FC New York to Wear Mitt Romney Campaign Ad on Jerseys

Who says sports and politics don't mix?

In fairness, though, this is surely an unprecedented move, even for the anything-goes world of football shirt sponsorship deals.

Think you've seen it all? Think again. FC New York, a lower-tier club in the United States' largest city, will be wearing a Mitt Romney campaign advertisement on their shirts for an unspecified amount of time.

Click here for a good view of the club's home and away jerseys with the new sponsorship.

Romney, for those uninitiated in American politics, is the presumptive Republican nominee in this year's presidential election. After being officially nominated at the Republican convention later this summer, Romney will challenge incumbent Barack Obama, a Democrat, in the November 6 election.

So how did Romney end up on FC New York's jerseys?

The New York Times' Goal blog explains:

"

(A)n anonymous donor (has) paid F.C. New York, a minor league club that plays its games on Long Island outside New York City, to place Romney’s name and campaign slogan, Believe in America, on the front of the team’s jerseys.

According to a news release from the club, the donor said, “I love fútbol, I love America, I am a proud Latino-American who believes Mitt Romney needs to be our next president.”

"

It is not clear how long the sponsorship deal will last. The announcement was made over the weekend, but as of Tuesday afternoon, FC New York's official website was not working.

So what's next in football sponsorship deals? City council elections? Sales tax referenda?

Let's not limit this to politics, though. What's to stop a rival team from advertising their logo on another team's shirt? Only our imaginations, I say.

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