North Carolina Courage · 2026 community campaign · One Crest. Every Color.

Triangle Partnership Universe.

The LGBTQ+ creator, partnership, and Fan Fest activation map across the Triangle. Revised to reflect your June leadership direction: broader LGBTQ+ voices, a more inclusive Game Day Fan Fest, and your standard host front and center.

Prepared by: The Gaygency
For: North Carolina Courage
Updated: June 8, 2026
Revision: v2 · post-leadership feedback

LGBTQ+ creators

Everyday queer voices across the Triangle. No drag-dependent picks.

Fan Fest activations

Inclusive booth ideas for the stage and sound you have booked.

Sports & rec orgs

LGBTQ+ teams, leagues, and clubs across the Triangle.

Watch-party venues

Queer-owned and queer-friendly bars, breweries, third spaces.

Out Courage player

Hannah Betfort. The most on-brand voice you already have.

Your June 8 notes

00 · What changed in this version

How we built this around your direction

You sent four pieces of leadership direction ahead of today's call. Here is exactly how each one shaped this revision, point for point.

Your note · Approved influencers

Broader LGBTQ+ voices, not drag personalities

The creator list is rebuilt around everyday queer Triangle voices: your own out player, sapphic community leaders, a trans creator, QTBIPOC artists, and local LGBTQ+ orgs. Drag personalities are out of the influencer strategy.

Your note · Drag host

Your standard host stays the lead

We removed the drag-host pitch. Your existing host runs the show. Drag now sits in one optional spot, as community and entertainment partners, not as the face of the program.

Your note · Game Day Fan Fest

An inclusive Fan Fest menu, beyond the drag show

A brand-new section of 11 booth-level activations designed for the stage and sound you already have booked. Built to feel inclusive for fans of every age and identity, with two standouts we are especially behind.

Your note · Terminology

We are leaning into LGBTQ+

All language uses LGBTQ+ with the plus sign always present, which keeps it broadly inclusive. We see little to no pushback risk. Full reasoning is in the terminology note near the end.

Section 1

01 · LGBTQ+ Creators & Voices

LGBTQ+ Creators & Voices

Twelve everyday LGBTQ+ Triangle voices to build the campaign around, sourced fresh against your new direction. No drag-dependent picks. Every account below is a real, verified profile. Follower ranges are honest estimates and should be confirmed live before any outreach.

Start here: the voice you already have

Hannah Betfort is an out NC Courage player. Nothing in this market is more on-brand for a women's soccer LGBTQ+ campaign than your own roster. She is an owned asset, not a paid creator deal, and her story can anchor the entire program. Lead with her.

In-house: your out players

Hannah Betfort Owned asset

@hannahbetfort

Forward · out athlete · Wake County community work

Your own forward, openly queer, and a 2025 Lauren Holiday Impact Award nominee for community work. The single most authentic face for the campaign. Her story leads Pride Night content.

Instagram: ~4K (high confidence) · activate through player marketing, not a paid deal

Felicitas Rauch Owned asset

@feli_rauch

Defender · out athlete · German national team

A second out player on your roster with international reach. Pairs with Betfort for bilingual EN/DE Pride content and doubles the in-house story you can tell.

Instagram: est. 30K–80K (medium confidence) · owned asset

Top 5 to bring on first

Gemynii Bring on first

The most credible QTBIPOC community builder in Durham, and a working DJ and visual artist. She is the natural non-drag swap for the entertainment slot: she can curate the Pride Night pre-match or concourse DJ set and bring a Black, queer, women-centered audience with serious local trust. WUNC called her the heartbeat of Durham's DJ scene.

@gemynii · gemynii.com · est. 10K–25K (medium confidence)

LGBT Center of Raleigh

Already a Pride Night partner, so this is your lowest-friction yes. Runs Out! Raleigh Pride (June 26–27, 2026) and gives you instant, trusted local distribution. Anchor the org and community side of the campaign here.

@lgbtcenterofraleigh · lgbtcenterofraleigh.com · est. 10K–25K (medium confidence)

Pax Green

A femme non-binary trans hairstylist, educator, and advocate rooted in Durham for over a decade. Exactly the "everyday LGBTQ+, broader than drag" voice your leadership asked for. Strong fit for a trans-visibility match feature and a "get ready for the game" reel.

@theaffirmingstylist · est. 10K–40K (medium confidence, confirm live)

Sam Kublin · For the Girls of Raleigh

Founder of a fast-growing sapphic and WLW community in Raleigh: events, meetups, and friendship-building for queer women. For a butts-in-seats goal, her community-hub value outweighs raw follower count. A direct line to the local queer women you want in the stands.

