United's Busby Babe Tribute - £#%&! Up

I've written to AIG along these lines albeit I deleted El Cal's involvement. I'll copy the MUST release next.

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to you in respect of the Manchester United Busby Babes tribute erected at the East Stand at Old Trafford Manchester.

I have been lucky enough (via EL Calafate) to have seen live update pictures of the tribute being erected over the last week. As I watched the team line up going up, I was struck by how proud I was that United were tackling such a sensitive issue - not in a mawkish or over the top way as has become so much the norm these days but rather, in a dignified and reserved way. A simple photo showing the line up without any words would have been a very poignant and dignified tribute. The picture alone speaking a thousand words.

I then witnessed with disappointment at first the words of a popular terrace song being added and then later with horror that somehow, inexplicably, AIG (or the club) had decided (or insisted) that their brand logo was placed at the bottom corner. Recognition that AIG were in some way 'sponsoring' or were associated with the memory of Munich and the Club's tribute?

I can't recall a more grotesque sponsorship opportunity. If AIG had in some way financially contributed to the tribute being erected then surely the higher ground and sponsorship impact would have come from the club releasing a statement that AIG had contributed to the tribute but that they had not, in their wisdom sought to extract a branding opportunity from it. This would have been applauded widely but is perhaps too subtle for your marketing team?

The United fans I know have felt utterly let down by your contrived association with the Munich disaster. Can I suggest you arrange for its removal (and the words to the song if you can) before the goodwill you currently enjoy at the club is lost forever.

Yours faithfully,

A lifelong United fan

MUST stuff:

[1] AIG LOGO ON THE MEMORIAL TO THE BABES [2] Membership status

[1] AIG LOGO ON THE MEMORIAL TO THE BABES

As you'll be aware if you read the previous email on this subject all the independent supporters organisations and fanzines have backed the call to remove the AIG sponsorship logo from the Busby Babes memorial image covering the front of Old Trafford (East Stand).

United's statement to the press tried to defend this disgraceful decision to allow the sponsor to put an advertisement on this otherwise superb memorial. "It is entirely appropriate that a partner as closely involved with the club as AIG would want to remember that extraordinary team, cut down in its prime."

How can it be "appropriate" to place a sponsor logo on a memorial and how can a company "remember" anything least of all a team they'd probably never paid any attention to until they saw a chance to exploit it's supporter base through sponsorship decades later in 2006.

This isn't a trivial issue. It is wrong, plain and simple.

If that message hasn't got through yet let's make sure the hear it loud and clear now. Please take a minute to send an email to AIG politely asking them to remove their logo from the memorial.

Please do this now - it'll only take a minute - send your email to:
[email protected]
[email protected]

If the memorial panels go back up minus the AIG logo it will be a demonstration of how supporter pressure can yield results and should encourage supporters to recognise how effective we can be in terms of influencing club policy (next stop ticket prices and ACS).

If the panels go back up including the AIG logo then we step up the campaign and make sure they understand the strength of feeling on this.


The joint statement is repeated below for info:

All the independent supporters association and fanzines are backing the
call for the AIG logo to be removed.

There has been uproar amongst United supporters following the revelation
that the memorial picture of Busby Babes on the front of the East Stand at
Old Trafford has an AIG sponsors logo on it. As the panels of the picture
went up they were greeted by almost universal acclaim until the final few
panels went up revealing a glaring error AND the AIG sponsor's logo.
Outraged supporters have been inundating AIG with complaints
([email protected] [email protected] ).

The Club have been alerted to both the error and to the anger over the
presence of the AIG logo but their statement only says they will correct
the error but initialy made no mention whatsoever (see "AIG logo stays" in
notes below) of the thing that has really angered supporters -the inclusion
of a sponsor's logo on what is effectively a memorial. Now the club seem
set to support its inclusion.

Missing out the name Busby in the second line of the song is obviously a
genuine mistake but ultimately forgivable. However the inclusion of the AIG
sponsor logo alongside the words "They play on in our memories" makes it
sound like a cheesy advertising strapline and appears a premeditated
attempt to monetise the remembrance of Munich by associating themselves
with the powerful emotions generated.

