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The Dallas Cowboys' latest commercial tie-up has been heavily criticized by NFL fans on social media. A day after the tragic mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, the franchise unveiled its partnership with Black Rifle Coffee. They call it 'America's Coffee.' The online retailer is popular for naming its products after guns and rifles.
Dallas revealed their partnership on social media, posting a short 30-second video with a caption that read:
"Please welcome America’s Coffee to America’s Team. We are celebrating America’s birthday all week long by giving away tickets to a Dallas Cowboys home game and a one-year subscription to Black Rifle Coffee."
Unsurprisingly, fans weren't left pleased with the timing of the announcement. The team's post on Twitter was instantly bombarded with tweets calling out the NFL franchise for its latest partnership.
Michael Gehlken, a reporter for the Dallas Morning News, wrote:
"Cowboys are marketing Black Rifle Coffee, a brand whose products include AK-47 Espresso Blend, Silencer Smooth Roast and Murdered Out Coffee Roast, as 'America’s Coffee.'"
Replying to Gehlken's post, one fan wrote:
"I agree - very poor taste Cowboys organization. Anything business deal to keep lining your pockets."
This fan was also angered by the news:
Other negative reactions to the partnership included:
Unsurprisingly, positive comments were difficult to find regarding the partnership
.
The Cowboys announced the partnership the day after the Highland Park shooting
The timing of the announcement is very unfortunate. As the majority of fans have noted, it seems more than a little tone deaf. The shooting took place from a rooftop at a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. It forced the panicked crowd to run for their lives and sadly killed six people and wounded another 38.
Robert E Crimo III, 22, was arrested by the US Police as a 'person of interest'. He reportedly escaped after the shooting and was on the run for several hours. He reportedly hails from the northern suburbs of Chicago.
He opened fire from a nearby rooftop to the parade at around 10.14 a.m. Five of the six victims died at the scene. The sixth victim succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Just hours after the shooting in Chicago, onlookers watching a Fourth of July fireworks show in Philadelphia were forced to run for cover after gunshots rang out. The incident occurred in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Two policemen were left with grazed wounds after the chaos. It remains unclear if the shots were intentionally fired at the officers.
As for Dallas, they will doubtless be hoping the attention fades away as the NFL season creeps closer.
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