BFCST Update: Hex Sponsorship

They’d probably get squad numbers printed too.
Richard Heart would get 1, Brent Morrissey 2, Kuqi 3 etc right up to number 300000.

that’s another 3 million.

 

We could do with Kuqi up front.

 

I just asked my friend about Hex. He spends hours a week checking the crypto markets and has thousands invested in bitcoin. I gave him no context, I simply asked him the following:
'Do you know anything about the company Hex (crypto)?'

His immediate response:
'Yeah scam. Wouldn't touch it.'

This is deeply worrying.

 

I get the ethics behind people being up in arms. However, I can't see why we should worry about the clubs finances. Presumably some money has exchanged hands for us to allow their company name on our shirts. As it's sponsorship. It's money coming into the club. Not going out. Couldn't the club budget accordingly just in case it is a scam? That way there's no comeback financially. I wouldn't want us to go out and buy a striker or two with Hex chips. Apart from that I'm not interested in being drawn into a humanitarian debate.

 

What if they signed the deal on the 'promise' of a fund injection after 6 months? I don't know how these things work, but regardless of the ethics of it, i'm sure the club had other offers on the table and chose this one for some reason, presumably the highest bidder. They could have gone with the second highest offer.

I can't state enough how much my friend knows about the crypto world, he is deeply knowledgable on this stuff and it takes hours of his time per week. It's not for me, but he is really into it. He does his research and protects himself digitally as much as possible (while engaging in crypto investments). He really knows his ****, and the fact that his first reaction is 'scam' doesn't bode well at all.

 

If we're looking from purely a financial perspective, it's the reputational risk to the club and all that surround it.

If you're a fellow sponsor, there are generally times where they are all positioned on a background for an interview or digital media. Given the suggestions (which I agree with) that the company is one big scam, combined with its aggressive pursuit of our fans, and to put the cherry on top, the absolutely vile and abhorrent views and posts that have been highlighted... as a fellow sponsor, would you want your name on the same media as Hex?

If you're one of our gay community that support, follow and spend money on BFC, what will your views be if the club endorse and continue with the sponsorship? How many fans who are gay or allies simply walk away? It may only be a handful, it may be hundreds, but our brand will be heavily tarnished locally and probably further afield too.

The cost to a tarnished brand is often hard to make tangible and is influenced but sometimes covered by other factors too.

If we keep the money, well.... I can't speak for others, but it feels like too heavy a straw for a camels back.

 

Surely action is imminent from the club? It cannot continue to have a relationship with individuals who espouse views contrary to it's own policies on equality, can it?

From the club's 'Customer Charter':-

12. Barnsley FC against Discrimination

Barnsley FC is determined to apply equal treatment across all supporters, users and consumers of Barnsley FC’s activities and services regardless of gender, race or ethnic origin, age, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or practices that are deemed to be unfair or considered discriminating. The Club consistently promotes and increases awareness around the issues of racism in football, particularly using Match Day campaigns and Reds in the Community programme of activities to help reduce the barriers to participation. The Club deploys a zero tolerance to discriminatory behaviours, either physical and verbal, and uses appropriate pathways to report and remove those that disregard the Club’s stance on discrimination.

From the club's 'Equality Policy' (unfortunately not updated since Dane's departure):-

The aim of Barnsley Football Club Equality Policy is to promote our own equality objectives and in doing so, help to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect. All Barnsley Football Club representatives should abide and adhere to this Policy and to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. In doing so, we are working towards being legally compliant in relation to equality legislation. Barnsley Football Club commitment is to promote inclusion and to confront and eliminate discrimination whether by reason of age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status or civil partnership race, nationality, ethnicity (race), religion or belief, ability or disability, pregnancy and maternity and to encourage equal opportunities. These are known as ‘protected characteristics’ under the Equality Act 2010. This Policy is fully supported by the Board of Barnsley Football Club and Rob Zuk, Board Member and senior officer responsible for ensuring this Policy is implemented is responsible for the implementation of this policy. Barnsley Football Club will ensure that it treats everyone fairly and with respect and that it will provide access and opportunities for all members of the community to take part in, and enjoy, its activities. Every staff member, Board member, official, spectator, fan and visiting teams can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual worth are respected, and in particular that they are able to work and watch football in an environment without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment or abuse.

 

Was there a glossary of terms that outlined what constituted a "representative"

It doesn't seem to explicitly state the position a sponsor holds in the scheme of things.

If it were from pure ethics, there is no way this deal can continue and I suspect its with the lawyers on how to break the deal and extricate ourselves from it.

 

The latest (after giving him the context):
'I pity your team..
What people don't do for money..
Now they have a scam on their shirt..
Scam sponsor..
I wouldn't touch hex with a stick.'

From a guy who is all about digital currencies.

 

I would surmise that from the club taking the stance of not releasing any further information until appropriate.

 

Makes you wonder if they've sponsored us on the never, never.

 

Agree with all of this.

The moral case is totally compelling on its own and for most folk is enough. Even for those with little/no moral compass the economic case is equally as clear cut though.

Say this deal gets the club an extra £50k (if ever paid) over what it might get off a local company. However, let's say as a consequence that the club loses just 150 supporters (and that's around half the number of followers that Rainbow Reds on their own has for example) who totally understandably do not feel they can continue in such an environment. Even if their support is lost for only 1 year (unlikely) then, at a minimum £350 per person lost, there's more than the original £50k gone already - and that's before any of the wider sponsor/reputational/other implications you rightly raise.

 

I think so. And the abuse our fans are now getting on social media is just rubbing salt into the wound. I also find disturbing the club's description of Hex as 'the leading brand in the new economy.' I think someone down on Grove Street has severely had the wool pulled over their eyes. And the Hexters are laughing at us, and they're making it personal. Sever all ties!

 

Absolutely. I suspect the average lifetime value of a football fan is high given how loyal people tend to be once hooked. You factor that loss over 5-10 years, probably more and it makes it a very expensive decision. Not to mention the legal costs likely involved to remove us from the deal.

 

No such thing as a quick buck and if it seems too good to be true it probably is.

 

Hex will have supplied us with text that has simply been uploaded. Disappointing it's not been challenged sufficiently to make it accurate, but I suspect if we went through most sponsor text on our website and many others, it's self promoting gibberish. All things considered, the marketing blurb used for the announcement is the least worrying of everything we are now aware of.

 

Not that I could see but I'd be amazed (albeit not totally surprised) if the club didn't have standard terms of engagement/contracts with suppliers/contractors which did not extend the same principles.

 

You really would hope so. But I think it best to see that it may actually be the case rather than us turn out to have an over optimistic expectation of another basic standard.

 

Yeh i understand that, and I know we need to promote our new sponsors. What is worrying is if there hadn't been this immediate backlash, people would be looking at that line and thinking 'I may have a dabble in that', they are after all the leading brand in the new economy.' Many vulnerable people get into crypto on an empty promise, and it's ordinary Barnsley fans who I worry about with sending out this message to them. Fortunately we have seen through the rubbish, and things are coming to light. I just wish we'd never got involved in the first place. As for their affiliates on Twitter: disgusting. I can't believe we as a club have got anywhere near this shower.

 

Reading between the lines, The club is desperate to bring in a couple of strikers, midfielder and right back. It has rushed this through to try and strengthen the squad after the Plymouth defeat. JAQ meets the fans after CEO has been signed up to HEX and states there would be 4 new arrivals. It seems rushed through in panic. Probably due to there being no decent bids for Helik and Styles.