A Big, Gay Ad Is Going Up Outside Super Bowl Stadium

All eyes will be on Phoenix this Sunday for the Super Bowl. And, many of those eyes will be met by a big, gay-themed ad.  Dating app Scruff bought a billboard outside the University of Phoenix Stadium, just in time for the big game. The 48-foot ad shows two guys in a locker room making eyes at each other, with the slogan "Play On Our Team." It's a plug for the service, obviously, but also a nice addition to the (still pretty bro-ed out) world of sports and sports advertising.  In a press release, Scruff explained why it bought the ad: "At a time when professional NFL players like Michael Sam and Kwame Harris bravely come out to the world and some coaches admit to not wanting gay players on their teams, [Scruff]... is sending a message to the NFL — by putting up a Phoenix billboard advertisement that’s certain to start a conversation about perception and acceptance among both gay and straight sports fans." In a year that ended with marriage equality in more than 35 states, the NFL still lags behind. Sam, the star Missouri defensive end who made headlines for kissing his boyfriend on TV when he got drafted by the Rams, got cut before the season started — leaving the nearly 1,700-player NFL without an openly gay player.  But, while we wait for professional sports to catch up, it's nice to know that gay athletes and fans will have a little representation at the Super Bowl this year.