The truth behind #SunsetNBC and why it must be stopped

#SunsetNBC has been popping up on Twitter a lot lately, but why?

The reason? Liverpool supporters are demanding the removal of NBCSN Premier League Insider Neil Ashton, who has worked for the network since 2013. Ashton is the chief football writer for the S*n, a British hate tabloid which has been banned in Liverpool since reporting hateful lies after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

Sunset NBC began popping up back in February when LFC NY created a petition demanding Ashton's removal. Since then, close to 5,000 people have signed the petition.

It wasn't however until May when Sunset NBC grew. Following a letter being unanswered by NBC that clearly addressed the concern over Ashton that was signed by over 30 official Liverpool supporter groups, it only got worse.

Nowadays, a frequent visitor to Twitter that checks out pages run by NBC Sports Soccer, Premier League USA and personalities on NBC's Premier League will notice #SunsetNBC coming up a lot. And the tweets... are unacceptable.

Recent tweets on the official Sunset NBC page (@SunsetNBC) have called out advertisers to boycott NBCSN. Other tweets include retweets from pages such as (@totaleclipse96) and Liverpool supporter groups and supporters themselves.

Examples of such tweets...

No amount of scripted banter or British jolly bonhomie can cover over the fact that #MyPLMorning promotes a tabloid noted for its hate rhetoric by the United Nations Human Rights Director.

Shame on @NBCSportsSoccer

#EraseTheHate and #sunsetNBC

These clubs represent thousands of @lfcusa fans who watch #PLonNBC

NBC did not respond.

Fans of other clubs and other fan groups represent thousands and thousands more.

This isn't difficult—lies and hate are incompatible with the beautiful game.

#sunsetNBC #EraseTheHate

#MyPLMorning's "premier league insider" isn't welcome at Goodison. Why? The tabloid he works at is racist. Does that fit with NBC's corporate values? The smiling faces on #PLonNBC? The NBC campaigns like #EraseTheHate and #NBCUDiversity?

Disappointing to see @ibm advertising on @NBCSportsSoccer. Surely their @inclusiveIBM initiatives and corporate values are odds with NBC Sport's promotion of a British tabloid that maligns and ridicules LGBTQ?

#inclusiveIBM

Someone at NBC needs to go in the Hall of Shame for promoting this toxic trash on @NBCSportsSoccer

#EraseTheHate #NBCUDiversity

Many of these tweets have been likes and retweeted, but nobody has stepped up to complain asides from me.

BUT this tweet, sent out on August 31st that would totally spark concern, yet has 14 likes and 2 retweets...

It's good if you're not LGBTQ, Black, Muslim, an immigrant, lost a family member at Hillsborough—or someone who cares about all of the above. Because then NBC Sport's promotion of The S*n spoils it.

While I do not read the S*n and want justice for the 96 victims of Hillsbrough, I am absolutely against this petition.

When I first learned about the petition back in February, I tweeted that I would not sign it (I mentioned I read the S*n, but really, I do not)

LFC Philly discovered the tweet, and from there, it got worse. Many condemned me, a few going even going as far as blocking me.

The most disgraceful part was the fact that my own Liverpool supporter group in Boston, which I had associated with quite well, BLOCKED me (a few others did too) To me, that was an absolute disgrace, and clearly showed that even explaining my thoughts to them wouldn't settle well to them.

I even believe that had I not mentioned the fact that I read the S*n, the same result would have happen.

Even several apologies I think were ignored. Truthfully, I still believe I'm still being "shunned" by them, despite me recently making friends with Liverpool supporters who are supporting the petition.

My own Boston supporter group hasn't unblocked me. I lost several friends because of what I said.

But I'm proud that I exposed the truth. And now I have exposed the real truth about Sunset NBC, and I condemn the petition, and I demand an immediate end to the petition.

If Liverpool supporters want to spend more time threatening NBCSN employees and spreading hate and racism, instead of doing normal things, clearly, something is wrong.

My one request? Sunset NBC needs to end.

You can condemn @SunsetNBC and @LFCNY on Twitter

The original petition, which should not be signed: https://www.change.org/p/ban-the-s-n-its-correspondents-from-nbcsn-its-affiliates

The letter from May: http://lfcny.org/sunset-nbc/

You can follow me on Twitter @nikgaz98