Gay Games
Chicago Signs Deal with Q Television
CHICAGO, IL – Chicago
organizers of Gay Games VII today announced the signing of a
contract with the California-based Q Television Network
(Pink Sheets:QBID) granting the new gay network television,
radio and Internet broadcast rights in a deal valued at more
than $3.2 million. Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural
Festival will take place in
Chicago, IL,
USA, 15-22 July 2006.
The Q Television/Gay Games VII deal is for $1.7 million in
cash plus more than $1.5 million in advertising and
programming benefits, making the partnership worth more than
$3.2 million, the largest-ever sponsorship of an event for
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
community. The contract, signed Dec. 3, 2004, grants Q
Television Internet, radio and television broadcast rights
and provides for joint development of Gay Games-related
programming, broadcast advertising of the Gay Games from now
through 2006, and live and taped coverage of the 2006 Gay
Games in Chicago.
(All sums are in US dollars.)
As part of the deal, Q Television, a paid cable network,
will unscramble its signal during the week of the Gay Games,
ensuring broad-based access to the pageantry of the
ceremonies, exciting sporting competitions, inspiring
cultural and arts offerings, and the warmth and beauty of
Chicago. Q Television will also
serve as the agent for the worldwide redistribution of
television, radio and Internet broadcast rights, allowing
for access beyond Q Television’s cable footprint, especially
in international markets. The media rights sold do not
prohibit standard news coverage.
"The Q Television Network is proud to now be the broadcast
home of the Gay Games,” said Frank Olsen, President and CEO
of Q Television Network. “This is a major contract for Q
Television. Lesbian and gay sports are a crucial part of
the LGBT community and the Gay Games are the worldwide
_expression of the best in amateur sport. The Gay Games in
Chicago
will be a monumental event for the worldwide gay and lesbian
community and we are thrilled to be the only television
network to have an exclusive contract. We look forward to
telling the stories of these amazing athletes and artists to
our viewers."
“Our partnership with Q Television will ensure international
visibility for the Gay Games movement throughout the next
two years,” said Tracy Baim, Chicago Games, Inc. (CGI)
Co-Vice Chair. “With integrated programming scheduled to
take place throughout the months leading up to Gay Games VII
in Chicago,
Q Television Network will earn the title ‘Network of the Gay
Games’.” CGI’s negotiation team included Baim, attorney
Gary
Medler of Hinshaw & Culbertson, and CGI Co-Chairs Sam Coady
and Suzanne Arnold. The broadcast relationship was
initiated by Plan B, Chicago’s
primary corporate sponsorship development firm with offices
in Los Angeles,
Montreal
and London.
Kathleen Webster, co-president of the international
Federation of Gay Games, expressed excitement about the deal
and the Chicago
team. “This is the largest corporate partner ever to
sponsor the Gay Games, and we are very excited at how
quickly Chicago
has secured major sponsorship for Gay Games VII. Having
already surpassed corporate sponsorship totals for all of
Gay Games VI in
Sydney
in 2002, CGI is on track to meet or exceed all financial
projections,” said Webster. Earlier this year, Chicago
announced that PlanetOut, Inc. (Nasdaq: LGBT) had become a
Premium sponsor of the 2006 Gay Games for $1.06 million,
which, until the Q Television announcement, was the largest
corporate support for an LGBT sporting event ever.
Q Television can be found on the cable network RCN (channel
255) in New York,
Boston
and San Francisco with
distribution following in additional cities across the
USA. It is currently the
home for such original programming as “Q on the Move,” a
travelogue of gay-friendly places, people and events; “WOW!
Women on Women,” a lesbian talk show, and “Q the Music,” a
variety program of current music videos geared toward the
gay and lesbian community. For further information on
programming and subscriptions, please visit
www.qtelevision.com.
