While the recent trade of Pavel Bure from the Canucks
to the Panthers "deprives the West Coast of a celebrity
worshipped in the gay and straight communities, it presents
the six-year-old Panthers with a unique marketing
opportunity," according to Mike Ulmer of the NATIONAL POST.
Ulmer wrote that Bure's looks give him "an exotic,
androgynous appeal" and now that he is in Miami, Bure
"presents a never-considered marketing opportunity for the
Panthers: gay males, a rarely shaken arm of the 18-35
demographic money tree." Panthers VP/Marketing Declan
Bolger, whose team "has cultivated non-traditional
clientele" such as women and Hispanics: "Have we targeted
gay men? No. Would we turn them away? No. We haven't
said no to anyone." Bolger said that the Panthers will try
to market both the team and Bure, but that any Bure
promotions "will be tasteful." More Bolger: "We don't want
to promote Pavel as a handsome man on ice. He's a hockey
player who happens to look very good." Bure, who says he
"welcomes" the interest of all fans: "Why would I have a
problem? If people like you and treat you with respect,
that's great. That's how I treat them" (NAT. POST, 2/10).
