Who is in the mood for some virtue signalling this afternoon? English Premier League teams yesterday agreed to prohibit gambling advertising on the front of their shirts. This is a gesture towards the ethical lobby which for the major clubs is practically costless. Gambling ads can remain on the shirt sleeves (or elsewhere) or displayed prominently on hoardings.
Most crucially, the EPL’s main TV partner will continue to drown their EPL coverage with promotions of their in-house gambling platform. Sky Bet rubs up against other gambling companies, who can call on partisanship to promote loyalty. It would be better for Sky if such competition was shoved to the margins and what’s better for Sky usually has a way of becoming better for the EPL. The game there will do no more than shrug at this decision.
The EPL has a global reach and top clubs attract brands who can benefit from international coverage. Airlines, telecoms, software and financial services brands are on all the most valuable shirts. Newly valuable Newcastle has a gambling sponsor, but they have not troubled European tournaments in a decade; next time they will hook an advertiser with a global reach.
Brands with global reach don’t travel up the M74, we do not have the profile they look for. The overwhelming extent of Celtic’s media coverage is in the domestic market; what we wear on our shirts, reflects us, or to be more specific, our vices.
Saying, “No gambling or alcohol partnerships” is an easy virtue signal to send out, but it is no more than that, especially from those support the drink and gambling industries with their custom, or serve alcohol in their bars and restaurants. “Yes, I would like a bet/drink, but my club really should take its lead from someone else.”
As with many ethical questions, this one is not as clear as it seems and that’s before we thrown the fuel of commercial realities and the pressure of winning, that you and I are more than happy to pour into the mix. Still, it’s an easy virtual signalling opp.
Where to start on the six match ban for headbutting a coach after a match when the victim is looking the other way? Acts of physical agression should not take place between coaches, never mind an assault such as this. Missing a month’s worth of games does not reach the deterrent threashold.
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Happy Friday from a Louisville prepping for horsey races.
HH!
SAINT STIVS on 14TH APRIL 2023 12:02 PM
SCULLYBHOY on 14TH APRIL 2023 11:23 AM
Inspired by an article on The Celtic Star on Wednesday about the unveiling of Willie Maley statue in Newry this weekend, a Celtic Star reader send in some additional information about Andy Donaldson, specifically a copy of his Celtic contract which is signed by both Willie Maley and James Kelly and a wartime media that the then former Celtic player won and we have images of these to share with you today.
superb and informative, ta
Grand National has been relocated?
Greenpinata
Seriously- step away from GB News and the Daily Mail or whichever online site is playing you to try to get you to Vote Tory by enlisting you in the Culture Wars.
You fear that a voluntary move by the cash rich EPL clubs to remove gambling adverts from their shirts and signage in their stadium is the start of some great crack down on civil liberties. Only 8 of them have gambling sponsors on their shirts and the SFA has quickly distanced itself from this decision.
There have always been regulations on advertising to minors, supposedly to protect them from exposure to illegal activities, like drug taking, or age controlled industries like Porn, strip shows and houses of ill repute (apart from Ibrox).
These regulations already exist to make sure that food is not pumped full of additives that have been found to be harmful. Your alcohol companies do not market full strength poteen or absinthe any more because it had a track record of causing blindness and that’s bad for business.
Similarly, we introduced helmet wearing for motorbike riders, to reduce their demand for the civil liberty of raking up vast hospital costs as they needlessly damaged themselves. Similarly we imposed speed limits on vehicles, no parking sites around school, restrictions on fire arms and the woke nonsense of preventing a decent citizen from carrying a viable thermo nuclear device down the High Street.
Restrictive regulations are introduced mostly to improve the life chances of children and families so that they are not crippled by having their family finances controlled by an addict (drug, alcohol, porn or gambling). They are so light touch that they are easily got around by all but the most hapless of addicts.
Meanwhile while you are being played to rail about the severe injustice of your team not getting to advertise Dafabet, real restrictions on civil liberties are under threat, not imaginary ghouls like the 15 minute city.
There has been legislation enacted for many years restricting the rights to organise Trade Union membership and activity, there is further legislation restricting the rights to march and demonstrate, there are severe pressures to restrict our access to information not provided by a right wing nut job who has a truck record of hacking the phones of dead girls, and there are “local” pressure groups who are being legally assisted in preventing books which detail the history of oppression by the establishment, being available in libraries.
That is the real cancel culture
That is the real removal of precious rights.
I can’t get too exercised about making the advertising industries work harder on peddling toxic products. I do not favour banning but I am totally committed to regulation for safety.
Even if gambling, alcohol and porn were banned from football shirts, any semi competent adult and most kids over the age of 7 can access these services in a micro second online.
