Children's soccer club might fold over 'inappropriate' kit sponsors
A pair of children’s soccer teams might have to fold due to what their local federation says are inappropriate kit sponsors. The controversial sponsors? A nightclub (gasp!) and a tattoo parlor (double gasp!).
The Birmingham County FA in England has banned the kits and argues that the sponsors are not age-appropriate since children can’t go clubbing or get tattoos. But, counterpoint: generally 8-year-olds don’t spend money on anything, regardless of age restrictions, since, you know, they are 8-year-olds. Either way, the FA says the club is not allowed to play in the kits.
The worst part is that the club says it can’t afford to cover the £400 or so cost for each team’s kits. The club’s manager, Russell Jukes, told the BBC he made 50 contacts with potential sponsors, but only a nightclub called Arena and a tattoo shop called Warstones Body Art agreed to sponsor the under-8 and under-10 teams.
"I'm hoping that some firms will come forward and offer sponsorship,” said Jukes, manager of Kings Heath Concorde’s football club. "If we don't get sponsorship coming forward, we will have to fold the two teams.”
It doesn’t sound like the Birmingham County FA is going to budge — their rules state that age-restricted services can’t be advertised for teams under the age limit of those services. But if the kids’ kit sponsor was a car dealership, we wonder if there would be the same problem since kids can’t drive either.
The club has set up a crowdfunding page, but in the meantime, maybe the local FA should check out the Premier League — soccer stars love their tattoos.
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