During the latest episode of the ExtraTime Radio podcast on MLSsoccer.com, one of the hosts -- Simon Borg -- made inappropriate remarks regarding female fans of Major League Soccer. These remarks were unacceptable and in no way reflect the values of MLS, its clubs, players, staff, or MLSsoccer.com. We apologize on behalf of our organization for those remarks. Respect for diversity is a core principle of MLS and we are proud of the diversity of our League and its fans.This is clearly a corporate memo designed to shove the whole problem onto Borg, and hope it goes away. It lets all the other guys off the hook, which doesn't seem entirely fair to me. Doesn't that show have a producer??
Mr. Borg will be suspended from his position at MLSsoccer.com for seven days, effective immediately. All MLS employees undergo diversity and sensitivity training on an annual basis, and Mr. Borg and the entire MLS Digital group will receive additional sensitivity training promptly. (MLS statement on the league's page)
There is something about the invocation of "diversity training" here that makes me cringe. What a mood killer. If diversity were so important to the MLS, why does the ExtraTime team look they way it does?
I'm ok with the response to be honest.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the producer needs to be asked why he allowed the comments to go on to the podcast but the MLS statement deals with Borg because that is what all the publicity has been about.
On a side note I've always found it interesting that the North American soccer podcasts are, in general, much more "laddish" (in the negative sense of the term) than UK based ones given that MLS has a much higher % of female ticket buyers than the EPL.
As you said in your previous post it really does come across as nostalgia for a world that they didn't live in.
Great point about the "laddish" thing. It's so true!
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