9 Gay Reasons To Watch The Super Bowl

This year the Baltimore Ravens take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. We'll be live-tweeting the festivities, and we hope that you join our big, gay cross-country Super Bowl Party. Aside from the fact that it's an excuse to yell at the TV, eat an inordinate amount of appetizers and drink cocktails with themes referencing Edgar Allen Poe and the California gold rush, here are eight more reasons to watch the biggest television event of this year.

1. San Francisco is involved. It could be easily argued that the city by the bay is America's gay mecca. Sports Illustrated'scoverage of the city reacting to their 49ers securing a spot in the big game would have been severely lacking had it not included photos at a gay sports bar, featuring celebratory smooches like the one in the video above.

2. Brendon Ayanbadejo is awesome. The state of Maryland approved a ballot initiative to legalize marriage equality a couple of months ago. This happened with the help of allies like Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, one of the most vocal pro-athletes on all social issues who is best known for his status as an LGBT ally and marriage equality proponent. And let's be real, he's not too bad to look at. There are actually a lot of supportive NFL players. Here's a list from Gay.Net.

3. Neil Patrick Harris said so. And right-wingers are upset, accusing him of promoting a gay agenda and mocking Tim Tebow by wearing eyeblack in his promo, so watch just to spite them. The actor shrugged off the attention. He's just a fan.

4. Schadenfreude Tackling. We know what you're thinking: how can LGBT people root for the 49ers (if that's your team) when their cornerback Chris Culliver just said he has a problem with gay people? He did apologize. Still, part of the pleasure of watching football is it being a contact sport.

5. Beyonce has something to prove. Again. A lot of people really cared that Destiny's former Child lip synced her singing of the National Anthem at President Obama's inauguration. So, she sang it live at Thursday's Super Bowl press conference and then simply asked the press, "Any questions?" She also hinted that there may possibly be an appearance by her former group mates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child. No word on whether she'll sing, "If you win it, put a Super Bowl ring on it." Speaking of put a ring on it... Watch this video from Glee...

6. Side Bowls. If you're not that into either of the teams, you have options. Some may scoff at the sexy absurdity of the Lingerie Bowl -- a bunch of talented, fairly-ripped women, actually playing. For some lesbians, it's the fun and excitement of roller derby, minus the clothes. Then you have the Puppy Bowl -- basically a marathon mind-numbing cute parade including scads of floppy, playful puppies, hamsters in a blimp, and Meep the Bird providing sideline commentary.

7. Public Displays of Bro-ness. As mentioned earlier, football is a contact sport. And we're talking about guys in tight pants, playing the game of their lives with some of the closest people in their lives--in New Orleans, America's other Sin City. We guarantee butt grabbing, slightly-too-long hugs, and plenty of whimpering fromRay Lewis.

8. The Commercials Don't be that person at work on Monday who didn't see the one commercial that everyone is talking about. Looking it up on YouTube the next day just isn't the same thing.

9. It's New Orleans. Insane Fan Costumes Alert.