I didn’t even make the connection to domestic violence until I read it in the OP. I assumed people were upset about football being too violent. I think they’re overreacting.
I think it’s a pretty feeble ad (I used be an Advertising Art Director).
I didn’t read ‘domestic violence’ from it, more just a play on ‘we hurt the ones we love’, although I can now see that victims of domestic violence could take offence, even though I’m certain that wasn’t the intention.
What I read into it was ‘yeah, we’re really tough and will beat our opponents to a pulp’. Now, I know next to nothing about football, and although I realise that it’s a tough and often violent sport… is hurting your opponents the object of the game?? I can only take my reference from a similar sport – rugby – which can also be dangerous and violent but would never be promoted as such. If a rugby team promoted themselves as hurting their opponents, it would be seen as pretty tasteless, frankly.
If, however, maiming your opponents is positive part of the game, like a boxing match, then ‘meh’.
I suppose this has the potential to hijack my own thread, but I thought this story was interesting. The BC Lions are another CFL team, and have joined an organization called the Ending Violence Association in order to fight violence against women. I think the timing is a little funny, given the controversy over the ad in Toronto!
It’s an interesting couple of stories in the span of a few days.
Where can I get one of those feathered snakeskin Rider cowboy hats?