@skubbb · "For the Girls of Raleigh" · est. 3K–8K combined (medium confidence)

QNotes Carolinas

A 40-year-old LGBTQ+ news outlet for the Carolinas, and the region's most trusted queer media voice. This is an earned-media play: they can run a feature story on your out players and Pride Night, not just a post.

@qnotescarolinas · qnotescarolinas.com · est. 10K–25K (medium confidence)

The wider list

Femi the Femme

@femithefemme

QTBIPOC DJ · Durham

Black queer femme DJ and co-founder of The Conjure, an all-women, joy-forward dance lineup. The natural co-pick with Gemynii to double down on the QTBIPOC, women-centered energy.

est. 5K–15K (low-medium confidence)

Queeny's (Durham)

@queenysdurham

Queer-owned bar + bookshop

A bisexual-owned Durham bar and restaurant with an inclusive bookshop and an engaged local following. Bridges the food and community buckets. Strong as an official watch-party venue with a co-branded game-day menu item.

est. 3K–10K (confirm count)

Raleigh Pride

@raleighpridenc

Community megaphone

The de facto distribution channel for Raleigh Pride happenings. Cross-promote the match in their official Pride event roundups for broad local reach.

est. 10K–30K (medium confidence)

LGBTQ Center of Durham

@lgbtqdurham

Durham-side org

Lead organizer of Pride: Durham, explicitly centering queer and BIPOC values. Extends the campaign across the Durham side of the Triangle with a group block and match-day tabling.

est. 5K–15K (low-medium confidence)

Free Mom Hugs NC

@freemomhugsnc

Affirming parents · family

An affirming-parent community, highly visible at Triangle Pride events. Perfect for a family-friendly Pride Night that is welcoming rather than nightlife-coded. A Free Mom Hugs station is a genuine emotional moment.

est. 3K–10K NC chapter (low-medium confidence)

huiyin zhou

huiyinzhou.com

Queer feminist artist · Durham

A transnational queer feminist photographer and multimedia artist with multiple Triangle arts awards. Better as a commissioned matchday artwork or scarf design than a follower-driven push. Adds an arts and culture layer. Instagram handle still to be confirmed.

social following unverified · commission play

Section 2

02 · Game Day Fan Fest

Game Day Fan Fest Activations

Twelve booth-level activations to make Fan Fest feel inclusive for every fan, well beyond the drag show. All of them work with the stage and sound you already have booked, and most are low cost, high visibility, and staffable by one or two people. We lead with the two we are most excited about.

The two we would build first

★ Our top pick

Local Business Passport

Fans collect stamps from partner bars, queer-owned businesses, and Courage booths around Fan Fest. A completed passport enters them into ticket raffles and merch giveaways.

Why we love it: it benefits multiple parties at once. It drives foot traffic across every partner, deepens the relationships you are building, and turns Fan Fest into a tour of the Triangle's LGBTQ+ community, not just a single booth.

★ Our second pick

"One Crest, Every Color" Photo Booth

No full booth needed: a backdrop, a ring light, and props. Rainbow scarves and signs that read "One Crest, Every Color," "Women's Sports Fan," "Ally," and "Future Courage Fan." Tag the team, share to stories.

Why we love it: it puts your campaign line in every fan's camera roll and turns attendees into organic reach. The photo moment and the brand line become the same thing.

The rest of the menu

Low cost★★★★★

Mini Soccer Pitch: Score a Goal, Win a PrizeA pop-up mini pitch and goal where fans take a shot, and scoring wins a prize: stickers, a ticket upgrade, merch, or a drink voucher. The most on-brand activation of the day, great for every age, and a natural photo and video moment that ties Fan Fest straight back to the sport.

Pride Sticker BarLet fans choose their sticker instead of handing out one design. Options: Pride and Courage mashups, "One Crest, Every Color," and a "Women's Sports Fan Club" badge. People love customization, and it travels.

Friendship Bracelet StationHuge engagement for minimal cost. Team colors, slogans, and Pride flag colors. Interactive, all ages, highly social, and it keeps fans at Fan Fest longer.

Spin the Wheel, but betterEvery prize is social or experience-based, not generic swag: Pride stickers, ticket upgrades, a free watch-party drink, meet-and-greet entry, posters, or a "Bring a Friend" voucher. Keep prizes small but fun.

Bring a Friend QR CampaignA QR sign-up where fans enter email or text and receive a discounted or free buddy ticket with the purchase of one. Simple, and it actually converts attendees into future fans.

