Man U Has a New Sponsor: The U.S. Government
Soccer September 17th. 2008, 2:45pm
English soccer club Manchester United now have a new sponsor, the United States Government.
To stem an impending fiscal crisis, the Federal Reserve bailed out American International Group (A.I.G.), with an $85 billion investment. The deal gives the government control of A.I.G., including all of its prudent holdings.
One of the most notable of these, for sports fans, is A.I.G.’s mega deal with Manchester United, to appear on the their jerseys. In 2006, the insurance company signed a record four-year $98.88 million deal for the prominent frontage. The agreement lasts until 2010.
So, basically, while one out of eight Michigan residents require food stamps and public elementary school classrooms climb toward 40 students, a further $50 million of taxpayer money, will be donated directly to Manchester United.
The club will then deploy the money to noble causes, such as the Cristiano Ronaldo car fund and Wayne Rooney’s smoking habit.
61 Responses to “Man U Has a New Sponsor: The U.S. Government”
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September 17th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Serioulsy, what is with (a) nine million soccer posts in the last two weeks and (b) TyDuffy being a 50% contributor to this site?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Hard work paying off for hard-working Americans.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Ty I can read this this is good.
I don’t pay attention to soccer but I’m begging to think that Rooney guy isn’t a classy guy.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
@cbh- ty duffy is The Big Deal
September 17th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Irish, for real?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
This is just putting our tax dollars to work on foreign policy. What`s the big deal?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
CBH - Do not read the post if you do not like soccer. It really is not hard. TBL has said in the past he likes soccer, Duffy knows a good deal about it, hence more soccer posts.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
@cbh- i was joking. But i understand your frustration
September 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
If we just let all of these companies implode, the 1 out of 8 people being on food stamps will be a goal, not a problem.
It fucking sucks, but it’s the truth. This is the danger and the cost of a society that’s fueled by debt.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
U.S. Exports increased by $85 billion this quarter
Purdue Matt
September 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Very nice work on an angle no one else has, Tyler.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Duffman>Ty Duffy
September 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Thanks for the advice Sterling, I didn’t read the post. As a devout reader of this site I haven’t been happy with some of the direction of the site, I am allowed to ask about that, thanks for trying to tell me what to do though.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I apologize to the Snark Police for that one, it had to be done.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
+1 Roeth
September 17th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
This is beautiful
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26741641/?GT1=43001
September 17th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
We’re still not in a recession, so everything’s OK!
/PurdueMatt
September 17th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
@cbh - you know the rules. you can’t criticize the site content until you come up with better posts, but everyone else can.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
This is depressing. Why not give that money directly to the Glazer family?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
But complaining cause you dont happen to like soccer is bitching for no reason. The major european season is beginning this week and domestic leagues are in full swing. Duffy is the soccer writer hence a larger presence.
The basketball writer (if there is a specific one) will be back in oct/nov i am sure.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
this is why you make deals with booze companies, gambling, arab owned airlines, and more booze companies. they didnt learn their lesson with vodophone, fuck em.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Haha, +1 mizerle
September 17th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
@mole - where was liverpools sponser yesterday?
September 17th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
This country works like a swiss watch.
/Mike NYC
September 17th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I’d say not liking soccer was his reason.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
you cant advertise alcohol in france
September 17th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
You big government types should be celebrating this.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
To be fair, this isn’t really a soccer post. That’s like saying that a Jeter/random hot woman is a baseball post. I mean it is, but the reason it might be interesting has nothing to do with baseball.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
The basketball writer (if there is a specific one) will be back in oct/nov i am sure
cant wait
September 17th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Carling sucks.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
1 PurdueMatt reference per post. The quota was already met, August.
-1
Also, Kevin Duckworth died.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Nick - have you noticed the severe economic impacts Duckworth’s death has had on the U.S.? Lehman Bros., AIG, the stock market falling to decade lows, etc. I doubt it’s a coincidence.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
In an attempt to cram soccer down American’s throats, the US Government has tapped into the sports blogosphere to aid in their push. The most notable blog so far has been The Big Lead, a popular blogging site for anti-soccer aficiandos. No word yet on the impact.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Duckworth makes the World go round
/Westside Connection’d
September 17th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
really…Kevin Duckworth? When?
September 17th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
What no jokes about Michigan and 1 of 8 people being on food stamps? No shots at Maggs? I’d say that the commenters around here are losing there touch.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
@ NickP: this quota was never posted for public review and inquiry prior to voting, nor was a quorum affirmed before hand.
