The 2011 Gay Softball World Series will mark the event's 35th anniversary, and local organizers are predicting it will be the largest ever—with more than 170 teams and more than 4,000 players and fans attending.
The Series, scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 3, will be held at multi-field complexes in suburban Elmhurst, Schaumburg and St. Charles, and this is the first time Chicago has hosted the event since 1983.
"Series 2011 is in a very good place," said Ted Cappas, president of the local organizing committee. "Personnel-wise, we have a very strong executive board and core group of volunteers that have been working hard on the initial planning stages and sponsorship outreach. Financially, we had a very successful 2010. We are proud of our initial bar sponsors who have taken a leadership role in supporting Series 2011—Spin, Sidetrack, Roscoe's, T's, Sofo and The Glenwood.
"We also are pleased with the commitment from our corporate partners: PepsiCo, Chicago Cubs, Aetna Insurance, Chicago Scooter Works, Center on Halsted, MillerCoors, Green Team Properties and Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney. In addition to the bars and corporate sponsors, we have had great success with our individual donor programs, which range from $50 to $1,000.
"Our sponsors/partners realize that supporting our event is not just a one-time or one-week opportunity. The success of Series 2011 only strengthens our sports community, our leagues and the numerous annual tournaments we host [in Chicago], such as the Coady Roundball Basketball Classic and the July 4th softball tournament.
"In addition our sponsors realize that Chicago is a destination city. Participants in our tournaments continually return to Chicago, and to the Lakeview area, for vacations and trips to enjoy all our city has to offer. Our organization is working hard to uphold the standard Chicago has set in hosting gay and lesbian sporting events. We can't wait to showcase all the city has to offer."
The Series 2011 committee held regular fundraisers in 2010, and will continue its fundraising efforts into the summer. For instance, there is a one-day Winter Snow Softball Tournament scheduled for February, as well as a Bag Tournament at the Center on Halsted in the spring.
As the weather gets warmer locally, the fundraising events also will be held to raise awareness and the need for volunteers, Cappas said.
"We currently have a very strong cash position," Cappas said. "We are on pace to meet our six-figure budget requirements, primarily for events and facilities by August, through a combination of corporate, bar, restaurant and individual sponsors, as well as our fundraising events. There are several areas that we will be judge [the event to be a] success. First and foremost is our budget. Our organization must run this event in the black, and I am proud to say that we are on track to fully meet our six-figure budget requirement. Second, our ability to provide enough volunteers, so that we can present to our players and fans a well-organized and welcoming softball tournament; opening and closing ceremonies; and various social events throughout the week.
"We can't control how the teams will play and we can't control the weather, but our ability to communicate to our players and fans, be well organized and fully staffed with volunteers is vital.
"The World Series is another chapter in the ongoing legacy of Chicago's gay and lesbian sports community. Our ability to succeed is built on the strength of our numerous sports leagues and our past successes in hosting various sporting events and tournaments. We hope to raise awareness in the community, outreach to new sponsors and build on our sports communities prior successes, so that the next generation of leagues, tournaments and events can continue to flourish and succeed."
Cappas, 39, has played in six past Series (Toronto, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Dallas, Portland and Fort Lauderdale), and his biggest fear for Chicago is out of his control: the weather.
"With any outdoor sporting event, weather is always the biggest concern," he said. "We are working [with] our facilities to build in schedule contingencies to adjust as needed."
The eight-member executive board for Series 2011 also includes: Jack Neilsen (founder and director), Joe Cappelletti (director of finance), Aaron Brost (director of marketing and special events), Brian Redar (director of operations), Bob Moore (director of volunteers), Larry Kuhn (director of sponsorship) and Olin Eargle (director of fundraising events).
"The 2006 Gay Games [in Chicago were] very influential in shaping our decision-making," Cappas said. "Two of our board members were executive board members of Chicago 2006 Gay Games and a third [Series 2011] board member ran the softball competition during the Gay Games. Having that experience and being able to capitalize and learn from the successes and failures [of] the 2006 Gay Games and the other sporting events we have all been part of is very beneficial."
That is especially true now—and particularly on the local level—because there seems to be limited local interest in the event, but that is possibly because it's still about eight months away, and only about 100 locals will actually play in the Series.
What is Cappas' reaction to what's happening right now?
"That is not a surprise at all," he said. "Chicago and our sports community has so much going on throughout the year that we figured interest wouldn't peak until [the] spring when the softball season begins."
Cappas confirmed that Series 2011 will celebrate the event's 35th anniversary during the opening ceremonies Monday, August 29.
The Gay Softball World Series, operated by the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA), will announce its 2011 inductees into the Series Hall of Fame in May or June.
NAGAAA delegates from all member cities will be visiting Chicago Jan. 28-30 for their annual winter meeting. The meetings will include delegates from the 37 member cities across the United States and Canada. There are nine additional cities attending the meeting petitioning to join NAGAAA, Cappas said. "The meetings will include discussion and voting on [a] variety of topics related to the member city leagues and the World Series," he said.
Series 2011 needs about 500 volunteers, the majority for the week of the event. Interested volunteers can contact the organizing committee at its website: chicagoseries2011.com .
