Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad Has Women’s Groups Fired Up

A new Tim Tebow Super Bowl is already creating controversy, and it hasn’t even aired yet.

Many women’s groups are saying that the ad, which is thought to be a pro-life spot featuring the Florida QB and his mother, is inappropriate for Super Bowl Sunday.

“An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year – an event designed to bring Americans together,” says Jehmu Greene, president of the Women’s Media Center in New York.

Women’s Media Center is not alone in objecting to the ad. The National Organization for Women and the Feminist Majority are also said to be against the spot.

A spokesperson for CBS says that the script for the 30-second commercial has already been approved by the network and doesn’t think that any protests will change whether or not it is aired.

The Tebow ad titled “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life” is sponsored by the Christian group Focus on the Family. Many believe that the focus of the ad is Pam Tebow.

Mrs. Tebow fell ill while she was pregnant with Tim, her fifth son, during a mission in the Philippines. She disregarded her doctor’s advice to abort the baby and gave birth to the future Florida Gators quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner.

Tim Tebow recently had this to say about the spot:

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“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.”

Thirty-second Super Bowl ads are selling for just under $3 million.

Focus on the Family says the firestorm over the commercial is overblown.

“There’s nothing political and controversial about it,” said Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Focus on the Family. “When the day arrives, and you sit down to watch the game on TV, those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about.”

The Women’s Media Center takes a much more venomous stance on the matter.

“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,” says a recent letter from the women’s group.

What do you think? Is the Super Bowl an appropriate place for the Tim Tebow ad?