Gay Rugby Tournament Backed by BookmakerAn online bookmaker has given €100,000 to sponsor an international gay rugby tournament, it was reported on Tuesday.
"The gays they dispose their income retiredly," Gambling911.com's own Cuban transgender reporter, Sparky Collins commented.
What he really meant to say was that the gay community has an unlimited amount of disposable income, much of which can be used to play at PaddyPower.com, Ireland's biggest online bookmaker, which is sponsoring the tournament.
Paddy Power's marketing director Ken Robertson agrees
He said the event was highly appropriate for their brand, before adding this was not the type of company that does what people might expect a bookmaker to do.
"This might raise a few eyebrows when it comes to town, but we're not scared of that."
Richie Whyte, the Bingham Cup's tournament director, said he was delighted at the deal.
"Paddy Power has an innovative and risk taking approach to the market."
There are other incentives to Paddy Power entering such a sponsorship deal. Its home base of Dublin will be hosting the The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Rugby Tournament next June. It is the largest gay biannual amateur 15s rugby event in the world. The 2006 tournament, hosted by the Gotham Knights RFC May 2006 in New York City, saw thirty international teams and over 700 rugby players competing over three days.
"They want to play Gay Rugby Monopoly!" exclaimed Collins.
Sparky, an avid athlete who scuba dives, surfs and swam across shark infested waters some 90 miles to reach US shores from Cuba in a brazen escape over a decade ago may soon become a big Rugby fan.
"Jes it burns brotha!"
John McWeeney, Paddy Power, Richie Whyte and Gordon d’ArcyAt the launch of the Paddy Power sponsorship of the Bingham Cup – the gay rugby world Cup in the Front Lounge on Tuesday evening were a number of high profile Leinster, ex- Leinster and Irish internationals and pundits including Gordon d’Arcy, Emmett Byrne, Liam Toland , John McWeeney, and Peter Coyle.
----
Payton O'Brien, Gambling911.com Senior Editor pobrien@costiganmedia.com
Originally published November 27, 2007 9:29 am EST