We urge the club to also correct the real error (of judgement) and remove
the AIG logo.

Red Issue - www.fredtissue.co.uk
Red News - www.rednews.co.uk
United We Stand - www.uwsonline.com
IMUSA - www.imusa.org
MUST - www.joinmust.org

NOTES:
[A] UNITED'S RESPONSE:
[b] SUPPORTERS COMMENTS ON FORUMS:


[A] UNITED'S RESPONSE:

AIG logo stays - United PR response to fans enquiries:
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pa...&newsid=525366
Reds answer tribute query

The club has issued the following statement regarding Old Trafford's East
Stand tribute, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster:

"The commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash has
involved many different groups including the club's partners.

"Each group has chosen to pay tribute in its own way. It is entirely
appropriate that a partner as closely involved with the club as AIG would
want to remember that extraordinary team, cut down in its prime.

"Key figures were consulted before the project was agreed, including the
Busby family and all were supportive of what is a stunning and poignant
tribute."

On Saturday United also pledged to correct a text error in the tribute,
which has just been erected. The image covers the entire glass fronting of
East Stand with a picture of the Babes' final line-up in Belgrade before
the disaster, accompanied by the lyrics to the Manchester United Calypso.

A club spokesman told ManUtd.com: "It has come to the club's attention that
there is an error in the text on the Busby Babes' Munich tribute on the
East Stand facade.

"The club is grateful for the assistance it has received. The incorrect
panels will be removed on Sunday 20 January and replaced as soon as
possible."

[b] SUPPORTERS COMMENTS ON FORUMS:

"AIG - Amoral Insensitive Greed"

Old Trafford picture almost complete!
http://www.sisv1646.com/showthread.php?t=111573

AIG - Remove your Logo from the Memories of the Babes.
http://www.sisv1646.com/showthread.php?t=111588

Remove AIG from your shirt:
http://www.sisv1646.com/showthread.php?t=111757

Busby Babes OT picture travesty
http://www.rivals.net/forum/pgePosts...=103&clubId=50

United #@&%! the Calypso
http://www.rednews.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=30304


[2] Membership status Membership Number: 125749886

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Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

I've written to AIG along these lines albeit I deleted El Cal's involvement. I'll copy the MUST release next.

Dear Sirs,

I am writing to you in respect of the Manchester United Busy Babes tribute erected at the East Stand at Old Trafford Manchester.

I have been lucky enough (via EL Calafate) to have seen live update pictures of the tribute being erected over the last week. As I watched the team line up going up, I was struck by how proud I was that United were tackling such a sensitive issue - not in a mawkish or over the top way as has become so much the norm these days but rather, in a dignified and reserved way. A simple photo showing the line up without any words would have been a very poignant and dignified tribute. The picture alone speaking a thousand words.

I then witnessed with disappointment at first the words of a popular terrace song being added and then later with horror that somehow, inexplicably, AIG (or the club) had decided (or insisted) that their brand logo was placed at the bottom corner. Recognition that AIG were in some way 'sponsoring' or were associated with the memory of Munich and the Club's tribute?

I can't recall a more grotesque sponsorship opportunity. If AIG had in some way financially contributed to the tribute being erected then surely the higher ground and sponsorship impact would have come from the club releasing a statement that AIG had contributed to the tribute but that they had not, in their wisdom sought to extract a branding opportunity from it. This would have been applauded widely but is perhaps too subtle for your marketing team?

The United fans I know have felt utterly let down by your contrived association with the Munich disaster. Can I suggest you arrange for its removal (and the words to the song if you can) before the goodwill you currently enjoy at the club is lost forever.

Yours faithfully,

A lifelong United fan

I bet they are shitting it

"Each group has chosen to pay tribute in its own way. It is entirely
appropriate that a partner as closely involved with the club as AIG would
want to remember that extraordinary team, cut down in its prime.

£#%&!ing aresholes

Originally Posted by believe

£#%&!ing aresholes

Beggars belief.

Jaffo noticed a typo aswell. For reasons best known to myself, I keep referring to Busby as Busy as in Gary 'Busy' Neville.

