Allianz Stadium? Simon Wiesenthal would not approve

Sorry if this is a d_b. I didn't see it anywhere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/sports/football/10sandomir.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

The Giants and Jets are negotiation with a Munich-based insurance and financial services company, Allianz, that had strong ties to Nazi Germany. Among other things, they insured concentration camps and refused to pay on life insurance policies held by Jews, instead turning the money over to the Nazi party.

I don't care how long ago it was or what they have done to put that history behind them, no way the Jets and Giants should go for this. You can't for a second tell me that they are having enough problems selling the naming rights to the new stadium that they have to do this.

 

Allianz are also the sponsor of Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena stadium. To be honest I wouldn't have a problem if Allianz sponsored the stadium, especially if it turned out as nice as the one in Munich which is held up as one of the finest football stadiums in Europe.

 

So, the involvement in the Holocaust is cool as long as the stadium is nice.

Wonderful. :

 

Compelled involvement in a terrible event that happened 60 years ago is not something that I'm willing to damn a company for forever. There is a lot of money in sports that comes from the suffering of other humans that needs to be criticized long before this in my mind.

 

Where exactly do you get the "compelled" part?

One of this company's executives was a high-ranking official in Hitler's government. I sure don't see any reason to assume that they were forced into this.

Again, the Jets and Giants are sure to have many options. Why settle for one with this kind of history?

 

Look on the bright side, OOP. They'll probably be able to negotiate a great deal to have Coors as the official beer of Allianz Stadium.

 

Munich's stadium notwithstanding, I'm sure the Giants and Jets have other, less controversial options here that they should go with.

I'd be surprised if they went through with it--the deal can't be good for PR.

 

We should kick Germany out of the UN too...

 

And all those Beetles on the road are really a facist plot.

 

I hope no one who works with oop drives a Mercedes-Benz.

 

Big difference between a car and the ripping off of Jews.

 

And I don't think Mercedes was founded by Hitler.