A Boston-based National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team has changed its name after the transgender community reacted negatively to the team’s marketing campaign.
The since abandoned marketing campaign, featured the slogan “Too Many Balls.” The slogan was met by intense blowback from the transgender community, including a trans player for the Seattle Reign named Quinn, who responded to the campaign by writing, “Feels transphobic. Yikes,” on Instagram.
In response to the backlash, the team shut down the campaign in October and issued an apology to the trans community.
“We fully acknowledge that the content of the campaign did not reflect the safe and welcoming environment we strive to create for all, and we apologize to the LGBTQ+ community and to the trans community in particular for the hurt we caused,” the statement said.
Not only did the team drop its marketing campaign, it also decided to move on from its proposed franchise name, BOS Nation FC.
“The club extends our heartfelt thanks to our supporters, whose passionate voices we deeply value- not just for their unwavering support but also for their honest and critical feedback,” Majority Owner Jennifer Epstein said in a statement.
“We could not have completed this process without your input. We aim to build a lasting legacy that makes all our fans feel welcome, connected, and proud to wear our colors and cheer our name for generations to come.”
Opposition to trans inclusion in women’s sports has grown steadily to the point that a recent New York Times/Ipsos poll found that 79% of Americans are opposed to allowing males to compete against women. Not only that, the poll found that 67% of Democrats oppose allowing trans athletes in women’s sports.