Apologies and thanks Jaffo.

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Beggars belief.

Jaffo noticed a typo aswell. For reasons best known to myself, I keep referring to Busby as Busy as in Gary 'Busy' Neville.

Apologies and thanks Jaffo.

Do you know if Nike are selling any official flowers? I would dread to think I might upset someone if I take flowers from my local florists.

In all of this chest beating reguarding the way the club are (Mis) handling this ............... is anyone really surprised?

I know we are all angry at the £#%&!in suits for this but really .."what does one expect from a pig -but a grunt"


Said it many times before

Love the team - hate the club

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Red Issue - www.fredtissue.co.uk
Red News - www.rednews.co.uk
United We Stand - www.uwsonline.com
IMUSA - www.imusa.org
MUST - www.joinmust.org

Why is utdforum.com not on there?

The early 90s team with bruce, pallister, keane, hughes, sharpe, cantona, ole, schmeichel, irwin, giggs etc was far more likeable and watchable than todays team. This current team has virtually no character what so ever, excellent at going through the motions. just look at Hargreaves and carrick, dull as £#%&! though admittedly great at what they do. I personally think rooney is nothing compared to hughes and watching ronaldo drop to his arse at every opportunity and look to the ref for a free is hardly what i call exceptional either, though yes undoubtedly ronaldo is world class, he just annoys the £#%&! out of me at the same time as being brilliant.

I consider myself very very lucky to have seen season after season of that team in the 90s in the flesh. Very special times, i doubt united will ever be as great as they were then, it was an absolute joy to go to the games back then.

The club has since turned into a farce;

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

The early 90s team with bruce, pallister, keane, hughes, sharpe, cantona, ole, schmeichel, irwin, giggs etc was far more likeable and watchable than todays team. This current team has virtually no character what so ever, excellent at going through the motions. just look at Hargreaves and carrick, dull as £#%&! though admittedly great at what they do. I personally think rooney is nothing compared to hughes and watching ronaldo drop to his arse at every opportunity and look to the ref for a free is hardly what i call exceptional either, though yes undoubtedly ronaldo is world class, he just annoys the £#%&! out of me at the same time as being brilliant.

I consider myself very very lucky to have seen season after season of that team in the 90s in the flesh. Very special times, i doubt united will ever be as great as they were then, it was an absolute joy to go to the games back then.

The club has since turned into a farce;

this'll go down well.

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

The early 90s team with bruce, pallister, keane, hughes, sharpe, cantona, ole, schmeichel, irwin, giggs etc was far more likeable and watchable than todays team. This current team has virtually no character what so ever, excellent at going through the motions. just look at Hargreaves and carrick, dull as £#%&! though admittedly great at what they do. I personally think rooney is nothing compared to hughes and watching ronaldo drop to his arse at every opportunity and look to the ref for a free is hardly what i call exceptional either, though yes undoubtedly ronaldo is world class, he just annoys the £#%&! out of me at the same time as being brilliant.

I consider myself very very lucky to have seen season after season of that team in the 90s in the flesh. Very special times, i doubt united will ever be as great as they were then, it was an absolute joy to go to the games back then.

The club has since turned into a farce;

Agree in part with what you say, although the world has moved on a step since the nineties. The face of football is constantly changing and the modern footballer is evolving with it - with more money and fame at an ever younger age, than ever before. A bulk of our current team have developed their personality as a result of this present environment, not created it. It is, what it is....

The real question should be: are you a grumpy old fart Lou_Macari_Chippy ?

Here's an idea: let it £#%&!ing slide, eh.

Okay so they remove the logo, and then what? Then you can properly pay your respects? %@#$&!s. If you truly feel it then corporate lack of tact in this day and age full of money-obsessed @#%&!s is not going to get in your way.

Here we are in the lead up to the 50th anniversary and all some of you bastards can do is bitch at the £#%&!ing club.

A logo on the front of OT palls in significance compared to Munich. Yet all you want to do is use it as a lever in the next installment of some bizarre mostly imagined power struggle with United.

