CHICAGO, IL – In a sponsorship agreement valued at just over $1 million, online global media company PlanetOut Inc. announced that it has become a premium sponsor of Gay Games VII Sports and Cultural Festival, scheduled for July 15-22, 2006 in Chicago. PlanetOut’s sponsorship is the largest corporate sponsorship ever for an international GLBT sporting event and doubles the size of their sponsorship of Gay Games VI in Sydney, Australia in 2002.

The sponsorship agreement provides Gay Games VII organizers access to PlanetOut’s 3.3 million active members residing in more than 100 countries throughout the world, including sites specifically serving GLBT communities in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, U.S.A. (both English and Spanish), and the United Kingdom. Founded in 1995, PlanetOut believes its flagship websites, Gay.com and PlanetOut.com, constitute the most extensive network of gay and lesbian people in the world.

“The Gay Games is a much-beloved worldwide event with a 20-plus year legacy,” said Mark Elderkin, president of PlanetOut. “Our support for the Gay Games is inspired by how we’ve personally seen the Gay Games combat bigotry and challenge negative stereotypes. Our decision to double our support for this event is based upon several months of research that lead us to have confidence in the organizers in Chicago and their plan for Gay Games VII. We view the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago as a key opportunity for the movement to be strengthened by partnerships between athletes, artists and fans of the Gay Games and companies like PlanetOut, Inc.”

“We are extremely excited to partner with this international media company,” said Tracy Baim, Gay Games VII co-vice chair and head of their corporate fundraising committee. “PlanetOut Inc. and Gay.com are recognized worldwide for their ability to reach the LGBT community. It is especially nice to welcome back a sponsor from Gay Games VI in Sydney, showing the continuity of the corporate support for the Gay Games movement. We are also gratified by the confidence shown in our team and its business plan as PlanetOut becomes the Gay Games’ first million dollar sponsor ever.”

“The new relationship with PlanetOut means that Gay Games VII will be able to expand its worldwide reach exponentially,” said Kevin Boyer, Gay Games VII co-vice chair and head of their marketing committee. “The partnership is expected to add millions of advertising impressions, in six languages and on four continents, to our overall marketing campaign. This relationship strengthens Chicago and Gay Games VII, and the partnership with PlanetOut means we can share the inspiring story of Dr. Tom Waddell with those in the LGBT community who have still not heard of the Gay Games. Future Gay Games hosts in 2010, 2014 and beyond will also benefit from this dramatic increase in profile.” The agreement with PlanetOut is effective immediately with advertising focused on Gay Games early registration discounts running on the worldwide PlanetOut network within the next 10 days as part of a $2.5 million print, online and broadcast campaign. Directed by the Gay Games VII Marketing Committee, the advertising campaign is being created by the Chicago design firm of McKnight Kurland Baccelli.

— Press release