Guess the Match OutcomeA quick engagement game: fans submit a score prediction, first goal scorer, and MVP guess. Winners get merch, tickets, or a drink tab. Great for watch parties too.

"Pick Your Player" CardsMini collectible cards featuring players, with sports-card nostalgia and built-in shareability. Low-cost version: a matte postcard print with a QR to player socials and highlights. Add random golden-ticket cards for free tickets, merch discounts, or drink vouchers.

Temporary Tattoo StationCheap and very visible: rainbow crest, Courage logo, or "One Crest, Every Color." Fans become walking advertisements throughout the event.

QR Code Scavenger HuntHidden QR codes around booths and partner areas, each unlocking trivia, prizes, or raffle entries. Perfect for a Pride festival, low cost, and it gets fans moving across the whole footprint.

Post & TagReward fans for posting photos and tagging the Courage and a partner business. Prizes: ticket upgrades, merch, or food and drink vouchers. Extends engagement well beyond the event itself.

For the stage and sound you already have

The booked stage gives you a non-drag entertainment program with real range: a Gemynii or Femi the Femme DJ set, a live local act, a "Try the chants" fan singalong, a quick player Q&A or autograph window, and the "One Crest, Every Color" photo moment running alongside. Your standard host MCs the whole thing. The drag show, if you keep it, becomes one segment of a fuller, more inclusive day rather than the entire draw.

Section 3

03 · Sports & Recreation

LGBTQ+ Sports & Recreation Orgs

Fourteen LGBTQ+ sports and recreation organizations across the Triangle, from large adult athletic leagues to women's rugby, sapphic hiking, climbing collectives, and campus Pride alliances. The top five are the highest-leverage 2026 partners, and they double as a built-in pipeline of future fans.

Top 5 to bring in first

Stonewall Sports Raleigh

The largest LGBTQ+ adult athletic league in the Triangle, running kickball, dodgeball, cornhole, soccer, bowling and more across thousands of players. The natural anchor for any in-stadium LGBTQ+ programming.

stonewallraleigh.org · raleigh.info@stonewallsports.org

Durham Queer Sports

Pickup queer soccer plus six other sports. The on-pitch co-host for the September Pride on the Pitch popup alongside Stonewall Sports.

durhamqueersports.com · durhamqueersports@gmail.com · 404-663-5019

Eno River Rugby

Oldest women's rugby club in NC, established 1991. The only inclusive women's contact-sport partner in this market. Pride Night flag bearers, honorary captains, post-match social.

enorugby.com

LGBT Center of Raleigh

Already a Pride Night partner. Expand the relationship: pre-match Pride Flow Yoga at WakeMed, co-presenter status on Aug 26, donation-matching path for the Stonewall fundraiser.

lgbtcenterofraleigh.com · (919) 832-4484

Triangle Front Runners + Durham Queer Runners

Paired pitch. A "Run to the Match" 5K from a downtown Raleigh start to WakeMed Soccer Park, finisher ticket included. Pairs Front Runners' 15-year network with Durham Queer Runners' BIPOC-centered audience.

trianglefrontrunners.wordpress.com · @durham_queer_runners

Full list (14)

Org	City	Activity	Contact
Stonewall Sports Raleigh	Raleigh / Triangle	Kickball, dodgeball, cornhole, soccer, bowling, more	raleigh.info@stonewallsports.org
Durham Queer Sports	Durham	Pickup soccer, kickball, basketball, ultimate, tennis, kayak, run	durhamqueersports@gmail.com / 404-663-5019
Eno River Rugby	Durham	Women's+ rugby (D-II)	site contact form
Triangle Front Runners	Triangle	Running / walking	via blog + FB
Durham Queer Runners (Slow Pokes)	Durham	Run / walk, BIPOC-centered	@durham_queer_runners DM
Triangle Pride Climbing Club	Triangle	Indoor climbing	prideclimbing@gmail.com
Queer Triangle Climbers / Queer Scouts	Triangle	Climbing, monthly meet-ups	@qtclimbers.nc DM
Sapphic Trails Hiking Club	Raleigh	Hiking (sapphic + nonbinary)	@sapphictrails DM
LGBTQ+ Hikers of North Carolina	Statewide	Hiking (1,000+ FB)	FB group admins
Triangle LGBTQ Active Adventures	Triangle	Cycling, kayak, 5K, ball games	info@trianglelgbtq.com
LGBT Center of Raleigh — Pride Flow	Raleigh	Yoga, wellness	(919) 832-4484
LGBTQ Center of Durham	Durham	Sports / wellness directory hub	site contact
NC State Pride Alliance	Raleigh	Student org	Pride Center staff
Duke Athlete Ally / Blue Devils United	Durham	Athlete allyship + queer student org	Duke CSGD

Section 4

04 · Watch-Party Venues

Watch-Party Venues

Fifteen venues across queer-owned bars, breweries, lesbian bars, performance rooms, and family-friendly third spaces. Anchor and rotate: keep one standing weekly home, then layer themed queer-venue takeovers across identity moments.

