News & Events

BOXERS HELL’S KITCHEN SPRING SEASON KICKOFF TABLE ASSIGNMENTS

PRESS RELEASE ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2022: SAVE-THE-DATE for the “Spring Season Kickoff”, our next LGBTQ+ Sports Social & Recruiting Event, at Boxers Hell’s Kitchen on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Boxers Hell’s Kitchen is located at 735 Ninth Avenue, New York, New York 10019. The event will start at 6pm and end at 9pm (run of show below). 21 years of age or older to attend. There is no cover for entry. This event is free to the public and requires no tickets, reservations or RSVP. Our Spring Season Kickoff is another opportunity for all of the organizations in the network to be reunited in the same room again, just like with our National Coming Out Day event last year. Over 20 different sports & recreation organizations will be tabling to provide the community with information on their programs. Please see the press kit for our press release, flyers and photos from our National Coming Out Day event last year.

EXHIBITOR TABLE REGISTRATION (Updated on January 14, 2023): Exhibitor table registration is now closed for our “Spring Season Kickoff” event, our next LGBTQ+ sports social & recruiting event, on February 1, 2023. Please note that the regular table registration period opened on December 1, 2022 and closed on December 31, 2022. Table registration is free for local LGBTQ+ sports & recreation organizations (a list of organizations with table reservations below). A list of exhibitors is provided below. The waitlist will remain open until January 31, 2023. For more information about the waitlisting process, please contact the Team New York Aquatics Events Planning Committee at: [email protected]

Group picture from Jockathon 2018 held on March 28, 2018; Photo Credit: Rick Stockwell

The tentative run of show for the event is as follows:

  • 5:00PM-5:30PM: Exhibitor Table Set-Up/Photo Shoot Set-Up
  • 5:30PM-6:00PM: Exhibitor Briefing & Group Photo Shoot
  • 6:00PM: EVENT STARTS
  • 6:00PM-7:00PM: Meet & Greet and Drag Performances
  • 7:00-7:15PM: Exhibitor Roll Call on Stage
  • 7:15-8:00PM: Meet & Greet and Drag Performances
  • 8:00PM-8:15PM: Gay Games Presentation on Stage
  • 8:15PM-9:00PM: Meet & Greet and Drag Performances
  • 9:00PM: EVENT ENDS
  • 9:00PM-9:30PM: Exhibitor Table Breakdown & Clean-Up
Members of Cheer New York together with our MC and Host Inita D. (center) at our first annual National Coming Out Day event on October 11, 2022; Photo Credit: Jeff Eason

The event will feature the following organizers and exhibitors in local LGBTQ+ sports, athletics, fitness, wellness and recreation (in alphabetical order):

Organizers:

Exhibitors (in alphabetical order):

Heritage of Pride and the Federation of the Gay Games will also have representatives at the event to talk about their upcoming programming.

PRESS RELEASE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2022: SAVE-THE-DATE for our next LGBTQ+ Sports Social & Recruiting Event at Boxers Hell’s Kitchen tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Table registration for exhibitors will open on December 1. Check this page frequently for updates. Thank you to everyone that attended our LGBTQ+ Sports Recruiting Event on National Coming Out Day (Tuesday, October 11, 2022) at Boxers Hell’s Kitchen. More information about our National Coming Out Day event is available below.

PRESS RELEASE ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2022: SAVE-THE-DATE for our “Fall Season Kickoff,” an LGBTQ+ Sports Social & Recruiting Event on National Coming Out Day (Tuesday, October 11, 2022) at Boxers Hell’s Kitchen from 6pm to 9pm. OOBNYC is proud to partner with Boxers new location in Hell’s Kitchen (735 Ninth Avenue, not the old location at 742 Ninth Avenue still listed on the website) to produce an LGBTQ+ sports recruiting event on National Coming Out Day (Tuesday, October 11, 2022). It has been over 2 years since Hugh Hysell’s TheMenEvent “Jockathon” in March 2020 right before COVID lockdown. Our National Coming Out Day event is an opportunity for all of the organizations in the network to be reunited in the same room again. The National Coming Out Day/LGBTQ+ History Month program during the event will commemorate the rich history of LGBTQ+ amateur sports & recreation, including the 40th Anniversary of the first Gay Games in 1982, and the fourth Gay Games held here in New York in 1994 for the 25th Anniversary of Stonewall.

