This past Wednesday, a full page ad in the New York Times presented the following:
A photo of a young man, his cap worn backwards (designed to convey both “attitude” and youth), carrying an 18-pack of Bud Light through a parking lot. The young woman walking beside him is carrying an opened can of Budweiser, not Bud Light.
The name and logo on the 18-pack of beer is that of the NFL’s New York Giants.
Below that photo appears a larger Giants logo, and the words, “Pick Up The New Giants Tailgate Package In Stores Now.” The Giants’ logo appears on both the Bud Light and Budweiser 18-packs.
The NFL, the Giants and the Meadowlands just don’t seem to want to get it.
The Antonia Verni tragedy and ensuing court case has established a loud, legal precedent. The next, similar suit brought against the NFL, an NFL team, its landlord and a concessionaire for fostering a culture of alcohol will now be even stronger.
After all, it’ll have Zoffinger’s claim that he knows what goes on out there in the parking lot before NFL games, followed a few weeks later, by a full-page ad in the New York Times for the NFL Giants’ Bud Light and Budweiser 18-pack Tailgating Packages.
Other than Buck Showalter, I’m not sure if there is another adult under the age of 120 who considers a backwards baseball cap to be a menacing sign. That said, the ad in question does sound rather sleazy and it is a shame the Times can’t reject that kind of thing. As opposed to Mushnick’s employers, who have surrounded his column with ads for strip clubs, gun shops, ticket scalpers and scamdicappers over the years.