Arsenal owner drops plans to broadcast blood sports
(he channel was due to broadcast regular hunting shows that depict and celebrate the killing of animals, including lions and elephants.
Arsenal FC owner Stan Kroenke has instructed his controversial television channel, My Outdoor TV (MOTV), to remove all content containing blood sports.
In a statement, MOTV confirmed that Kroenke has asked the TV channel’s owners to “remove all content related to those animals in light of public interest.”
The news has been welcomed by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), which led a public outcry against the channel.
Philippa King, the organisation’s chief operating officer, said: “I think Arsenal have just snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Launching a TV channel which glorifies blood sports was never going to be a good idea in a nation of animal lovers. We asked Mr Kroenke to cancel his plan to show trophy hunting and that’s what he has done, so we thank him for it.”
Earlier this week, Kroenke, a major shareholder in Arsenal FC, announced the launch of a TV channel dedicated to blood sports. The channel was due to broadcast regular hunting shows that depict and celebrate the killing of animals, including lions and elephants.
In response to the announcement, some 69,000 people signed a petition calling on the club’s key sponsors to publicly condemn Kroenke’s actions.
Created by long-term Arsenal fan Rhys Brown, the petition also demanded a meeting between the Arsenal board, key sponsors, leading animal rights charities and representatives of the international fan bases.
Ms.King continued: “Whether the decision was taken because his [Kroenke’s] eyes were opened to the suffering of animals involved in trophy hunting, or because he realised it was a PR disaster for Arsenal football club, I don’t know.
“Hopefully it was the former – the world is turning against cruel sports like trophy hunting, fox hunting and ‘game’ bird shooting, so we hope Stan joins the majority in focussing on caring for and protecting precious species like lions and elephants and stops indulging the bloodthirsty minority who get their kicks from killing them.”
