Bannergate: In the cold light of day

[Simster]

I can't help but giggle at the nonplussed fans craning their necks round to try and make out what it reads. I swear I can also see other Ipswich fans looking away in embarrassment.

Cringey stuff, to say the least.

This. And you only have to read their forum to see post after post expressing utter embarrassment at this banner.

Ipswich fans are a decent lot, IMO. Lets not forget that they gave Billy Sharp a standing ovation the minute he scored againt their team, just a couple of days after his son had died. This storm in a teacup just needs to go away now.

 

[The Large One]

Are some on here suggesting that the £20m Amex sponsorship goes to AITC projects? Not sure this is true. What makes you think this? As far as I'm aware AITC is funded by grants etc and some of the courses it runs.

No-one knows (outside of the main protagonists) the exact figure, nor the length of sponsorship, nor indeed the exact terms of the deal.

However, on the back of this deal, American Express do involve themselves with community projects.

Stadium Sponsor | American Express Community Stadium

 

[Curious Orange]

Can we rename this thread 'Banner "Fail": In the cold light of day'.

Lets face it, all that happened was that a bunch of Ipswich fans tried to make some point (we think), but instead managed to insult us (whether they intended to or not).

The whole incident was just bizarre and baffling, but made for a great atmosphere at the game - so thanks, Ipswich, for the three points. You could argue that that group of Ipswich fans contributed to the defeat to a certain extent.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

This. And you only have to read their forum to see post after post expressing utter embarrassment at this banner.

Ipswich fans are a decent lot, IMO. Lets not forget that they gave Billy Sharp a standing ovation the minute he scored againt their team, just a couple of days after his son had died. This storm in a teacup just needs to go away now.

What is their main forum, I am curious to read and see if anyone explains their intentions...

 

[Storer 68]

Now, had they shown that banner at Newcastle, the whole world of Football would have agreed with them..

Wecsome to the Sports Direct arena, the ground always known as St James' Park

 

[DJ Leon]

Having thought about it (it needed a lot of thinking about) the meaning of the banner is pretty clear to me. It should/could have said 'Some things money can't buy.....football SHOULD be one of them'.

Everything else about it though (who it is was aimed at, why they chose us, why they didn't use a simpler phrase, the mastercard reference etc) remains BAFFLING.

They might as well have gone with this:

 

[Hungry Joe]

They might as well have gone with this:

Surely the greatest banner ever.

 

[Yeovil Saint]

I'm not sure why Brighton fans feel insulted by the banner. Stadium naming rights, like shirt sponsorship of a generation ago is just a fact of financial life. It's not aesthetically pleasing but I understand why Brighton went for naming rights to offset some of the cost of building a new stadium. If Ipswich moved ground then almost certainly their new digs will be sponsored which makes their "protest" a little hypocritical. Newcastle fans would have a stronger moral case about it.

That said, Amex probably have underpaid for the naming rights given that the ground will probably be the Amex for a lot of football supporters beyond the life of the contract. I still call Leicester's stadium the Walkers and Huddersfield's home the MacAlpine and doubt I'm alone in that.

 

[Mackenzie]

I'm not sure why Brighton fans feel insulted by the banner. Stadium naming rights, like shirt sponsorship of a generation ago is just a fact of financial life. It's not aesthetically pleasing but I understand why Brighton went for naming rights to offset some of the cost of building a new stadium. If Ipswich moved ground then almost certainly their new digs will be sponsored which makes their "protest" a little hypocritical. Newcastle fans would have a stronger moral case about it.

That said, Amex probably have underpaid for the naming rights given that the ground will probably be the Amex for a lot of football supporters beyond the life of the contract. I still call Leicester's stadium the Walkers and Huddersfield's home the MacAlpine and doubt I'm alone in that.

100% of the stadium naming money went to the Albion in the Community project.

Yeovil Saint eh?