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By Andrew Stanton
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The Buffalo Bills sparked conservative backlash after announcing it would sponsor a gay flag football league this week.
The Buffalo Bills is sponsoring a chapter of the National Gay Flag Football League, the team announced in a press statement on Tuesday. The press release described the sponsorship as a "game changer for bringing LGBTQ+ organized football to Buffalo" and as an opportunity to make the league "even more inclusive."
The league was founded in 2002 and aims to "foster and cultivate the self-respect of all LGBTQ+ people and promote respect, acceptance and understanding from the larger community," according to its website. The league already has support from several football teams, and a new team could come to Buffalo under the new sponsorship.
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LGBTQ+ acceptance remains a hot-button culture war issue, even as many polls show Americans becoming increasingly supportive of rights for the LGBTQ+ community. The past few years have seen conservatives ramp up criticism of brands that collaborate with members of the LGBTQ+ community, at times even leading to boycotts of these companies.
The Bills' announcement sparked a wave of backlash from high-profile conservative commentators and media outlets.
"When you thought you could escape the Pride month propaganda by watching football, apparently not. The Buffalo Bill sis the latest NFL franchise supporting a new national gay flag football league. What?" said Rob Schmitt, a host on the conservative network Newsmax.
Journalist Carmine Sabia wrote in a post to X (formerly Twitter), "This is what the end of the United States looks like."
"The Buffalo Bills have just announced they're helping to launch the National Gay Football League. Yeah, this is real. I thought it was a freaking parody too," posted journalist Nick Sortor.
"Soooo...does this mean straight guys are allowed to play in the NGFL? Kinda like how gay guys are allowed to play in the NFL...and have been for YEARS," wrote conservative commentator Sage Steele.
Jim Buzinski, who co-founded the league's national body, responded to Steele that "anyone is welcome in any league and there is no 'test' to prove your orientation."
Many others also praised the announcement as a step toward inclusion.
"The replies to this announcement are good examples of why something like this is important. Proud of my home city and the Bills," wrote Tyler Schrodt, founder of eSports company EGF.
"With all the homophobes whining about #PrideMonth, it's amazing to see another @NFL team step up and support a local GAY GAY GAY flag football league. Thank you @BuffaloBills!" wrote Cyd Zeigler, a writer for the publication Outsports.
Michelle Roberts, the vice president of community impact for the Buffalo Bills, said in the statement announcing the sponsorship, "We are excited to join the NFL and other Clubs across the league in their support of the NGFFL. Through our sponsorship, we are looking forward to expanding the impact of the NGFFL in our community,"
Newsweek reached out to the Buffalo Bills for comment via its contact form.
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