- Inside and outside of the carriage was plastered in negative slogans and pictures
- Each seat carried a different message and the outside of the train was covered
- Slogans like ‘Sit here if you’re hopeless’ and ‘Can you fire an owner?’ appeared
- Positive messges were on the other side, asking fans in the city to ‘pick a side’
Adverts wrapped around subway trains bashing the New York Knicks by branding the franchise ‘hopeless’ were stripped down overnight after fans complained.
The inside and outside of the carriage was plastered with slogans and pictures by Fox Sports asking New Yorkers to ‘pick a side’ when it came to the team’s troubles.
On one side of the train, which travels to and from Times Square, there were negative statements about the basketball team and on the other there were positive messages.
But after fans kicked up a fuss, the broadcaster’s handiwork was removed overnight and the train was clear of any slogans this morning, a source told MailOnline.
The subway train is seen with the advertising slogan ‘hopeless’ around it as people pile on
Each seat carried a different slogan, ranging from ‘Sit here if you’re hopeless’ to ‘Nothing will change until Dolan sells the team’, referring to the Knicks’ owner James L Dolan.
A source at the team told ESPN the news of the ads filtered through to Madison Square Gardens and that top brass did not approve of the logos and players being used in the wraps.
As a result, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority agreed to take them down.
ake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers throws a hook shot over Carmelo Anthony and Willy Hernangomezof the New York Knicks
Other negative messages on individual seats read, ‘Can you fire an owner?’, ‘Should have traded for Kyrie’, and ‘Sit here if you blame Melo [Carmelo Anthony]’.
Among those players pictured in the adverts, conjured up by Fox Sports, are Tim Hardaway Jr and Joakim Noah.
In a statement, Fox said: ‘Today, FS1 featured statements on a New York City subway car intended to reflect the distinct emotions and opinions of passionate sports fans.
‘We regret the tone and are removing the content in its entirety.’
The Knicks are on a barren run of four seasons without any play-off basketball during which time they have not managed to string more than 37 wins together in a single campaign.
They last won the NBA championships in 1973 and fans in the city have become impatient with the lack of success.