Hooters Under Fire For Sponsoring Kids Soccer Team

After revealing that it would be sponsoring a kids' under-10s team for the upcoming season, famous bar Hooters caused anger.

Critics call the American-owned club "degrading" to women because of the attire its female employees wear while working there.

The bar has previously faced accusations of objectifying women, and many have demanded that its franchises either change their dress codes or shut down.

Burton Joyce was established in 1990 and comprises parts for youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Hooters only has one location in the UK, in Nottingham, and late on Wednesday night, it announced a sponsorship agreement with one of the club's young teams.

The news has sparked a backlash online, with many calling it obscene and saying that a club known for the attire its staff wears while serving is inappropriately linked to a youth football team.

One commenter who was outraged by the revelation asked why Hooters was "allowed" to "sexualize kids."

'Why are Hooters sexualizing kids and who on earth allowed them?' they asked. 

Credit: Alamy

In response to a tweet that went viral and announced the news, one user stated it was "not funny."

'This isn't funny. Girls are playing for this team too,' they said. 

Before adding: 'Also these lads are under 10, which makes the implication they're going 'phwoarrr' at Hooters girls JUST a little bit creepy.'

Credit: Alamy

Despite the outcry, some social media users have chosen to downplay the sponsorship agreement. One user told people who were against the move that it was only a sports bar.

'This is quality! I'm having words with my son's club as to why they didn't secure this deal,' one individual tweeted. 

Another joked: 'You can't see how many Dad's are there for the photo shoot!'

Earlier this year, Maria Toolan, a Labour councilor for Liverpool, initiated a petition opposing the franchise opening in the city.

'Hooters is an archaic and chauvinistic brand and this kind type of venue is no longer reflective of today's society,' her petition read.

'Hooters employs women to promote its business activities in an exploitative manner, It demeans and degrades women and undermines female equality.'

Others, like Toolan, have ignored these concerns, claiming that people who work at the restaurant choose to do so and are not forced into doing so.

'I don't see any issues. None of the girls are forced to dress that way. A lot of people who work for Hooters want to work for Hooters so it's not like anyone has forced them to do it,' one person, supportive of the bar, told Nottingham Live in February.

The Football Association has rules on which sponsors are allowed on the kits of youth teams.

'In the case of a team comprising players all under the age of 18 years on 31 August in the current season, the appearance on or incorporation in any item of clothing of any reference whatsoever to a product, service or other activity which is considered by The Association as detrimental to the welfare, health or general interest of young persons, or is otherwise considered inappropriate, having regard to the age of the players, is prohibited,' their regulations read.