Top 5 to call first

The Pinhook (Durham)

Queer-owned, 250-cap, 17 years of community programming. The single highest-leverage queer venue in the Triangle. Natural Kickoff Party and after-party host.

117 W Main St · thepinhook.com · @thepinhookdurham

Queeny's (Durham)

Bisexual-owned bar, restaurant, and inclusive bookshop with an engaged queer following. A creator partner and a watch-party venue in one, with room for a co-branded game-day menu item.

@queenysdurham

Arcana Bar & Lounge (Durham)

Woman-owned lesbian bar, one of roughly 30 still operating in the entire country. Highest brand fit for an NWSL women's team. Book one signature event here in 2026 even if the room is small; the earned-media value alone justifies it.

331 W Main St · arcanadurham.com

Ponysaurus Brewing

Already runs PWHL women's hockey watch parties on a big-screen projector. They have the format dialed. Made the "Don't Be Mean to People" beer for HB2, so the values are public record.

Durham flagship + Raleigh taproom · ponysaurusbrewing.com

Sports & Social Cary

A 42-foot two-story big screen plus 30+ HDTVs at Fenton, the closest big-format venue to WakeMed. A Pride-themed watch party here delivers the highest in-market reach of any venue on the list.

sportsandsocial.com/cary

Notable additions beyond the top 5

Durham Beer Garden — the Courage's existing watch-party home with The Uproar. Keep as the standing weekly default.
Velvet Hippo (Durham) — woman-owned rooftop, brand-perfect for women's soccer aesthetic.
Cocoa Cinnamon (Durham) + Open Eye Cafe (Carrboro) — non-bar third spaces for Sunday afternoon family-friendly and sober-community watch parties.
Glass Jug Beer Lab (Durham/RTP) — queer-friendly brewery option for casual matchday viewings.
Heights House (Raleigh) — established Raleigh queer room with a big audience for an away-match watch night.
EOS Club (Raleigh) and Flex Nightclub (Raleigh) — established Raleigh queer rooms for late-night after-parties and away-match watch nights.

Section 5

05 · Entertainment & Performance

Entertainment & Performance Partners

Per your direction, your standard host runs the show and drag is no longer the face of the program. We have kept a short, reframed list here for one reason: if you do keep a drag show as one segment of Fan Fest, these are the Triangle's most respected, women's-sports-aligned performers to fill that single slot. This is an optional layer, not the headline.

How we are positioning this now

Your host leads. The non-drag entertainment options in the Fan Fest section (a DJ set, live music, the photo moment, fan chants, player Q&A) carry the day. Drag, if included, is one short, opt-in segment on the booked stage. Nothing in the creator or host strategy depends on it.

If you keep a drag segment, the Triangle's best fit

House of Coxx (Durham)

@houseofcoxx

Anchor booking partner

The most prestigious drag family in the Triangle, politically aligned with NWSL and women's-sports values. One conversation books a polished, professional segment if you want one. Email via @houseofcoxx or Vivica C. Coxx.

Stormie Daie

@stormiedaie

Comedy / theatrical

Durham performer, House of Coxx co-host, recently profiled by WUNC. A strong, family-appropriate option for a single halftime or stage segment if you choose to include one.

A longer performer roster from our earlier research remains on file if you want it, but given your June direction we have intentionally pulled it back from this version. Just say the word and we will share it separately.

Section 6

06 · Terminology

A note on terminology

You asked whether leaning into LGBTQ+ rather than the more expansive LGBTQIA+ creates any pushback risk. Our short answer: very little, as long as we are consistent and the plus sign is always present.

Why LGBTQ+ is safe

LGBTQ+ is the most widely recognized form in mainstream and sports settings, and the plus sign is explicitly understood to include intersex, asexual, and every identity not named in the letters. It reads as welcoming, not exclusionary, to the broad audience you want in the stands.

How we keep it inclusive

We always keep the plus, never drop it. When a moment is specifically about a community inside the acronym (trans visibility, bisexual visibility), we name that community directly. That combination, a consistent LGBTQ+ umbrella plus specific call-outs when they matter, gives you broad reach without anyone feeling left out.

