Oxford United apologises after launching and then quickly withdrawing a clothing range branded “United 93” around the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The range, promoted as part of the club’s Campus Collection, included sportswear such as an American football jersey and a baseball-style jersey bearing the phrase “United 93”. Multiple outlets report the designs drew criticism because the wording refers to United Airlines Flight 93, one of the hijacked planes in the attacks.
The club says it released the items without understanding the “historical context and associations”, and that it should not have reached point of sale. According to reports, the collection is removed from sale shortly after it is launched and is taken down from the club’s website within hours. Oxford United also states it takes responsibility and is reviewing its internal approval processes, while offering “sincere apologies” for the error and any offence caused.
Outlets broadly agree on the timeline: the merchandise is published shortly before or around the anniversary date and then pulled after the designs come to light. Differences are mainly in emphasis, such as how quickly the item is taken down and which specific products were shown.
