Simon Borg, Major League Soccer Employee, Says Women ‘Superfans' Are A 'Turn-Off' [UPDATED]

UPDATE: 5/2/12 4:34 p.m. -- MLS has suspended Simon Borg from his job. A statement on MLSsoccer.com reads:

During the latest episode of the ExtraTime Radio podcast on MLSsoccer.com, one of the hosts -- Simon Borg -- made inappropriate remarks regarding female fans of Major League Soccer. These remarks were unacceptable and in no way reflect the values of MLS, its clubs, players, staff, or MLSsoccer.com. We apologize on behalf of our organization for those remarks. Respect for diversity is a core principle of MLS and we are proud of the diversity of our League and its fans.

Mr. Borg will be suspended from his position at MLSsoccer.com for seven days, effective immediately. All MLS employees undergo diversity and sensitivity training on an annual basis, and Mr. Borg and the entire MLS Digital group will receive additional sensitivity training promptly.

* * *

Women who love soccer aren’t so hot -- at least according to Major League Soccer employee, Simon Borg.

Borg, a writer for MLSsoccer.com and a contributor to MLS’ official podcast, ExtraTime, made airwaves when he decided to give some personal commentary on female soccer “superfans” during Monday evening’s broadcast. About an hour into the podcast, transcribed by Jezebel, Borg said:

It's fine if you're a female and you want to be a super-fan. Clearly go for it, that's your choice. But there is something to be said for how appealing that might be to the other sex. Having a woman that's such a fan, like painting your face, tuning in to every podcast. I don't know how many males would be into that.

"It's great that in Kansas City there are a lot of women in the stands, it's great, but for the guy who wants maybe a serious relationship ... If you are following just casually, but if you're such a die-hard, I don't know, it comes a point that it is a bit of a [I don't want to say] turn-off ...

Later on in the segment, Borg said “The women are going to hate me. I apologize but … how many of you think the same way?”

Borgs comments immediately drew ire from the Twitterverse, especially from Women United FC, “a community for women in love with an MLS soccer team.” Right after being alerted to the podcast, the group tweeted:

@leanneelston @extratimeradio You can be a female diehard soccer fan and still be sexy. I know lots of men who think that's attractive.

— Women United FC (@wunitedfc) May 1, 2012

Later Tuesday, in response to another Twitter user's critique, Women United FC pointed out the potentially problematic nature of a paid MLS employee making the comments Borg did on an official MLS podcast:

@sc_beanerlites Especially from the Extra Time Radio podcast, MLS's official podcast. Borg represents @MLS when he speaks on there.

— Women United FC (@wunitedfc) May 1, 2012

Yesterday afternoon, Borg extended an invitation via Twitter for Women United FC to appear on ExtraTime to discuss their point of view, which they have accepted. This morning, MLS re-posted the initial podcast with offending comments removed and an apology in its place (though not from Borg himself).

If the blog posts men have written on the controversy for Yahoo! Sports and Jezebel are any indication, women aren’t alone in vehemently disagreeing with Borg’s sentiments. Jezebel’s Hugo Schwyzer, who is married to a woman “who’s a former soccer player turned LA Galaxy fanatic,” called “bullshit” and wrote that “Borg gets both men and women wrong.”

And Yahoo’s Brooks Peck finds the entire premise of Borg’s commentary to be flawed in itself: “Who … cares about how appealing your passions are to certain members of the opposite sex (as long as they’re legal and not psychotic obsessions)? That’s not how people should define themselves, female or male,” he wrote.

Comments

[Mike Wrona]

01:17 PM on 05/05/2012

Ah the MLS - such a high quality league it was unable to produce enough talent to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

Must be the fault of those unattractively painted crazy female superfans.
Ooops strike that. The U.S. Women's team will be competing in the 2012 London Olympics.

[Joamiq]

10:08 PM on 01/03/2013

What? Are you under the impression that MLS players are all Americans or something? There were MLS players competing in the Olympics.

[Mike Wrona]

10:17 PM on 01/03/2013

Did the U.S. compete in the Olympics?  Yes or No.

[JustinLillich]

05:39 PM on 05/04/2012

Simon's a doofus. He's the one weak link on that show. He's also apparently geared toward contradictory statements. 9 times out of 10 he's on the opposite side of any argument presented on the show. I listen to the cast when I can, but it's definitely not on my "religious" football podcast playlist. If I'm going to listen to soccer news online, ESPN Soccernet is definitely the winner. I can't say I'm go back even if he'd apologize. My wife's a big soccer fan and she's hot. Shut up, Simon.

[howlermonk43]

02:22 PM on 05/04/2012

Were women fans throwing themselves at him in the first place?

[Midnight Son]

10:39 AM on 05/04/2012

For some reason, when I see the drunken guys with face paint surrounded by other guys in the stands of sporting events, I don't think they are particularly concerned about whether or not a woman finds them "hot." It would be foolish to assume women doing the same thing are concerned about that in the moment.

