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In a stunning display of brand misjudgment, the National Women’s Soccer League welcomed its newest addition, the Boston-based BOS Nation Football Club, by announcing a name and ad campaign that left fans clutching their pearls—or maybe their soccer balls—on Wednesday. Because what better way to introduce a women’s soccer team than with a marketing campaign titled “Too Many Balls”? Sounds like a Monday night debacle at a frat house, not a celebration of women’s sports.
BOS Nation, the 15th club in the NWSL, graced the world with its bizarre branding on Tuesday, showcasing an ad campaign that categorized “balls” into various types, including—wait for it—old, new, steel, cold, and goat. Yes, goat, as in the athlete, not the farm animal. And just to spice things up, they included a cameo from former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady saying, “Wait, what?” Clearly, this campaign is a multi-sport extravaganza—missing only the local circus performers and a marching band.
However, social media had a field day as critics pointed out that, somehow, this announcement appeared to be more focused on male athletes than on the talented women the league was supposed to spotlight. “Why are we making our NWSL announcement about men?” asked one insightful soul on X, or as the kids call it now, Twitter, perhaps seeking to preserve their sanity in this baffling branding disaster.
And while we’re at it, let’s discuss the subtle implication that only men have…well, ‘balls.’ Yes, several eagle-eyed social media users raised eyebrows (and concerns) about the campaign’s transphobic undercurrent—because apparently, the idea of inclusivity is still a little too radical for some marketers.
Following a tidal wave of online scrutiny, BOS Nation FC decided it was time to don their proverbial sackcloth and ashes. In an apologetic statement, they confessed, “we missed the mark,” echoing feelings we’ve all had when mistaking a pie for a facepalm-worthy dessert at family gatherings. They extended heartfelt apologies to “the LGBTQ+ community and to the trans community in particular for the hurt we caused,” realizing that maybe just linking their campaign to male sports icons wasn’t exactly the best way to showcase their commitment to inclusivity.
In their grovel-fest, they assured fans they are “proud to be part of the most inclusive sports league in the world,” which begs the question: those words are lovely, but did they check with their marketing history first? Anyway, kudos to them for vowing to “do better” — because in a world where every ball count matters, it seems they desperately needed a lesson in that very principle.
BOS Nation is spearheaded by Boston Unity Soccer Partners, who are reportedly an “all-female core ownership group,” with the brains behind the operation being Jennifer Epstein of Juno Equity fame and a minority owner of the Boston Celtics. A trio of women—Stephanie Connaughton, Ami Danoff, and Anna Palmer—round out their management team, presumably engaged in a crash course in how NOT to launch a sports team.
“This is an important moment for women’s sports in Boston,” Epstein declared. But let’s not confuse “important” with “well-executed,” especially when the city’s entire vibe was thrown out the window like yesterday’s takeout.” So here’s hoping the next chapter for BOS Nation doesn’t involve an equally questionable campaign featuring lobsters or Dunkin’ Donuts. Fingers crossed!
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