NFL’s spoof ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ poster sparks backlash
A marketing campaign from America’s National Football League (NFL) has sparked backlash after an image was posted to social media featuring NFL players wearing Wrexham football kits whilst wearing Union Jack scarves.
The image is a mock up of the original Welcome to Wrexham poster which included Hollywood co-owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney wearing Wrexham scarves along side players wearing full kit.
Included in the image, which was posted to NFL UK’s Twitter account this week, was the title “Welcome to Wrexham” which had been bookended with two red dragons.
The word “Wrexham” had been struck through with a red cross and beneath it a second title said: “United Kingdom.”
The caption for the post read: “Croeso i’r Deyrnas Unedig!” which translates to “Welcome to the United Kingdom!” followed by a Union Jack flag emoji.
Croeso i’r Deyrnas Unedig! 🇬🇧#NFLUK pic.twitter.com/ySHPwT1ghM
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) May 10, 2023
International
London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is set to host two international games with Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans heading to England to play this October.
No international games will take place in Wales.
Aviation American Gin, which was previously owned by Hollywood co-owner of Wrexham AFC, Ryan Reynolds, responded to the tweet with three thinking emojis.
Deadpool actor, Reynolds retweeted the NFL UK image with the caption: “We just got out of a National Football League… thank you very much. But very proud that @AviationGin is the official gin of the NFL.”
YesCymru director, Ethan Jones said: “Welsh not British. Swing and a big miss here NFL.”
Adam Bebb said: “That is a BIG NO NO there I suggest @NFL contract @NFLUK to correct this with fast action, this is an insult to Wrexham and Wales that @NFLUK have done something like this, what you boys think was alway more of a @CFL fan.”
Welsh
One commentator said: “NFL posting in Welsh WTF is this crossover?”
Another Twitter user said: “I’m no historian, but this seems like a big gaff to me. A quick scroll through the replies makes it clear that the Welsh aren’t big fans of having the Union Jack associated with their language. Bad look by the league.”
However, some social media users were torn over their feelings toward the marketing campaign image with one person tweeting, “I’m still trying to decide if I love or hate this”.
Others praised the use of the Welsh language in the post with one commentator saying: “NFL using Welsh is more important than the fact they’ve added a Union Jack. More exposure. Diolch NFL.”
Another said: “There’s no denying the effect of the Wrexham story across the pond in America @NFLUK are now tweeting in Welsh as they announce the London fixtures for next season.”
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When I was in the USA on business last year I had several conversations with people to inform them that Cymru isn’t represented on the Union flag, and that flying the Brit Nat flag is an insult to our people. Most of them were extremely supportive, and said they would always fly Y Ddraig Goch for us.
Brit Nat? They already won with such a remark. The flag of the UK represent England and Scotland, neither of which were founded by “Brits”. The only nation to be founded by Britons is that which isn’t represented on it. The British flag has a Dragon on it!!!
Tweeting in Cymraeg, ardderchog! Using the Union flag, instead of Y Ddraig Goch when referencing Cymraeg a Cymru, smacks of ignorance of both the history and current affairs of this island and the wider archipelago.
Can we blame them? The people of Wales are fine with calling themselves “Welsh”, allowing for the English use of our historical term “British”. Which was first used to describe the people in which the English call “Welsh”. We have already soundly lost should we agree with the English and say we are “Welsh”. We aren’t, we are Cymro Britons (Actual British).
“Welsh, Not British”. Oh man, some people in Wales need a history lesson. British directly comes from Brythonic, which the people of Wales are. Why are so many people of Wales willing to throw two thousand plus years of History away? What, just so they can been seen as somehow, rebelling! It’s the other way around, The “Welsh” are the “British”, and English it’s converts. We have already lost if we respond with such remarks as, “Welsh, not British”. Playing into the hands of the Germanic overlords of England who seek to replace us as British. One should respond with,… Read more »
I thought you’d be chuffed…
How so? People don’t seem to understand where the insult is. It’s not that Wales isn’t on the flag, but rather the fact that two nations are represented on a flag that is known as British world wide. When the actual British people aren’t. It’s a perfect example of identity theft and cultural appropriation. But thanks to the people of Wales not knowing their own countries history and origins. England are free to carry on.m with this Fraud. Another words, we should be calling out the Term British when used in reference to solely the English.
I agree, I did a bit of Hanes Cymru myself but perhaps chuffed was the wrong word. If I had my way I would back-fill Chwarel Hengwm with that carbuncle in Harlech. It filled my vision for 5 years as chalk and dusters bounced off the back of my head whilst serving my sentence in another carbuncle below…
If they didnt know what it is to be Welsh, they surely know now. In a strange way it has benefited Wales I think. Cymru Am Byth.
But we aren’t Foreign to this island! The English were. It’s an oxymoronic term for self identity considering the history surrounding it that ties to the people who it supposedly represents.
Not true. Celts spread to Wales from western Europe. Their home territories have often been traced to central and eastern France, extending across southern Germany and into the Czech Republic.