“Xango is my copilot”
November 21 – 2006
Everton shirts peddle beer, while Middlesborough’s advertise a gambling site. Manchester United uniforms promote an insurance company, while Chelsea’s hawk electronics. And Real Salt Lake? How does a “next generation phytonutrient”/pyramid scheme sound?
Yes, the first company to sign on to MLS’s newly approved shirt sponsorship program is Xango, a drink made from the mangosteen fruit. And though “mangosteen” sounds like the last name of some tropical Hollywood agent, we assure you it is actually a fruit. We also assure you the name is the least strange thing about Xango.
For starters, Xango has had its share of legal issues, most relating to company claims that mangosteen is a pharmaceutical wonder agent. The FDA has gotten involved, firing off a warning letter detailing the false claims (which can be read here). Our favorite? Xango is “Anti-Parkinson, Anti-Alzheimer and other forms of dementia.”
To their credit, Xango toned down the rhetoric and went with a softer sell. From their website:
Xan?Go ? proper n. a fresh revelation of everything you?ve ever dreamed.
Everything we’ve ever dreamed? What about vast wealth? That too…because Xango isn’t just an anti-dimensia agent, it’s a Multi-level Marketing opportunity – a pyramid scheme. You can make money selling Xango, or enlist your friends to sell it for you. Ready for some hot MLS action yet?
Not so fast: first we need to get that pesky ethnic stereotype off the logo. Accordingly, the league has approved a design which would allow only “XANGO” to be printed on the RSL jerseys, sans rice-picker. Good move, as MLS surely wouldn’t want to offend the powerful Salt Lake City Asian community.
And so Utah, the spiritual home of the pyramid scheme, will have its MLS team pitching one for pay. Other sponsors have been slow in expressing interest across the league, so we can probably expect equally ridiculous enterprises in the near future. In the meantime, we suggest mixing yourself a Xango and Goose cocktail while enjoying the following promo .
Do you think Xango would copilot someone driving a Honda Accord?
Comment by LG — November 21, 2006 @ 11:45 am
Pour some Xango on it.
Comment by garth — November 21, 2006 @ 12:36 pm
I think these guys should be the next sponsor.
Comment by jobicoppola — November 21, 2006 @ 1:19 pm
“Utah- spiritual home of the pyramid scheme” Brilliant…
Comment by ian — November 21, 2006 @ 1:48 pm
At a buddy’s recent wedding, I had the misfortune of staying at a hotel where these “energy drink/pyramid scheme guys” were having a conference. My friends and I were confused/suspicious as to why so many 20-something males were being so overly-friendly and chatty with us. Ironically, our first guess was that they were Mormons trying to convert us.
Later I got one of them to sit down and give me the sales pitch. “Isn’t this just a pyramid scheme?” I kept asking. This angered the Xango-squad, one of whom claimed my friends and I were “too stupid” to grasp the Xango business model. Smart enough to structure asset backed bonds, but too stupid to shill energy drinks, apparently.
Comment by Nordy — November 21, 2006 @ 2:06 pm
Since when is Samsung (chelsea’s shirt sponsor) a luxury airline
Since I’ve been living in last year’s shirts. Correction made. Thanks. -ed
Comment by Matt — November 21, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
[...] • The A’s are building a stadium the way everyone should build a stadium. [UmpBump] • The guys at Rumors And Rants are spending their Thanksgiving at the Maui Invitational. Lucky jerks. [Rumors And Rants] • Want to know why the Broncos’ linemen don’t talk? Because they’re dirty. [Atomic Sports Media] • An Ohio State fan defends his fellow fans, and blasts those who are dicks. [Men Of The Scarlet And Gray] • Some weird sponsors in the MLS. [Soccernista] • Goodbye, Ian Thorpe. [OutSports] • Hey, the Reds are making some moves too! [Feeding The Goat] • Never too early for some MLB power rankings. [Yellow Chair Sports] • Among the many deals looking excellent in the wake of the Alfonso Soriano contract, Grady Sizemore’s stands out. [Mop Up Duty] • A very special Chris Berman/Michael Irvin moment. [Chris’ Sports Blog] • Plaxico Burress, friend to the children. [SportsMontage] [...]
Pingback by Sports » Blog Archive » Blogdome: In Praise Of The A’s — November 27, 2006 @ 9:19 am
[...] • The A’s are building a stadium the way everyone should build a stadium. [UmpBump] • The guys at Rumors And Rants are spending their Thanksgiving at the Maui Invitational. Lucky jerks. [Rumors And Rants] • Want to know why the Broncos’ linemen don’t talk? Because they’re dirty. [Atomic Sports Media] • An Ohio State fan defends his fellow fans, and blasts those who are dicks. [Men Of The Scarlet And Gray] • Some weird sponsors in the MLS. [Soccernista] • Goodbye, Ian Thorpe. [OutSports] • Hey, the Reds are making some moves too! [Feeding The Goat] • Never too early for some MLB power rankings. [Yellow Chair Sports] • Among the many deals looking excellent in the wake of the Alfonso Soriano contract, Grady Sizemore’s stands out. [Mop Up Duty] • A very special Chris Berman/Michael Irvin moment. [Chris’ Sports Blog] • Plaxico Burress, friend to the children. [SportsMontage] [...]
Pingback by SPORTS NEWS » Blogdome: In Praise Of The A’s — November 30, 2006 @ 5:15 pm
[...] • The A’s are building a stadium the way everyone should build a stadium. [UmpBump] • The guys at Rumors And Rants are spending their Thanksgiving at the Maui Invitational. Lucky jerks. [Rumors And Rants] • Want to know why the Broncos’ linemen don’t talk? Because they’re dirty. [Atomic Sports Media] • An Ohio State fan defends his fellow fans, and blasts those who are dicks. [Men Of The Scarlet And Gray] • Some weird sponsors in the MLS. [Soccernista] • Goodbye, Ian Thorpe. [OutSports] • Hey, the Reds are making some moves too! [Feeding The Goat] • Never too early for some MLB power rankings. [Yellow Chair Sports] • Among the many deals looking excellent in the wake of the Alfonso Soriano contract, Grady Sizemore’s stands out. [Mop Up Duty] • A very special Chris Berman/Michael Irvin moment. [Chris’ Sports Blog] • Plaxico Burress, friend to the children. [SportsMontage] [...]
Pingback by Blogdome: In Praise Of The A’s - Sports Hot news — December 2, 2006 @ 7:47 am
Have you seen the new Xango Websites by discover mangosteen?
http://www.ready2goxango.com
Comment by Jay — June 13, 2007 @ 4:18 am