FC St. Pauli Slams Under Armour For Trump Support

Feb 12, 2017

by Chris

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German 2. Bundesliga team FC St. Pauli released a statement to distance itself from their kit supplier Under Armour by criticizing their CEO Kevin Plank's recent laudatory comments about the new U.S. president Donald Trump.

FC St. Pauli Releases Statement to Distance Itself From The Statements Of Under Armour's CEO

"FC St. Pauli can only agree with Steph Curry, the NBA's sharpest three-point shooter and equity holder of our kit supplier, in his assessment of the new U.S. president," club chairman Oke Göttlich of the 2-Bundesliga's 18th-place team said Friday, referencing recent comments made by the Golden State Warriors star and Under Armour shareholder. "There is no more to be said about this person."

What Curry said about Trump was nothing short of scathing. In response to Plank praising Trump's business acumen and calling the president "a real asset for the country" during an appearance Tuesday on CNBC's "Halftime Report," Curry said Wednesday that he agreed — "if you remove the '-et.' " in "asset."

FC St. Pauli chief Göttlich, meanwhile, said Friday he hopes Plank will "reconsider his statement, precisely in view of the company's many employees of migrant background, who bring many assets to his company. Göttlich added: "Because, dear kit supplier, the saying 'Protect Our House' also holds true for FC St. Pauli and its values."

Plank's optimistic opinion about the 45th president of the United States sparked controversy over the brand on social media, where #BoycottUnderArmour began trending on Twitter on Wednesday.

Under Armour attempted to diffuse the situation Wednesday by releasing a statement that read, "We engage in policy, not politics," before talking about politics. "Under Armour and Kevin Plank are for job creation and American manufacturing capability," the statement continued. "We believe building should be focused on much needed education, transportation, technology and urban infrastructure investment. We are against a travel ban and believe that immigration is a source of strength, diversity and innovation for global companies based in America like Under Armour."

Do you think St. Pauli and Under Armour will go separate ways after this season? Let us know in the comments below.