You shall not oppress my people!
September 17th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
“Did you hear about Newman?”
September 17th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
@ NWilson: Maggs and UM graduates make up the majority of the people taking advantage of food stamps.
How`s that?
September 17th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
As an employee of AIG I have 1 question…Now that I am a Federal Employee do I get Columbus Day off?
Seriously though I hate the fact that the government is bailing out all of these companies, but AIG was way to interconnected to everything else to let it go down.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
@nwilson - yeah, poverty is hilarious.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
@supervisor, as a federal employee I have to say yes. Feel free to take that, and Veterans day in November, and Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, and then MLK day in January, and then Presidents day in Febuary. Please, I insist. Enjoy the job security. Wait. Nevermind.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
For anyone who does like soccer…I missed the first few minutes of Man U-Villarreal…Is Jozy on the subs bench?
September 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
You don’t have to tell me tduffy, I work with it everyday and our splendid federal program called Supplemental Security Income. Too close to home.
I’ll go back to work now.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Only the MLJ crew and the Reagan Youth hate on me. They must be busy at the moment.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I love it! Our money goes to run this company, our government runs them, but we who pay the money get no stock (ownership) but front all of the liability when the company needs more cash! What a great deal for the taxpayers of the USA!
FUCK YOU UNCLE SAM
September 17th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
gimmeabeerman, I had that discussion this morning. Sickening.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
@Duffy - Nope, not in the squad
September 17th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I think AIG blows all of the money on free lunches when they try to get your business.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I’ve been in Flint, MI for two weeks. I’d say 1 in 4 is on food stamps in this shit hole.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
The least Uncle Sam could do is get me some tickets to a Man-U match. I’ve never been to a soccer (football) game in Europe.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
@gimmeabeerman…With AIG, all the government is going to do is break us up and sell us off to the highest bidder. Not too much liability and from what I have read the “taxpayers” may actually make a profit off of this one. That being said, I completely agree that the government should not be bailing out these dumbasses that ran their companies into the ground.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
@ gimmeabeerman: Really? You’re going to get mad at the government, but not the CEOs who recklessly screwed every employee and client they had just to get a nicer house? They’re the ones who get to keep their money as well…
September 17th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
@ Tampa…at least someone is getting free lunches, because it sure as hell isn’t the employees.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
@gimmeabeer: The shareholders will probably make nothing. The stock has gone from $70 to $2 in 12 months.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
@August, I love to disagree with you but you’re on the money this time. Management at these companies knew that a government bailout would happen if things turned to shit so they had the incentive to make risky decisions.
However, let’s not think government is blameless in this. I’m not solely blaming Clinton but it’s a fact that during the 90’s, a concerted effort was made by the administration to insure that everyone could qualify for a home. The government required lenders to lower standards and give loans to high risk borrowers. Lenders did this and the real estate boom started. Now these loans are going bad (no shit), and politicians are blaming banks for making risky loans. I know of what I speak because I’ve worked in this industry for 11 years. Government fucked up the market and now it’s answer is even more government.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Government fucked up the market and now it’s answer is even more government.
You’re right about the housing pressure, but a ton of that came from the Fed and Allen Greenspan who kept wanting people to using their housing equity to stimulate the market rather than boost their own financial security.
The lack of oversight (much of it was rolled back thanks to Phil Gramm and his ‘a totally free market is the only way’ cronies) fucked the market more than anything else; these companies have been allowed to inflate their earnings and peddle debt as investments for the past 10 years, and now the shell game is getting busted up.
Both parties helped us get here, but the government getting out of the way will only make it worse not matter who is running the country.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
IMO, Gramm and the republicans in congress tore down the walls between investment and commercial banking that allowed this happen. Those walls were put up to prevent another Great Depression, which is what resulted the last time those two industries got in bed.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
You make a fair point August but you’re confusing oversight with governmental manipulation. No question someone needs to keep watch of what’s going on but now the government has set a precedent that if you fuck up big enough, we’ll come to your rescue.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I swear I sent the link to this post. 57th Min…
September 17th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Agreed, pulled, I should have differentiated the 2 more clearly… Uncle Sam is definatley sending a terrible message woth these bailouts, but it’s backed into a corner.
This thing is such a clusterfuck that nobody’s hands are clean. I just hope this is the worst of it.