Tim Tebow’s television ad hasn’t even aired, yet it is already stirring controversy among LGBTs and abortion rights advocates. The star quarterback for the Florida Gators announced earlier this month that he is appearing with his mother in a Focus on the Family-funded ad to air during the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.
While details have not been released, many speculate the ad will be an anti-abortion message. Tebow has said before that doctors encouraged his mother to have an abortion when she was pregnant with him because of an illness she contracted while on a mission trip. She refused and Tebow was born healthy.
Now, several groups have called for CBS, which is carrying the broadcast of the big game, to pull the ad, saying it should not support political advertising. LGBT advocates are crying fowl because of Focus on the Family’s substantial history of anti-gay politicizing.
A protest letter from the Women’s Media Center suggested that CBS should have turned down the ad in part because it was conceived by Focus on the Family.
“By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will damage its reputation, alienate viewers, and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers,” the letter said.
However, CBS officials say they carefully examined Focus on the Family’s track record and found no basis for rejecting the ad.
“We understand that some people don’t think very highly of what we do,” Focus on the Family spokesperson Gary Schneeberger told the Associate Press. “We’re not trying to sell you a soft drink — we’re not selling anything. We’re trying to celebrate families.”
Tebow said he knew his decision to appear with his mother, Pam, in the 30-second ad for Focus on the Family would not be universally accepted, but wasn’t going to shy away from an issue that was important to him.
“I know some people won’t agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe and I’m never shy about that,” Tebow said. “I don’t feel like I’m very preachy about it, but I do stand up for what I believe and at least you can respect that.
“Unfortunately in today’s society not many athletes tend to do that, at least stand for something.”
The major television networks have previously declined to air polarizing advocacy ads. In 2004, CBS and its competitors rejected an ad by the United Church of Christ, welcoming gays and others who may have felt snubbed by more conservative churches. At the time, CBS was heavily criticized. It says that in recent months, it has run more issue-oriented advertising, such as ones for health care.
But a national coalition of women’s groups is calling on CBS not to air the ad.
“This campaign is about holding CBS and the NFL and the other Super Bowl advertisers accountable,” said Jehmu Greene, president of the Women’s Media Center, “for inserting an exceedingly controversial issue into a place where we all hope Americans will be united, not divided, in terms of watching America’s most-watched sporting event.”
The New Orleans Saints play the Indianapolis Colts. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies starting at 6 p.m.
