From Super Bowl 50 to Super Bowl 2026: A Decade of LGBTQ+ Business Inclusion in San Francisco
Reflecting on a Decade of Inclusion as the Super Bowl Returns to the Bay Area
As San Francisco prepares to welcome the global spotlight once again with Super Bowl LX, the moment marks more than the return of football’s biggest stage and top teams the Seahawks and Patriots. It represents ten years since Super Bowl 50 helped redefine who gets access to opportunity when a world-class event comes to town.
When Super Bowl 50 played by the Carolina Panthers vs. The Broncos it was hosted in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was not just an epic halftime show featuring Coldplay and special guests Beyonce and Bruno mars, it became a historic milestone for inclusive economic participation. For the first time in Super Bowl history, LGBTQ+-owned and certified businesses were formally invited to participate in the NFL’s Business Connect program, allowing them to compete for event-related contracts alongside minority-, women-, and veteran-owned firms.
This wasn’t a symbolic gesture — it was a foundational shift in how large-scale events engage with local and diverse business communities.
The Role of GGBA and Inclusive Leadership
That shift was driven largely by the advocacy, partnership-building, and driven leadership of the
Golden Gate Business Association. Working closely with the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, GGBA helped ensure that LGBTQ+ businesses were not only visible, but recognized as capable, worthy of a presence, and competitive partners in one of the world’s most high-profile events.
“Super Bowl 50 stands as a landmark moment for inclusive economic impact,” said Robb Fleischer, who served as GGBA President at the time. “Our coalition-building, advocacy, and leadership with the Host Committee helped open doors for LGBTQ-owned enterprises, spotlighting their ability to compete on a global stage and contribute meaningfully to one of the world’s biggest cultural events.”
Under GGBA’s involvement:
- LGBTQ+-owned businesses gained access to competitive business and supplier opportunities
- Hundreds of diverse Bay Area companies benefited from increased exposure and business growth tied to Super Bowl events
- The NFL’s Business Connect program expanded its definition of inclusion, setting a precedent that continues today into Super bowl 60
“Being invited to share in the Super Bowl experience — and to compete for business — was more than a contract win,” Fleischer added.
“It was symbolic of how the Bay Area’s diversity drives innovation and economic strength.”
Robb Fleischer and Aaron Boot-Haury,
GGBA current and former Presidents.
Robb
Image from Presidency in 2014
Aaron Boot- Haury
New Presidency
Superbowl 50- 2016
Petyon Manning
Why This Legacy Still Matters in 2026
Ten years later, the impact of Super Bowl 50 was not just a win for the Broncos, but a win for San Francisco businesses. The impact continues to shape how major events think about economic inclusion, community engagement, and long-term benefit. As the Bay Area is gearing to host again at Super Bowl LX, this legacy feels especially relevant.
Today, GGBA continues this work under the leadership of Aaron Boot-Haury, building on the progress made a decade ago while looking ahead to the future of inclusive business development. The organization remains focused on expanding access, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that LGBTQ+ and diverse businesses are positioned to participate in major regional and global opportunities.
Super Bowl LX brings with it more than a single game — it creates a week (and season) of events, activations, procurement needs, partnerships, and visibility. The groundwork laid during Super Bowl 50 ensures that inclusion is no longer an afterthought, but an expectation.
Looking Ahead: Super Bowl 2026 as an Opportunity
As international attention returns to San Francisco in 2026, the message is clear:
Inclusion isn’t a trend — it’s an economic strategy.
For LGBTQ+-owned and diverse businesses, Super Bowl LX represents a chance to:
- Engage with large-scale procurement and supplier opportunities
- Increase brand visibility on a global platform
- Build lasting relationships that extend well beyond Super Bowl week
This not only helps business, but helps the economic status of the City as a whole. Where there is inclusion, there is opportunity for all.
Read about Robb Fleischer's GGBA Member Spotlight below, and the impact the foundation has had on his past, present, and future.
