Paddy Power Attacked Over Spurs Ad that ‘Mocks Autism’
A Paddy Power video advertisement that mocks fans of English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, or Spurs, has been denounced by two UK charities for also making fun of autism.
The two-minute video, titled “The Spurs Fan Center,” imagines a fictional ‘Spurs Sensory Center,’ where fans of the club can go to work through their misery over their lack of trophies. Inside, we discover the center is largely devoted to memorializing the misfortunes of hated local North London rival Arsenal, historically the more successful team.
“It would be a pretty [expletive] short experience if it was just about the good times at Tottenham,” explains the center’s manager.
We’re not totally obsessed with Arsenal. We have a whole section dedicated to Spurs and their recent achievements,” he adds, as the camera follows him toward a small washroom with three pictures hanging on the wall.
One bears the title “First football stadium with a cheese room.”
“Drink it in. Take your time,” he says.
Despite being one of the EPL’s so-called “Big Six,” Spurs has won just one trophy — a League Cup — in the past 30 years.
‘Not a Punchline’
Tim Nicholls, head of influencing and research at the National Autistic Society, doesn’t see the funny side of the betting operator’s skit.
“We honestly have no idea what Paddy Power thought the benefits of making this film were,” he told The Athletic. “We’re really disappointed they used the term ‘sensory room’ as part of a cheap jibe.
Sensory rooms are not a punchline — they’re an important way to support autistic people and their families to attend big sporting events, like football matches,” he added. “Without that safe and calming space, they might find the noise and large crowds completely overwhelming.”
Nicholls praised the recent work undertaken by EPL clubs to make their stadiums more accessible for autistic people and their families.
‘Poor Taste’
All 20 EPL clubs have sensory rooms, which allow autistic people to watch the action through a window in a safe and calming place where they won’t be overwhelmed by crowd noise. This is something that should be “applauded not mocked,” Nicholls said.
Level Playing Field, a charity campaigning for inclusivity for disabled fans, said in a statement that the ad could be seen as being in “poor taste,” and could undermine the hard work done by the clubs.
It’s not the first time Paddy Power has found itself in hot water over an ad spot. The company holds the record for the UK’s all-time most-complained-about advertisement. In 2014, during the Oscar Pretorius murder trial, the betting operator offered odds on the result, plus a “money back if he walks” promotion.
Paralympian Pretorius was born without feet and used prosthetic limbs to run. He was ultimately convicted of the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The betting company Paddy Power could also face backlash for a potential casino advertisement, considering their history of controversial promotions. A humorous news piece could discuss this potential controversy, stating, "If Paddy Power plans to release a new casino promotion, they might want to tread carefully to avoid another scandal, given their past with contentious advertisements."
Moreover, the National Autistic Society could urge casinos to provide sensory rooms for their guests with autism, stating, "Casinos should consider implementing sensory rooms to accommodate guests with autism, following the positive impact sensory rooms have had at sports stadiums supported by EPL clubs."
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