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY/LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM

The LGBTQ+ History Month program during the National Coming Out Day event will commemorate the rich history of LGBTQ+ amateur sports & recreation, including the 40th Anniversary of the first Gay Games held in San Francisco in 1982, and the 9 Gay Games held since, including fourth Gay Games held in New York in 1994 for the 25th Anniversary of Stonewall. The program will also commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Gay Bowl (National Gay Flag Football League Championships), the 20th Anniversary of the Bingham Cup (International Gay Rugby Championships), and the 20th Anniversary of the New York City Gay Hockey Association’s Chelsea Challenge (Annual Ice Hockey Tournament). Since the founding of the Metropolitan Community Athletic Association of New York in 1977, LGBTQ+ sports & recreation have grown to include over 30 different organizations offering a wide array of activities. A comprehensive list of organizations can be found here. The program will only be 15 minutes to allow for most of the event to be dedicated to the happy hour and recruiting. Despite the short program, we are inviting leadership of all of the LGBTQ+ sports & recreation organizations, as well as founding members and attendees of the first four Gay Games to join us. We would like to honor pioneers and leaders, past and present, at this event. We would also like to get pioneers and leaders in group photographs.

OTHER INFORMATION

More information about the event in October, including exhibitors and partners, will be provided as soon as possible. Check this page frequently for updates.

We have had conversations with Boxers and other potential venues and community organizations to hold 3 big recruiting events per year (pre-spring season (February/March), pre-summer/fall season (June), and pre-fall/winter season (October)) in all 5 boroughs next year. We look forward to providing more outreach opportunities for the network to table and market. As soon as we have more opportunities locked in, we will provide you with the details.

PRESS RELEASE ON MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2022: Gay Games in Hong Kong has been postponed from 2022 to 2023 (see full statement from September 2021 in English here) and Guadalajara (Mexico) will co-host the games (see official press release from February 2022 in English here and other press here). Leadership in the Federation of the Gay Games and the Gay Games Hong Kong Organizing Committee discussed next steps after the postponement of Gay Games in Hong Kong in a press briefing in July 2022 (watch the recording on YouTube here). General information about Gay Games 2023 can be found on the website at: www.gghk2023.com

PRESS RELEASE ON SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2020: ALL OOBNYC/TEAM NEW YORK/NYC LGBT SPORTS NETWORK EVENTS ARE CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, INCLUDING BOXERS CHELSEA SQUAD SUNDAYS. In 2019 and early 2020, LGBTQ+ athletes from our network gathered at Boxers Chelsea for our monthly “Squad Sunday” mixer hosted by Inita D on the Third Sunday of every month. There was no cover for entry and the bar offered 2-for-1 drink specials and food specials. Must be 21 years of age or older to attend. We will produce social events as soon as possible. Check this page regularly for updates.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT NYC LGBT SPORTS NETWORK EVENTS: In addition to regular practices, scrimmages and competition, our network host social events, major competitions, and other special events in the local area throughout the year. Many athletes in our network also compete in competitions organized by outside organizations, such as the New York Marathon, New York City Triathlon, and competitions organized by LGBTQ+ organizations outside of the local area. Check this page regularly for information on upcoming social events and special events in the local area. Visit the websites and social media of the organizations in our network for information on their regular operations in the local area, and competition & special events outside of the local area. Check out our Facebook calendar for a more comprehensive list of events and to connect with athletes in our network on social media.

Other Network News & Events (first news in reverse chronological order, then events in chronological order):

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