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The Boston expansion team of the NWSL faced backlash this week over its “Too Many Balls” rollout marketing campaign. The campaign, which included a video emphasizing Boston’s professional sports history and announcing the team name as BOS Nation FC, drew criticism for its messaging. Among the vocal reactions was an Instagram post from Seattle midfielder Quinn, who identifies as transgender and nonbinary, stating, “Feels transphobic. Yikes.”
The marketing video, released alongside the team name announcement, featured references to Boston’s sports legacy, primarily focusing on achievements by men's teams. The video’s narrator declared, “Boston loves its balls” and suggested that “there are too many balls in this town.” It ended with, “We are BOS nation, where anything is possible. No balls necessary,” with an exception made for soccer balls.
The Boston team quickly removed the video from its website and deactivated the associated TooManyBalls.com site after negative backlash from members of the LGBTQ+ community and others. .In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the team acknowledged that their marketing attempt fell short.
“We missed the mark with an attempt to create a bold and buzzworthy brand launch campaign,” the statement read, per ESPN News Services. “We fully acknowledge that the content of the campaign did not reflect the safe and welcoming environment we strive to create for all, and we apologize to the LGBTQ+ community and to the trans community in particular for the hurt we caused.”
NWSL Boston rollout failed to acknowledge existing women's sports teams in city
The criticism was not limited to the campaign’s tone. Massachusetts native and former USWNT star Sam Mewis was also critical, pointing out that the team failed to acknowledge existing women’s sports teams in the city, such as the Boston Fleet of the PWHL.
The team's ownership group, which includes Jennifer Epstein, actress and director Elizabeth Banks and Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, said the campaign was rooted in a desire to create a community-focused team.
“I’m really looking forward to see the community’s response,” Epstein had told The Associated Press during the initial announcement.
In the apology, BOS Nation FC highlighted their alignment with the NWSL’s values.
“We are proud to be part of the most inclusive sports league in the world and are committed to upholding the unifying values that define the NWSL and our club,” the team posted on X. They also thanked those who spoke out against the rollout campaign.
“Thank you to all who have held us accountable by calling for us to do better. We hear you and we will, together.”
