English football isn’t always known for its family friendliness but the West Ham United Football Club (known as the Hammers) in East London took a step in that direction Saturday by adding another mascot to sports pantheon of cute and fuzzy mascots.

The Hammers' new mascot, Hammerhead (at right), isn’t a shark but, yes, it is a hammer. A dancing, showboating hammer. Hammerhead had something to strut about Saturday as his team topped Barnsley F.C. Tykes 1-0. (And it’s not really nice to pick on tykes, is it?)

The team’s fans, though, weren’t sure what to make of Hammerhead, according to Metro.co.uk. On one fan forum, the site notes, one commenter stated, “Rarely have I been so embarrassed at Upton Park” while another wrote, “I personally thought it was much more entertaining than the game.”Continue reading...

It’s generally best for a passionate male sports fan to keep his obsession out of the bedroom when it comes to relations to the opposite sex, but a company in England is helping to change that predicament.

Premier Lingerie has partnered with two Premier League clubs to produce lingerie with the team’s clubs and colors. And this isn’t just so the fellas can live out some sort of Harlequin-style soccer fantasy — it's for the female footie fan.

“Women now make up about 20 percent of football supporters but only three to five percent of club merchandise is aimed at them,” said Paul Robinson, director of Premier Lingerie, to the Daily Mail. “A lot of clubs simply stock pink T-shirts with the club's logo on them. That's not good enough. Not enough clubs are doing anything sassy for their female fans, so that's where we're helping.”

Premier Lingerie recently partnered with Premier League team Newcastle United on the heels of signing a deal with the Wolverhampton Wanderers before the holidays last year. It is in conversations with other teams about producing similar lingerie lines, the brand's website notes.

We may all have Katy Perry to thank for this.Continue reading...