The city of Liverpool’s relationship with The Sun is well-documented.
After their coverage of the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool fans have been consistently vocal in their views on the publication, with many boycotting it to the point that a large number of shops no longer sell it.
The city’s football clubs have also made no secret of their disdain, with both Everton and Liverpool banning its reporters in recent years.
As such, those watching BT Sport’s coverage of the Reds’ home match with Newcastle United would have been justified in their surprise at seeing an ad for The Sun at half-time.
The appearance was exacerbated by the fact that ads for The Sun are rarely seen during football matches, and fans were quick to make their feelings clear, with some going so far as to suggest that it the game was intentionally chosen by the newspaper in a bid to provoke a reaction among supporters.
https://twitter.com/georgiephillips/status/970001752253718529?s=21
@btsport advertising the sun during a Liverpool game?
— Jacob Carah (@J__cob) March 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/mrobinson94lfc/status/970001196667883521?s=21
The Sun taking the absolute piss and advertising during the Liverpool game on BT. #DontBuyTheSun
— Siobhan Keeley (@siobhankeeley) March 3, 2018
Watching English BT Sport, which had an ad for the Sun at half-time, seems pretty strange given the team that's playing
— Kevin Galvin (@kjgalvin93) March 3, 2018
Have a word with @btsport sport next time you’re in about selling advertising to The Sun, especially during a @LFC match #dontbuythesun
— Woody (@sww77) March 3, 2018