The San Francisco 49ers have canceled a Girl Scout sleepover so they can make more money with a concert, Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News reports.
The Girl Scout event was no minor production, either, which was set up for girls who sold the most cookies as part of a fundraising competition. Here is what the girls are now missing, per Rosenberg:
“The girls would be able to run through the stadium tunnel and burst through a banner like the players, hang out with 49ers cheerleaders, the mascot and the team band, watch movies and eat pizza on the 50 yard line and see their names on the Levi’s Stadium big screen in May.”
This wasn’t a complete stunner, as Rosenberg notes the original contract with the Girl Scouts did stipulate the event could be cast aside if something more lucrative came along.
In the running for a “Poor Timing of the Year” award, York sent out this tweet on the day in which Girl Scouts of Northern California CEO Marina Park had to share the sad news:
Heading to Super Bowl City? Stop by Market & New Montgomery for #girlscoutcookies first. Thx Cassie! pic.twitter.com/PSxGXxo6y2
— Jed York (@JedYork) February 3, 2016
“There was a lot of excitement about it. I’m deeply disappointed,” Park said Wednesday. “They’re running a business, and I guess I’m sorry their relationship with us wasn’t valued as highly as some other things.”
This seems like some short-sighted thinking for the 49ers, who already are dealing with plenty of negative public perception issues stemming from how Jed York and Trent Baalke so casually tossed Jim Harbaugh aside after one mediocre season.
The smart move would have been to say no to the influx of quick money a concert would bring while letting the Scouts know they value their relationship more than a quick buck.
Building a bit of goodwill with a potential new generation of female fans is just good business. But the 49ers apparently didn’t see it that way.