Irish fans profoundly offended by Reebok tee

Reebok’s initial foray into the MMA space was widely panned, ranging generally from bafflement to derision. If you had to sum it up in a single word, it would be Giblert.

The latest gaffe has earned a very different reaction, outrage.

UFC Fight Night 76 this weekend is in Dublin, Ireland. Reebok has a new shirt with the UFC logo, a map of the Republic of Ireland, and the word Ireland.”

This is Ireland.

This is the tee in question. It features the bafflingly bad design that UFC fans have been repeatedly subject to, a level not seen in the MMA space perhaps since KTFO. That is far from the worst of it however. Northern Ireland is missing.

The Republic of Ireland is an independent country; Dublin, where the UFC will be this weekend, is the capital.

Northern Ireland is a constituent unit of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the northeast of the island of Ireland. It has a population of nearly 2,000,000. It is referred to variously as a country, province, region, or “part” of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland as we know it today was established by the Belfast “Good Friday” Agreement of 1998. The Northern Ireland Assembly holds responsibility for a range of policy matters, while other areas are reserved for the British government.

Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland by an act of the British parliament. The majority of Northern Ireland’s population were Protestant descendants of colonists from Great Britain, or “unionists”, and wished to remain within the United Kingdom. However, a significant minority, mostly Catholics, were nationalists who wanted a united Ireland, independent of British rule.

Culturally the unionists today generally see themselves as British and the Republicans see themselves as Irish. Some people on both sides simply see themselves as Northern Irish.

The Northern Ireland conflict, referred to widely as “The Troubles” began in the late 1960s and largely ended with the Belfast “Good Friday” Agreement. It took thousands of lives, with tens of thousands injured. There were violent clashes generations before.

Reebok’s gaffe was something like showing an image of the USA, without the American south, with the letters AMERICA at the top, and the tagline “Show your UFC territorial allegiance.” It would offend a lot of people.

Among those offended was SBG-Ireland founder and Conor McGregor head coach John Kavanagh, who just yesterday announced a partnership with Reebok.

Coach Kavanagh @John_Kavanagh

•only seeing this now. its about the dumbest idea i’ve ever seen. working on it.

•An incredibly insensitive stupid divisive idea. Its removed by the end of the day or SBG is gone. I expect a sincere apology to Irish fans.

Other figures in the MMA community were similarly outraged.

JJ @johnjoeoregan

Words fail me re this @Reebok ‘Ireland UFC’ t-shirt. Bland idea made worse by lack of knowledge. Wtf is this?

Marcelino Evil @KCBanditMMA

Reebok really taking this MMA s— seriously I see…

Karim Zidan @ZidanSports

Not only did Reebok release their most politically ignorant tee yet, they had the gall to caption it “Show your UFC territorial allegiance”

The UK branch of Reebok issued an apology on social networks.

Reebok UK @ReebokUK

We sincerely apologise for the offence caused by the UFC Ireland t-shirt. This was a design error and has now been removed.

That’s a start.

In 1981 at Leonard vs. Hearns I, ‘The Hitman’ took rounds nine through twelve. Between rounds twelve and thirteen, Angie Dundee famously screamed at Leonard “You’re blowing it now, son! You’re blowing it!”

Someone needs to pull whatever Reebok exec is in charge of the UFC deal and say to him “You’re blowing it now, son.”

The story has a happy ending. Leonard came back to take it. That can happen here too. Rumor has it that the next season will have some tremendous improvements.

And let’s let the great John Kavanagh have the last word.

Coach Kavanagh ‏@John_Kavanagh

No need for any more papers to call. This is my final comment on the situation. Time to get focused on #UFCDublin