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The National Women’s Soccer League expansion team in Boston apologized on Wednesday for a “Too Many Balls” marketing campaign that draw a harsh reaction from the transgender community and others.
A day after unveiling the slogan as part of the rollout of the team name BOS Nation FC, the organization said in a statement that “we missed the mark” with an attempt to “create a bold and buzzworthy brand launch campaign.”
"We fully acknowledge that the content of the campaign did not reflect the safe and welcoming environment we strive to create for all,” the team said, “and we apologize to the LGBTQ+ community and to the trans community in particular for the hurt we caused.”
The new name, an anagram of Bostonian that also played upon being a “boss,” was announced Tuesday along with a video celebrating the city’s professional sports history — mostly accomplished by men — with the narrator saying, “Boston loves its balls” and “there are too many balls in this town.”
It concluded: “We are BOS Nation, where anything is possible. No balls necessary,” with the exception, the video noted, of a soccer ball.
“I’m really looking forward to see the community’s response,” Jennifer Epstein, one of the team’s owners, told The Associated Press. Actress and director Elizabeth Banks and Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman also are part of the all-female ownership group.
But what they got wasn’t what they expected.
Among the reactions was an Instagram post from Seattle midfielder Quinn, who identifies as transgender and nonbinary, saying, “Feels transphobic. Yikes.”
The team took the video down from its website, and its toomanyballs.com website was a dead link on Wednesday. The public relations agency that sent out the news release on the launch forwarded the team's statement to the AP, but more details about the campaign were not immediately available.
“We are proud to be part of the most inclusive sports league in the world and are committed to upholding the unifying values that define the NWSL and our club,” the team posted on X. “Thank you to all who have held us accountable by calling for us to do better. We hear you and we will, together.”