[sskrill]

04:59 AM on 05/04/2012

Not for nothing but it's quite possible those women aren't in to men anyway. If they're straight, I'm sure there are plenty of men who would be into them. If they're not, they aren't looking for that kind of attention anyway. At least the MLS seems to realize women's money (straight or gay) fills their bank accounts just as nicely as men's money.

[LSophia]

11:23 PM on 05/03/2012

What a strange comment. I guess he wants 1) soccer to be less successful, or 2) to get paid less.

[procopios]

02:27 PM on 05/04/2012

The reverse psychology school of marketing: I don't think much of my customers, and they shouldn't be nearly so enthusiastic about my product.

[Cygnus1]

06:35 PM on 05/03/2012

There's a term for this kind of drivel. I believe it's "verbal di.arr.hea"?

[procopios]

02:26 PM on 05/04/2012

It wasn't as sustained or involved as that. More like mental flatulence.

[VirginiaJeff]

04:06 PM on 05/03/2012

Wow, these women bring money to the sport he's covering, which in turn helps him get a paycheck, and he's insulting them? Not a bright man.

[JerseyHooligan]

12:02 PM on 05/03/2012

When I meet a girl who is a devoted fan of soccer.... i run to her. what is this guy talking about.

[Ogg-the-bear]

11:48 AM on 05/03/2012

OMG, I can't get past the censors with a non-controversial comment. Holy cow. All I want to "share" is Simon Borg often has these sorts of "lapses" in common sense and judgment. As a superfan (Chelsea FC/LAG), I'm happy to share space with other superfans. I could give a carp what gender they might be. It's part of the Game.

[jas321]

10:54 AM on 05/03/2012

Ladies: Time to ALLOW MEN TO EVOLVE ON A MENTAL & EMOTIONAL LEVEL. Borg doesn't like superfans. Boo hoo hoo. He'll get over it. And if he doesn't... then he won't E-V-O-L-V-E. And he who does not EVOLVE, dies out... becomes extinct... This is already happening since they've pulled the plug on him temporarily. Obviously, this is yet another man trying to "power play" females and "put them in their place" by indirectly insulting them. Borg is obviously scared out of his mind by these "new creatures called superfans." Probably because they oooze power, strength and a "I-don't-care-what-you-think-of-me-self-confidence." Ooooh! Scary! So let Borg turn tail and run.... I say pity Borg -- Don't give him media time....

[jas321]

10:30 AM on 05/03/2012

Ladies: Stop worrying so much about what men think! This obsession women have about "pleasing" men goes too far... to the point where you're not being your authentic self. And what's the best way to control women? Keep us on shakey/self-doubting ground and convince us, god forbid, that we're not: sexy enough, pretty enough, thin enough, etc. The greatest privilege in life is to live your life as "you" -- not as others want you to be... Superfans or not superfans. It's your birthright to live your life as your true self; living up to other's expectations and standards will never bring your true happiness, love or fulfillment. What this sportscaster thinks is completely irrelevant to everyone in this entire world except his wife/girlfriend. So hopefully, the "light" you follow is the "light" inside yourself...

[KaylaK]

01:54 AM on 05/04/2012

That's not at all the point. The point is he is an MLS employee who made offensive comments about a large portion of his fan base (women) on an MLS podcast. We don't care what he thinks of us!

[OutAtFirst]

10:00 AM on 05/03/2012

No such thing as going too far. I'm still waiting for a group of them to take their shirts off and paint letters on their chests and spell something out in the stands.

[Blastrocat]

09:05 AM on 05/03/2012

Soccer is a turn off, so who cares? I have never been so bored in my life as when I was dragged to one of those non-events. Kept hoping for one of those famous riots to break out so something would happen, but no luck. I realize, of course, that Europeans think the same thing about baseball, but they're just wrong.

[Ogg-the-bear]

11:33 AM on 05/03/2012

Hold up, you admire a sport that moves slightly faster than grass grows but are bored in a non-stop action for 90 minutes game.... suddenly the credibility factor just goes away.

[Blastrocat]

11:44 AM on 05/03/2012

Damn, your opinion of my credibility means so MUCH to me. Maybe its those little shorts...

[JerseyHooligan]

12:01 PM on 05/03/2012

Baseball: the only sport where it is acceptable to be overweight and ingest nicotine at the same time.. NON SPORT..
Soccer is the forefront of the world for a reason.. Baseball is irrelevant

[Dazyfield]

01:48 PM on 05/03/2012

I didn't think they were allowed to use smokeless tobacco anymore. BTW...soccer is a 3rd world sport

[see-ellen2001]

07:41 AM on 05/03/2012

Well GOD KNOWS, Mr. "resistance is futile" Borg, we all know that women only do anything if it pleases a man. I think the whooping and die hard fan attitude is called,what's it now, oh yah...having fun.