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The strangest business sponsorships (prostitutes, pantyhose, pudding and more)
Greek soccer teams pair with local brothels and funeral homes
The amateur Voukefalas soccer club in Greece now practices in pink jerseys featuring logos such as Villa Erotica and Soula’s House of History after accepting sponsorship offers from brothels. Though prostitution is legal in Greece, the shirts have been banned during games because of their suggestive nature. Another team, Paleopyrgo, paired up with a funeral home and now plays ball in black shirts emblazoned with crosses. (Nikolas Giakoumidis / Associated Press)
UFC fighter Ben Rothwell plugs “Extenze” on his shorts
In 2009, mixed martial arts fighter Ben Rothwell made appearances with Extenze emblazoned prominently on his shorts. That’s the name of a company that makes male enhancement pills, and predictably, the partnership caused a stir in the fighting community. (UFC.com)
New York Mets deal with pudding maker and clown company
What goes best with baseball? Pudding and parties, supposedly. The New York Mets have sponsorship deals with both Kozy Shack, a maker of jiggly snacks, and Send in the Clowns, an entertainment company. (Alan Diaz / Associated Press)
U.S. Army pulls out of NASCAR sponsorships
This summer, the U.S. Army cut ties with racing team Stewart-Haas after a decade of NASCAR participation, blaming the split on “a reallocation of its marketing budget that will not include a presence in NASCAR.” (Darrell Ingham / Getty Images)
Newcastle United’s deal with payday loan company Wonga criticized
The Newcastle United Football Club recently signed a sponsorship deal with Wonga.com, a company known for its high-interest, short-term payday loans. Fans of the British soccer club are in an uproar, with many accusing Wonga of taking advantage of struggling consumers, according to the Telegraph. British Parliament member and season ticket-holder Ian Lavery has said he will not visit the team’s stadium until Wonga’s name is removed from players’ shirts. (Getty Images)
Quarterback Joe Namath seduces in pantyhose
NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath has some of the most memorable legs in recent history, and he has his partnership with Beautymist pantyhose to thank. In a sneaky ad, Namath rocks the stockings even before viewers realize it’s a male football hero instead of a sultry woman wearing them. (YouTube)
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