Social media channels belonging to the United owners’ other sports team have been flooded with anti-Glazer messages
Manchester United supporters are targeting the social media channels of Tampa Bay Buccaneers as part of ongoing efforts to force the Glazer family into selling the Premier League club.
The replies to tweets sent from the Bucs’ official Twitter account have been flooded with anti-Glazer messages over the course of the last 72 hours, with several United supporters claiming to have been blocked as a result.
https://twitter.com/SmnLlyd5/status/1529804782004752388
The Glazers and the Bucs
The NFL franchise became the first sports organisation to be owned by the Glazers, who purchased the team in 1995. The family have since overseen two Super Bowl triumphs – the first coming in 2003, then a second after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs on home soil last year.
Their popularity amongst Bucs fans dwindled in the years between their two titles but never came close to reaching the level of opposition they have faced in Manchester.
"We spent plenty of money. We just sucked. We made bad decisions. But the Glazers definitely spent money."
The Glazers are hated by Man Utd supporters, but how are they perceived by the fans of their other team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers? | @Smnllyd5 https://t.co/EF0BbAgIj4
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) May 25, 2021
Super League involvement sparked fresh wave of Glazer protests
United supporters protested fiercely against the leveraged buyout of their club in 2005 and the Americans have remained hugely unpopular across the fanbase ever since.
The prominent role the Glazers played in the plot to launch a European Super League sparked a fresh wave of protest a year ago, which sparked a fresh wave of protest culminating in United fans storming Old Trafford and forcing the postponement of a league fixture against Liverpool.
In the aftermath of the Super League fallout, Joel Glazer held video-link calls with United supporters, vowing to build bridges and work with them.
Despite the introduction of a Fan Advisory Board last year, the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) recently expressed frustration at the time being taken to set up a Fan Share Scheme (FSS).
Targeting Bucs has stemmed from fan group’s cyber campaign
As a disastrous season on the pitch came to an end, a newly formed group, known as the 1958, staged several anti-Glazer marches before United’s final home games of the campaign.
With the season now over, The 1958 recently urged supporters to take part in a cyber campaign, focusing on United’s major sponsors and stakeholders. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite also being owned by the Glazers, were not listed by the group as one of the organisations to target.
“It’s developed from our cyber campaign,” a representative of the group told JOE. “We have members who collaborate across many Glazer Out movements. This has been encouraged through those channels, but it hasn’t been announced by the 1958.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been approached for comment.
Related links:
- Man United fans promise sustained Glazer protest as chaotic season ends
- Man Utd Supporters Trust ‘deeply frustrated’ by Glazer delays to fan share scheme
- Gary Neville attacks Glazers for failure to deliver on ESL promises after cricket talks