And they’ll find toxic racism there too, people encouraging kids to kill themselves, and sites promoting the attractions of anorexia, terrorist groups, Alpha Masculinity, and the precious rights to arm bears.
Meanwhile, you live your life as freely today as you did yesterday, providing you are not planning a strike, a demonstration or to fill library shelves.
Don’t get the point of omitting ads on the front of the top when the following circumvents whatever it was suppose to achieve:
Gambling ads can remain on the shirt sleeves (or elsewhere) or displayed prominently on hoardings.
Most crucially, the EPL’s main TV partner will continue to drown their EPL coverage with promotions of their in-house gambling platform.
Who notices the ads on football shirts? I certainly don’t.
How many would run out to buy a Tunnock’s caramel wafer if it was advertised on our jerseys?
Would a Gregg’s fake bake ad induce me to leave my seat and buy one? Maybe 🤔
Personally, I would like our shirts to feature charitable events, like food banks, food collections, hospice care, and maybe even animal shelters.
Highlight the community we are followed by.
Just a reminder that the Superbru deadline this week is 7.45 pm tonight when the Dons go to Dingwall.
I will be away for a fortnight and not sure I’ll have reliable internet connections so I am looking for someone on each site ( Sentinel Celts, CQN and the WhatsApp group) to list, a couple of hour after the final game week fixture, the Top 3 scores for that week and the Top 3 overall.
I’ll resume the service myself when I am back at the end of April but if anyone is able to volunteer to do this and remind people to get their picks in on a Friday night or Saturday morning, you will have my gratitude.
I suddenly had this vision of us trotting out at Ibrox with mass times of local churches. 😇
The hun hordes would be stunned into silence quickly followed by 😡
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 14TH APRIL 2023 12:07 PM
Fantastic, well thought out post! There may be a point or two I would try to refine. But I’ll need to re-read and take some notes. Fortunately I’m away golfing shortly so I’m letting myself off the hook.
T
I’m sure Sky sold Sky Bet a few years back.
‘GG on 14th April 2023 12:22 pm
I suddenly had this vision of us trotting out at Ibrox with mass times of local churches. 😇
The hun hordes would be stunned into silence quickly followed by 😡
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And sign Nick Pope from Newcastle!
Paul 67
Virtual signalling moral grandstanding or woke ? Or does one form part of the other ?
HH
GG
I was going to answer you but then you mentioned Greggs so my addiction to sausage rolls is out.:-)
.
HH
A year ago this weekend we were faced with the rangers franchise looking forward to 2 cup finals. One in Europe. We were already assured of a league and league cup double but had little else to get too excited about apart from Frankfurt maybe bursting their bubble.
This year we could finish their season by end of April and have the entire month of May into June to look forward to a possible treble, a record goals scored season, a record points won season, 5 wins and a draw v our rivals ?, huns imploding some fringe guys getting meaningful game time. Every game being a real celebration of great football.
SFTB
Excellent post.
Thanks
AT. As a vegetarian I tried their fake bakes when I has home last.
I was impressed and had them a couple of days a week.
money money money = EPL
+ progression from academies is criminally low
Ordered the killing of a journalist ? No worries, show us your money and buy into our league…
This is the level of moral head standing we’re seeing down in the EPL.
Lots of virtue signalling on here every day it must be said.
What WITS said at 12.40 . ✅
Malachi Duffin
None by you of course.
Do give examples of where on here?
HH
An Tearmann on 14th April 2023 1:01 pm
Sorry friend, catering to your whims on here is not high on my list of priorities.
#ScrollBy,
The_Huddle you are correct
Sky are owned now by a company called Comcast, our US based Celts will know of them
‘GG re: Grand National
Ha! You know fine well the fastest two minutes in sports is the only show in town!
Greenpinata 12.36
Paul 67
Virtual signalling moral grandstanding or woke ? Or does one form part of the other ?
HH
Can you define ‘woke’ ?
When did it come into your vocabulary?
Come on man.define what you mean by woke?
HH
Aipple
Security will be top of the list after last week.
Any news on injuries and availability for Sunday?
SFTB,et al,
Firstly enjoy your holiday. and i do really mean that.
However do not allow any campaigners make you feel guilty about flying destroying the environment.
I wonder where they get Aviation fuel from ?
Anyway, if I want to read the Daily Mail or watch GB news I would.
As it happens I don’t so they don’t form any part of my thought process.
I do not believe in blindly following the pack. I like to form my own opinions and do not believe the establishment is always correct and must be obeyed.
Our rulers are full of sleeze ,deceit and secrecy and I will not be their sheep.
I am impressed by acts across the water Liberte, egalite fraternite.
The purpose of my post this morning was to facilitate discussion. How this current ” virtual signalling ” or woke could potentially affect Celtic.
