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 troll - issue 243 |
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Around the world in 80 gays - Pretty much everything I know about baseball comes from a William Higgins porno called These Bases Are Loaded. So maybe I’ll learn something new when, as part of Pride Week, the Toronto Blue Jays host Pride Day at SkyDome, in a June 25 game against the Montreal Expos. This is a huge step for a sports organization, and they know it. “The question isn’t why now, it’s why haven’t we done it until now,” said Rob Godfrey, Senior VP of Communications and External Relations. “We’re doing what’s best for the organization, marketing-wise, and doing what’s right as a public trust.” So far, the only definite plans are that Sharon Gless of Queer as Folk will throw the opening pitch, and Mark Tewksbury will accept a cheque on behalf of the Pride Committee. (The $1.25 service charge on each ticket will be donated to Pride Toronto.) Two thousand tickets are being held in a section of field-level seating. Two thousand gay ball fans in one cheering section? Instead of the wave, they can do the swish. “It’s the perfect early-evening event, a chance to do something new,” said Shelby Nelson, Manager of Group Development, Ticket Sales Division. He got the idea from his gay brother. Indeed, it will be different from all the dances, parades and orgies that characterize Pride Week festivities. Shelby said the San Francisco Giants do an AIDS fundraiser, but this is the first time any major sports team has hosted a Pride event, making the Jays guinea pigs as well as trailblazers. Things have been different for the Blue Jays since Rogers bought the team in 2000. Season ticket holders were down to 8000 from 24,000 during the golden days of the World Series wins. There was a debilitating baseball strike, the emerging popularity of the Raptors and the fact that SkyDome was no longer a novelty. So they set about courting fans in the unlikeliest places – by placing human-interest stories in the life sections of newspapers, or by doing outreach to non-traditional fans, like the Japanese community. Since then, the club has hosted many theme games, including Dog Day. So are gays and lesbians the last on the list? “For my sake, I certainly hope not,” said Godfrey, who is determined to build a huge fan base. “We don’t sell politics,” he says of the move. “We run a baseball team, and part of that is putting on entertainment for people, and I underscore the word people. Well, for Dog Day, dogs, too. But that means everybody.” It stands to reason that gays would love baseball. It’s a non-threatening team sport, with quite a few cute players. Hundreds of gays and lesbians in the GTA alone play softball and even people who aren’t fans can enjoy the game, which unfolds at a leisurely pace. Unlike other sports, or a play, or porn, baseball doesn’t demand one’s constant attention. It’s social, and when the SkyDome roof is open on a nice day, the whole affair is fabulous. As part of the Pride Week kickoff, the Jays Crew (a group of sexy girls) and the team mascot, Ace, will be making an appearance at Woody’s on June 20, which is sort of like us sending the B-Girlz to the Loose Moose. I recently attended a Jays game, in which they saucily defeated the Red Sox. I sat in the press box, which is bizarre, as no one is allowed to cheer in there. I enjoyed the children’s choir that sang the national anthem, and my friend Steve gave me the play-by-play on all the players. My favourite was pitcher (don’t go there!) Miguel Batista, sporting a too-cute new beard. Steve’s favourite is third baseman Eric Hinske, whose sexiness is parodied in a TV ad in which a group of women in the stands check out his butt. So did we. I strongly recommend baseball as a gay activity. Godfrey hopes the event will be a big hit, because he wants to do this every year. “We’re new at this and we’re going to need help,” he implored. He is aware of what a huge risk this is, but so far reaction has been positive. As for me, I’m going to have to watch These Bases Are Loaded again, but mostly for personal reasons. Tickets range from $16 to $31, and are available at George’s Play or by calling 416.341.1234. If you quote “Pride ’04” you will receive a 15% discount. • paul bellini |
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