Conservatives are outraged after Harris County commissioners voted to approve nearly half a million dollars in taxpayer funds to help Houston host the annual Gay Softball World Series.
Four of the five commissioners backed the $468,810 sponsorship for the tournament, which marks its 48th edition in late September.
The tournament typically draws about 3,000 athletes and 2,000 fans, and is expected to generate $8-$12 million in revenue from spending on hotels, food, drinks, entertainment, and other local businesses, according to Houston’s ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.
Texas has hosted the Gay Softball World Series seven times — most recently in Dallas three years ago and in Austin about a decade ago. In the past, the event received $750,000 in state tourism funds from the governor’s office to cover costs like field rentals, equipment, and meeting spaces.
The state routinely spends millions to attract sports tournaments, conferences, and other tourism-driven events. As KTRK reports, funds have supported quadball and “Quidditch” tournaments, youth soccer, college Bible conferences, crypto events, and more than $1.5 million for last year’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson boxing match.
After iPride Softball selected Houston as the host city, the group reapplied for state tourism funds — but this year, the governor’s office denied the request.
Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia (D) defended the expenditure, noting on X that the event “pays for itself in economic impact.” He added that half the funding comes from “HOT taxes” — hotel occupancy taxes collected from visitors staying in hotels, B&Bs, and short-term rentals — which are intended to support events that encourage tourism and extended stays.
Conservatives, however, are furious that the county is funding a softball tournament, arguing there are better uses for taxpayer dollars — even if the event generates more revenue than it costs.
Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey (R), the lone vote against the funding, blasted his colleagues for neglecting “core services.”
“This is the reason we’re in a budget deficit. Often — very often — I am the only vote against this discretionary spending,” Ramsey said. “My record is clear. The math is simple: more stuff, more taxes. More taxes, less for you and your family.”
Mark McCaig, chairman of the Texas Republican Initiative, told The Houston Chronicle that the county — projected to be more than $200 million over budget — is wasting taxpayer money.
“County government should be focused on core functions such as public safety and infrastructure. It is irresponsible for the Democrats on Commissioners Court to spend taxpayer money on things like public art murals and event sponsorships, especially when the County is in a budget crunch,” McCaig said.
But Garcia argued that thousands of visitors to Houston and Harris County will spend money locally, creating a positive — if temporary — boost to the economy.
iPride Commissioner Jeff Sloan told KTRK that organizers chose Houston because it’s a large metropolitan area that has been welcoming during past sporting events. While they’re unsure if they’ll return after this September — especially if Texas continues to deny funding — Sloan said participants are excited for the upcoming tournament.
“We’re just more emboldened and proud to show off our brand of softball in a welcoming community in about a month,” Sloan told the news station.
The Gay Softball World Series also receives limited private sponsorship, including support from the Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks.
The Minnesota Vikings announced their new cheer squad for the 2025-2026 season in an Instagram clip captioned: "The next generation of cheer has arrived!" The video shows Louie Conn, one of two male cheerleaders, landing a backflip before joining the rest of the team in a choreographed dance. Conn and Blaize Shiek join 33 female cheerleaders on the roster.
Social conservatives instantly melted down, with some fans vowing to boycott the team over the addition of two males to the squad.
"Why does the @nfl feel the need to cater to a demographic that doesn't match their fan base?" griped one Instagram user, tagging the league's official account.
Nico Young made history on July 31 by winning the 10,000-meter final at the USATF Outdoor Championships, becoming the first out gay man to claim a U.S. track and field title.
The 23-year-old from Camarillo, California, secured his historic win with a time of 29:02.12, edging Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher after closing the final mile in 3:57.05 and his last lap in a blistering 56.54 seconds.
A former standout at Northern Arizona University, Young won both the 5,000- and 3,000-meter races at the 2024 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. He also qualified for the Paris Olympics by placing third in the 10,000 meters at last year’s U.S. trials, eventually finishing 12th at the Games with a time of 26:58.11, according to Forbes.
Austin police are investigating whether an assault on a transgender woman and a male bystander at Barton Springs, a popular Austin swimming spot, was a hate crime. The incident occurred on July 26, when three men began flirting with the woman’s friends and then allegedly harassed her after she approached them.
"They said something along the lines of 'I don't support that lifestyle,' while pointing at me, which upset all three of us," said the transgender woman, whose name is being withheld for safety and privacy reasons, in an interview with the Houston Chronicle.
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