FIFA: Don’t Blame Us for Crappy Mascot no one wants to Buy

May 17th, 2006 | by: WC Bob | Comments(1)

As we reported a couple of days ago, sales of merchandise featuring the half naked World Cup lion mascot Goleo have been more dismal than a Norwegian referee calling a Champions League final. It turn out that the company producing the stuffed dolls, key chains and other assorted items has officially filed for bankruptcy. While we never went so far as to imply that FIFA is to blame for the Goleo disaster, other news organizations apparently did just such a thing. FIFA ain’t too happy about it.

In a tersely worded, yet strangely poetic, press release, the world football’s governing body attempts to set the record straight about Goleogate™ .

We are especially fond of the part about how FIFA only charged $2.8 million for licensing fees. That was quite philanthropic of them. Imagine what they would have charged if the thing wore pants!

Put on you special FIFA bullshit decoder glasses and enjoy:

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FIFA wishes to put the record straight on a few facts in the light of various reports that have appeared in the German and international media in recent days in relation to the declaration of bankruptcy filed by the Nici AG company.

The reported figures, drawn from various sources, relating to the licensing agreement for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ between Nici AG and world football’s governing body are far in excess of the actual amount. It has been reported, for example, that the licensing fee for the rights to manufacture toy replicas of the GOLEO VI Official Mascot was USD 28 million. This figure, however, is nearly ten times higher than the correct sum.

According to the information at FIFA’s disposal regarding the number of GOLEO VI products that Nici has sold so far, the company has actually recorded a total turnover that is far in excess of the licensing fee which shows that Nici’s current financial problems have nothing to do with its relationship with FIFA.