horton, the current commissioner of NGFFL, expressed his desire for the league to continue expanding its inclusive outreach, hoping that every LGBTQ flag football player finds representation in the documentary.
“I hope they recognize their value and significance in how they are reshaping sports culture simply by playing the game with determination, passion, and resilience,” Horton remarked. “I think the simplicity of this message is what makes the piece so impactful. These weren’t elite athletes, and this wasn’t the Gay Bowl. These are the same individuals who grace our fields every week in our local leagues across the United States and Canada.”
Tony Ardolino, commissioner of the FLAG flag football league in Boston and a participant in the documentary short, expressed his gratitude for the commitment CBS Sports and the NFL have shown to the community’s involvement in the sport. Reflecting on his own journey, Ardolino noted how he couldn’t have imagined such support during his teenage years, having competed in soccer, baseball, and basketball for a Catholic high school in Massachusetts.
“Fast-forward to today, and I’ve had the opportunity to redefine my relationship with sports, viewing it as a means to celebrate my identity and impart that confidence to new players discovering themselves through sport,” Ardolino shared. “Feeling the backing and affection from CBS Sports, the NFL, and the New England Patriots illustrates how far our community has progressed and that we are acknowledged, heard, and respected.”