Our recommendation

Standardize on LGBTQ+ across all Courage-owned surfaces, always with the plus, and reserve more specific terms for the moments that call for them. It is the right balance of broad and inclusive for a women's soccer fanbase, and it keeps the language clean and consistent everywhere from signage to social.

Section 7

07 · Next Up

What we need from your team next

Five decisions, made in the next two weeks, lock the creator program and the Fan Fest plan with concrete names instead of placeholders.

Green-light Hannah Betfort (and Felicitas Rauch) as the campaign faces. Confirm we can build Pride Night content around your out players through player marketing.

Approve the top-5 creator shortlist. Gemynii, LGBT Center of Raleigh, Pax Green, For the Girls of Raleigh, and QNotes Carolinas as the first wave of outreach.

Pick the Fan Fest activations to build first. We recommend the Local Business Passport and the "One Crest, Every Color" Photo Booth as the two anchors.

Confirm the entertainment direction. Your standard host leads, with a DJ set or live act on the booked stage, and a single optional drag segment only if you want one.

Sign off on LGBTQ+ as the standard term across all Courage-owned surfaces, always with the plus.

Section 8

08 · Rest-of-Season Calendar

Rest-of-Season Calendar

Every remaining match from today through the November finale, with our LGBTQ+ campaign moments layered in. Match dates are the official 2026 NWSL schedule. Campaign events are marked confirmed where the date is locked, or pending where it is ours to propose and yours to approve.

Home match at WakeMed Away match Event campaign moment Confirmed date locked Pending proposed, needs sign-off

June 2026

Date	Matchup / Event	Type	Status
Fri–Sat, Jun 26–27	Out! Raleigh Pride · sponsor activation + email sign-up drive	Event	Pending

July 2026

Date	Matchup / Event	Type	Status
Sat, Jul 4	vs Seattle Reign · Supergirl Night (second-half home opener)	Home	Confirmed
Sat, Jul 11	vs Washington Spirit · Ring of Honor	Home	Confirmed
Season-long	Queer-venue watch parties + Run to the Match 5K · first activations kick off	Event	Pending
Sat, Jul 18	at Bay FC	Away	Confirmed
Sat, Jul 25	vs Utah Royals · Peanuts Christmas in July	Home	Confirmed
Fri, Jul 31	vs Orlando Pride · Courageously Cool at Margaritaville Night	Home	Confirmed

August 2026

Date	Matchup / Event	Type	Status
Wed, Aug 5	at Denver Summit	Away	Confirmed
Sat, Aug 8	at Washington Spirit	Away	Confirmed
Sun, Aug 16	vs Houston Dash	Home	Confirmed
Sat, Aug 22	vs Boston Legacy · Nickelodeon Night	Home	Confirmed
Wed, Aug 26	vs Angel City · PRIDE NIGHT · the flagship. Game Day Fan Fest + creator activations.	Home Event	Confirmed Fan Fest pending
Sat, Aug 29	at Kansas City Current	Away	Confirmed

September 2026

Date	Matchup / Event	Type	Status
Sun, Sep 6	at Chicago Stars	Away	Confirmed
Sat, Sep 12	at San Diego Wave	Away	Confirmed
Sat, Sep 19	vs Gotham FC · Local Heroes	Home	Confirmed
Wed, Sep 23	Bisexual Visibility Day · social + watch-party moment	Event	Pending
Sun, Sep 27	at Utah Royals	Away	Confirmed
Late Sep	Pride on the Pitch popup · Durham Pride week, with Stonewall Sports + Durham Queer Sports	Event	Pending

October 2026

Date	Matchup / Event	Type	Status
Fri, Oct 2	at Seattle Reign	Away	Confirmed
Sun, Oct 11	National Coming Out Day · social + community moment	Event	Pending
Sat, Oct 17	vs San Diego Wave · NCFC Youth Shield Award	Home	Confirmed
Fri, Oct 23	at Portland Thorns	Away	Confirmed

November 2026

Date	Matchup / Event	Type	Status
Sun, Nov 1	vs Denver Summit · Gamechangers + Fan Appreciation (season finale)	Home	Confirmed

How to read the pending dates

Pride Night on Aug 26 is locked on the official team calendar. Everything marked pending is a campaign moment we are recommending, with the date attached to the nearest logical match or awareness day. Once your team signs off on the Section 7 decisions, we replace every pending tag with a confirmed one and lock the full activation calendar.