Personally I wasn't alive to witness the breaking news of the crash and the heartbreak that followed. In fact I was told about it as a kid and the first time I read about it and really began to get it was in the centenary United yearbook - if I recall, there were two whole pages devoted to the legend. I went on to learn much much more, because I already loved United, and because the story captured my heart.

But at no stage would I ever dream of claiming the conscience of the thing as my own. What sort of @#%&! would pretend it means more to them than it does to the survivors of the dead and all the 50 years of friends and family that that now includes - absolute lunacy, or at least total and utter delusion.

At no stage of my time supporting United have I ever even thought that I would spend the days leading up to the 50th anniversary of the crash obsessed with some petty little squabble about a logo above the United Megastore.

Please remove the logo. Fine. But all the rest of this bullshit that has gone on is very sad indeed. I thought United fans were bigger than that. Actually I need a caveat: I thought most United fans were bigger than that - there are a few on here that I'm not surprised at in the slightest.

Originally Posted by Stan_Tier2

im not suggesting anything happen on the day........... but there is only one way to let the club know our distaste and that is to voice our opinion

via letters / media etc.

their memories are worth that much in my opinion

do you honestly believe that the best way to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich Air Crash is to fill the newsmedia with all this shite?

Originally Posted by Stan_Tier2

i just deplore the way the club have acted again

it stinks

yes you do. so what?

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Here's an idea: let it £#%&!ing slide, eh.

Okay so they remove the logo, and then what? Then you can properly pay your respects? %@#$&!s. If you truly feel it then corporate lack of tact in this day and age full of money-obsessed @#%&!s is not going to get in your way.

Here we are in the lead up to the 50th anniversary and all some of you bastards can do is bitch at the £#%&!ing club.

A logo on the front of OT palls in significance compared to Munich. Yet all you want to do is use it as a lever in the next installment of some bizarre mostly imagined power struggle with United.

Personally I wasn't alive to witness the breaking news of the crash and the heartbreak that followed. In fact I was told about it as a kid and the first time I read about it and really began to get it was in the centenary United yearbook - if I recall, there were two whole pages devoted to the legend. I went on to learn much much more, because I already loved United, and because the story captured my heart.

But at no stage would I ever dream of claiming the conscience of the thing as my own. What sort of @#%&! would pretend it means more to them than it does to the survivors of the dead and all the 50 years of friends and family that that now includes - absolute lunacy, or at least total and utter delusion.

At no stage of my time supporting United have I ever even thought that I would spend the days leading up to the 50th anniversary of the crash obsessed with some petty little squabble about a logo above the United Megastore.

Please remove the logo. Fine. But all the rest of this bullshit that has gone on is very sad indeed. I thought United fans were bigger than that. Actually I need a caveat: I thought most United fans were bigger than that - there are a few on here that I'm not surprised at in the slightest.

Shut up you clueless, boring, deluded waste of oxygen.

Stop making pathetic excuses and accept the truth, which is that your oh-so-wonderful and perfect club has long since been taken over by absolute @#%&!s who think there is nothing wrong with corporate branding the most tragic day in the club's history. You are the one with delusions here.

People like you are the reason they get away with it and will continue to get away with it. I'm just thankful you're in the minority. Is there anything the club could do that's wrong in your eyes? No, because you won't let anything get in the way of your rose-tinted little world will you?

They could bring out model damaged aeroplanes in the Megastore and you'd be on here telling everyone to stop moaning as you're not allowed to criticise 'the club'. Well you know what? Yes we are. Because the people in charge are £#%&!ing bastards and we should be saying it loud and clear.

You seem to be arguing that only people directly affected are allowed to be offended. What utter bullshit. Anyone is allowed to be offended by this horrendous, insensitive piece of profiteering as anyone is allowed to be offended by any other insensitive treatment of people who died in a tragic way.

Your whole post is an angry lashing out because you know it was very wrong but you don't want to carry on feeling bad about supporting a club run by people like this. You're fed up of hearing people complain about it because it makes you feel guilty. It's so pathetically obvious.

Stop telling people what they can and can't complain about.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Shut up you clueless, boring, deluded waste of oxygen.

