Gay League sponsorship of Buffalo Bills sparks backlash from conservatives

The Buffalo Bills sparked a conservative backlash after announcing this week that they would sponsor a gay flag football league.

The Buffalo Bills are sponsoring a chapter of the National Gay Flag Football League, the team announced Tuesday in a press release. The press release describes the sponsorship as “a game changer for bringing LGBTQ+ organized football to Buffalo” and 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 to promote respect, acceptance and understanding on the part of the community at large,” according to its website . The league already has the support of several football teams and a new team could come to Buffalo thanks to the new sponsorship.

LGBTQ+ acceptance remains a hot-button culture war topic, even though numerous polls show Americans increasingly support the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, conservatives have increased criticism of brands that collaborate with members of the LGBTQ+ community, sometimes even leading to boycotts of these companies.

The Bills’ announcement sparked a wave of backlash from prominent conservative commentators and media outlets.

“When you thought you could escape Pride Month propaganda by watching football, apparently not. The Buffalo Bill is the latest NFL franchise to support a new national gay flag football league. What?” said Rob Schmitt, host of the conservative network Newsmax.

Journalist Carmine Sabia wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “This is what the end of the United States looks like.”

“The Buffalo Bills just announced they would help launch the National Gay Football League. Yes, it’s real. I also thought it was a fucking parody,” posted reporter Nick Sortor.

“So…does this mean straight people are allowed to play in the NGFL? Kinda like how gays are allowed to play in the NFL…and have been for YEARS,” wrote the conservative commentator Sage Steele.

Jim Buzinski, co-founder of the league’s national body, responded to Steele that “everyone is welcome in any league and there is no ‘test’ to prove your orientation.”

Many others also hailed the announcement as a step toward inclusion.

“The responses to this ad are great examples of how important something like this is. I’m proud of my hometown and the Bills,” wrote Tyler Schrodt, founder of eSports company EGF.

“With all the homophobes complaining 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, vice president of community impact for the Buffalo Bills, said in the release announcing the sponsorship: “We are excited to join the NFL and other league clubs in supporting the NGFFL. Through our sponsorship, we look forward to expanding the impact of NGFFL in our community,”

News week has reached out to the Buffalo Bills for comment via its contact form.