Ed Woodward loves a good deal, and nobody can quite bring in an Asian noodle sponsorship like the Manchester United chief executive, but when a picture of the mascots for Man United's final match of the season against Bournemouth emerged, the overwhelming opinion appears to be that this is one too far.
United have a lucrative sponsorship with 20th Century Fox, and they have a new X-Men movie coming out - because what the world really needs now are more superhero movies - so, of course, the children who are mascots for tonight's match should be painted blue.
Three MUFC mascots painted blue as part of promotion of club's commercial partner 20th Century Fox's new X-Men movie pic.twitter.com/m3uralo1a8
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) May 17, 2016
Our young X-Men mascots are getting ready to accompany the players onto the pitch this eve… https://t.co/zPaz8W4qEg pic.twitter.com/PaC1tme5Ua
— MUSC South Africa (@MUSCSA) May 17, 2016
Ah here, it's just getting ridiculous now.
Those kids, who probably think it's cool now, will look back on this memory in the future and wonder why they had to be painted blue for such a special occasion, and sadly the answer will be... "There was an X-Men movie coming out that needed to be advertised."
The reaction has been predictably negative:
Even for the money grabbing premier league this is a new low https://t.co/I0ivHS1RR2
— Joe Shute (@JoeShute) May 17, 2016
"Ed, are you SURE we wouldn't look stupid after the weekend if we paint 3 mascots blue?"
Woodward - "of course not" pic.twitter.com/LjwlTnrZG3— BlueMoonRisingTV (@BMRisingTV) May 17, 2016
Sponsoring the layers of skin tissue on mascots. There's literally nothing left The Glazers & Co won't sell for cash https://t.co/bKCXfIEQb5
— John Merro (@johnmerro1) May 17, 2016
Imagine writing that into a commercial contract: 'As part of the agreement we will paint two child mascots blue.'
— Matthew Stanger (@MatthewStanger) May 17, 2016
'Isn't it enough that they're mascots for this sh*te rearranged game?'
Woodward: 'No paint those f*ckers blue, we must appease the X Men'— Paddy Power (@paddypower) May 17, 2016
Congratulations to Ed Woodward, who has figured out a way to monetize child mascots. https://t.co/WnW1LP3RM0
— Joe Leogue (@JoeLeogue) May 17, 2016
Next week: Mascots wearing kits made entirely of noodles made by the partner. https://t.co/SaRgtOiM1l
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) May 17, 2016