Stop making pathetic excuses and accept the truth, which is that your oh-so-wonderful and perfect club has long since been taken over by absolute @#%&!s who think there is nothing wrong with corporate branding the most tragic day in the club's history. You are the one with delusions here.

People like you are the reason they get away with it and will continue to get away with it. I'm just thankful you're in the minority. Is there anything the club could do that's wrong in your eyes? No, because you won't let anything get in the way of your rose-tinted little world will you?

They could bring out model damaged aeroplanes in the Megastore and you'd be on here telling everyone to stop moaning as you're not allowed to criticise 'the club'. Well you know what? Yes we are. Because the people in charge are £#%&!ing bastards and we should be saying it loud and clear.

You seem to be arguing that only people directly affected are allowed to be offended. What utter bullshit. Anyone is allowed to be offended by this horrendous, insensitive piece of profiteering as anyone is allowed to be offended by any other insensitive treatment of people who died in a tragic way.

Your whole post is an angry lashing out because you know it was very wrong but you don't want to carry on feeling bad about supporting a club run by people like this. You're fed up of hearing people complain about it because it makes you feel guilty. It's so pathetically obvious.

Stop telling people what they can and can't complain about.

Well said sir, very well said.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Shut up you clueless, boring, deluded waste of oxygen.

Stop making pathetic excuses and accept the truth, which is that your oh-so-wonderful and perfect club has long since been taken over by absolute @#%&!s who think there is nothing wrong with corporate branding the most tragic day in the club's history. You are the one with delusions here.

People like you are the reason they get away with it and will continue to get away with it. I'm just thankful you're in the minority. Is there anything the club could do that's wrong in your eyes? No, because you won't let anything get in the way of your rose-tinted little world will you?

They could bring out model damaged aeroplanes in the Megastore and you'd be on here telling everyone to stop moaning as you're not allowed to criticise 'the club'. Well you know what? Yes we are. Because the people in charge are £#%&!ing bastards and we should be saying it loud and clear.

You seem to be arguing that only people directly affected are allowed to be offended. What utter bullshit. Anyone is allowed to be offended by this horrendous, insensitive piece of profiteering as anyone is allowed to be offended by any other insensitive treatment of people who died in a tragic way.

Your whole post is an angry lashing out because you know it was very wrong but you don't want to carry on feeling bad about supporting a club run by people like this. You're fed up of hearing people complain about it because it makes you feel guilty. It's so pathetically obvious.

Stop telling people what they can and can't complain about.

Excellent response.

TT, your constant defence of everything Manchester United is tiresome and delusional. You toe the club line at every opportunity which doesn't say a lot for your ability to think independently. Sometimes I think you're actually Alex Ferguson himself -unfortunately I don't have the same footballing respect for you as I do for Fergie so you're just left looking like a #@&%! (which is what Fergie is without his football achievements).

toe

Originally Posted by Lou_Macari_Chippy

The early 90s team with bruce, pallister, keane, hughes, sharpe, cantona, ole, schmeichel, irwin, giggs etc was far more likeable and watchable than todays team. This current team has virtually no character what so ever, excellent at going through the motions. just look at Hargreaves and carrick, dull as £#%&! though admittedly great at what they do. I personally think rooney is nothing compared to hughes and watching ronaldo drop to his arse at every opportunity and look to the ref for a free is hardly what i call exceptional either, though yes undoubtedly ronaldo is world class, he just annoys the £#%&! out of me at the same time as being brilliant.

I consider myself very very lucky to have seen season after season of that team in the 90s in the flesh. Very special times, i doubt united will ever be as great as they were then, it was an absolute joy to go to the games back then.

The club has since turned into a farce;

Yeah kicking a fan in stands is more better than falling on the arse.

2 legends of the club, keane and fergie have said ronaldo is one of the most professional players around. How hard he trains, his involvement with the team... we should be lucky that he is playing for manchester united.

Originally Posted by keano's love

Yeah kicking a fan in stands is more better than falling on the arse.

Shut up you £#%&!ing tool. You never even witnessed Cantona grace a football pitch. Ronaldo's attitude pales in comparison.