FA bans Hooters from sponsoring under 10s football team after accusations of ‘sexualising kids’

An under 10s football team in Nottingham has been told they must cancel their sponsorship deal with local bar Hooters.

The deal between Burton Joyce FC and Hooters attracted controversy on Twitter due to the American-owned bar’s reputation for giving its female staff revealing uniforms, which has led to some critics labelling the bar ‘degrading’ to women.

It has now been banned by the Nottingham FA. 

Despite efforts to expand, Nottingham’s branch remains the only Hooters in the country.  

Burton Joyce FC was founded in 1990 and has male and female youth, senior and disability sides.

Both Hooters and the club came under flack for announcing the sponsorship with a series of images showing Hooters waitresses posing with the under 10 team.

‘Why are Hooters sexualising kids?’ Asked one critic on Twitter, while others said it was ‘creepy’ and ‘wrong on so many levels.’

Users on social media criticised the company for sexualising women alongside young children

The Nottingham FA explained their decision to ban the sponsorship deal in a statement. ‘The County FA had not been approached by the club seeking sanction for the sponsorship and had we have been’, they said.

‘The request would have been declined in accordance with FA rules appertaining to the Kit and Advertising Regulations.

‘From being made aware of the sponsorship we have been working with the club to reinforce their understanding of the regulations surrounding such sponsorship.

 The deal has now been banned by the FA for breaching their kit and sponsorship regulations

‘We understand the difficult climate that grassroots football operates within and urge any club seeking investment from sponsorship that they are fully aware of the regulations or contact us for clarification.’

The Football Association has regulations on sponsors that are permissible on youth teams’ kits. 

‘In the case of a team comprising players all under the age of 18 years on 31 August in the current season, the appearance on or incorporation in any item of clothing of any reference whatsoever to a product, service or other activity which is considered by The Association as detrimental to the welfare, health or general interest of young persons, or is otherwise considered inappropriate, having regard to the age of the players, is prohibited,’ their regulations read.