Pro wrestling promotion IMPACT Wrestling is expanding its relationship with organizations serving the LGBTQ community with a new partnership with the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance.
IMPACT joins Major League Baseball, the LPGA and Nike as organizations working with the international LGBTQ softball non-profit.
“An intricate part of IMPACT Wrestling’s core values is to ensure diversity and inclusion, both in front of and behind the camera to accurately represent the cultural mosaic of our fan base,” Scott D’Amore, IMPACT Wrestling executive vice president, said in a statement. “We are excited to have NAGAAA as a partner as we continue to grow our community outreach in cities across North America.”
NAGAAA is the umbrella organization for softball competitions for LGBTQ athletes across the U.S. and Canada. Its aims are to support LGBTQ identities and provide welcoming, safe environments for LGBTQ athletes to compete and enjoy athletic participation.
The organization oversees the annual Gay Softball World Series and NAGAAA Cup tournament, two of the largest LGBTQ sports events in the world.
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IMPACT’s partnership with the NAGAAA is the latest in the company’s push in recent years for more interaction with the LGBTQ community both in the ring and beyond the arena. The company participated in multiple events celebrating and bringing awareness to LGBTQ populations around the Chicago area in 2019 as part of then-IMPACT wrestler Kiera Hogan’s Bound For Glory weekend “Coming Out Party.”
The company has also featured multiple out LGBTQ pro wrestlers on its weekly TV program, including Hogan, Mercedes Martinez, Jamie Senegal, Jai Vidal and Sandra Moone. IMPACT also highlighted out gay superfan Miguel Contreras during last October’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view event.
As part of their work with NAGAAA, IMPACT will host members of the NAGAAA’s Dallas/Fort Worth-based Pegasus Slowpitch Softball Association at both of its Multiverse of Matches and IPWF events taking place in Dallas this weekend as part of the WrestleCon weekend convention. The company previously hosted NAGAAA athletes at events in Louisville, New Orleans and Philadelphia.
“NAGAAA has 17,000 sports and entertainment fans ready to embrace IMPACT Wrestling,” said NAGAAA director of sponsorships Sam Lehman. “Our players across the country look forward to attending IMPACT events in the coming months.”
The company also confirmed that a member of the IMPACT roster will participate in the 2022 Gay Softball World Series opening ceremony when it gets underway on August 29 in Dallas.