I am not promoting drinking, gambling and companies like Adidas must be taken to task for any child exploitation.
Like many families in the Glasgow area my own family has its own issues with alcoholism and gambling.
But I still say no to virtual signalling.
Moderation is key to everything. Excesses of anything is bad.
I am acutely aware that what was acceptable years ago is no longer acceptable.
Boots the chemist used to sell cigarettes , can you believe that ? Songs tobacco, seatbelts etc, it must be evaluated
But you are not reading the room.
The EPL clubs are cash rich and any ” virtual signalling ” will make no difference
We at Celtic do not have that luxury. Our gate receipts are vital as is our sponsorships.
We cannot and should not let vocerifous minority groups dictate our future wellbeing
Many Celtic supporters like a bet. We even have gambling units in our stadium
Many Celtic supporters like a drink, we even have many supporters clubs that leave from pubs.
Many Celtic supporters travel to the games principally using fossil fuels.
Many Celtic supporters buy replica shirts. No matter where they are made.
These are the facts no matter what news outlet you get your information from. Even Flourish or the morning star would concur.
Many have attacked my comments re our sponsorship as listed earlier.
Not one has provided acceptable alternatives. I look forward to that discussion because I’m sure I could find something that I could object to on each one.
Finally may I remind everyone that please attack the post but not the poster. Personally I couldn’t give a monkeys, but it’s not a good look for the blog.
Cheers and HH.
Sky Bet are owned by the same company who also own Paddy Power & Betfair, Flutter Entertainment,
I think all kids tops should be sold without sponsorship on them, it shouldn’t be a choice. Somethin immoral about kids running around with gambling companies on their shirts.
Would be nice if adult tops were also widely available to buy with & without sponsorship logos.
Dafabet pay Celtic 2 million a year primarily to be seen on TV. I am sure our clever board could keep most of that intact while giving fans the chance to buy “clean” replica tops.
P.S If this is already the case, I apologise for not knowing about it
P.P.S. Just googled kids replica jerseys and they are sold with Dafabet and Magners on them (as well as without).
MALACHY DUFFIN
An Tearmann on 14th April 2023 1:01 pm
Sorry friend, catering to your whims on here is not high on my list of priorities.
#ScrollBy,
No.no scroll
You said
‘Lots of virtue signalling on here every day it must be said.’
Your not catering to my whims you are being asked to give an example of what you yourself wrote above and posted.you can’t.
Funny how ‘woke’ is as hard to define as one of your posts.
Zero to do wi my personal whims as to why you can’t give an example.
HH
AT,
Easy to find what woke is. Just Google it and you will receive the info you require. Historic and current meaning.
It came into my vocabulary when people started using it. Along the same time as ” Virtual signalling ”
Please refer to Paul 67 and ask him if any other info is required.
HH.
Good afternoon all from the Victoria Bar. Had a wander around Celtic Park earlier. Shop was mobbed with visitors, mostly Ireland.
GG – “Who notices the ads on football shirts? I certainly don’t.”
I’ll hazard a guess that – if you’re a lager drinker – you haven’t touched a pint of McEwan’s for over 30 years.
Saying that, few knowingly have for the past decade or two – sponsoring the (then) Rangers shirt killed the McEwan’s brand; No one but Rangers supporters would buy it once they started sponsoring the club, and when the sponsorship deal ended the Berrs moved on and beer sales went down the sink.
I’d hazard a guess that a lot of folk notice the ads on football shirts, and the remarkable sums paid for the prime ‘real estate’ suggests as much – Emirates pays out over £100 Million/year to sponsor Real and Arsenal for example.
Greenpinata
“But you are not reading the room.
The EPL clubs are cash rich and any ” virtual signalling ” will make no difference
We at Celtic do not have that luxury. Our gate receipts are vital as is our sponsorships.”
—————————-
I thought I did read part of that room. I said exactly those things in my post. The EPL CAN afford to take this step without much harm to themselves- The SPFL cannot and did not.
I did not advocate a ban on gambling and neither did the EPL- they voluntarily gave up their right to advertise gambling on shirts.
The area I strongly disagreed with was that this was a sign we are on the road to ruin and bawbaggery.
I, too, think it’s just a bit of fluff raised to a level of importance that it cannot bear, either in itself or as a sign of things to come.
We have a really hard job to defend our important liberties and whether it was not GB News or Daily Mail but some online group, we need to recognise that Woke vs Gammon, Virtue Signalling vs Traditional Standards, and Cancel Culture vs Activist Parent Book Burning is going to generate more heat than light.
Who is pushing the terms Woke, Virtue Signalling and Cancel Culture and why? And are they pushing it as a “look over there!” squirrel while they genuinely limit your hard-won civil rights. Rights that were won by the woke, virtue signalling, cancel that! ancestors of our past.