Controversial Sega Europe Commercial Banned

The Independent Television Commission, a television regulator in Britain, decided Friday to pull one commercial promoting the Dreamcast network in Europe from airwaves. British broadcasters have been notified to pull the ad.

Airing during Euro 2000, the ads portrayed many stereotypes, likely to spark more competition between countries during the violence-ridden Euro 2000 football (soccer) matches. The main purpose of them was to challenge players to to onto the Dreamcast network and engage in competitions via the DC Network, most likely with ChuChu Rocket. However, one ad, which portrayed a German saying “Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough”, as well as a side nudity of a woman, was decided to be pulled by the ITC, one day before England took on Germany. Here is part of a statement the ITC issued Friday:

The ITC believes the advertisement was calculated to tap into the current nationalistic fervor surrounding Euro 2000. There is considerable public concern about violence breaking out during this championship. In this climate we consider the provocation implied in the advertisement to be ill-judged and irresponsible.

Here is why this is happening…during the Euro championships, many fans, especially those from Britain, tend to become very violent. Soccer fans, or hooligans, as they are called in Europe, have already caused quite a stir in several European countries, causing respective governments to take action. Championship organizers are considering banning Britain from the championship, while the UK government promises the next time around that anyone contributing to mass violence will be banned from going to the sport…for life.

Sega of Europe had until today to make a case on why the commercial should not be banned, and hopefully the results of that will be made public soon.