America was cool with Jon Bon Jovi's hairspray phase, but his apparent love of Canada has ignited a Bon Jovi ban.
The boycott of his band's music is being organized by Buffalo football fans over rumours that Bon Jovi might join with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to buy the Buffalo Bills, whose longtime owner Ralph Wilson died in March, and move them over the border to Toronto.
A group calling itself 12th Man Thunder is calling on all DJs, bands, restaurants and bars to refuse to play or perform any Bon Jovi songs -- not to mention banning the rock icon himself from their businesses -- in hopes of making western new York state "a Bon Jovi FREE Zone. Ban Bon Jovi at your business and show your support for our Buffalo Bills!"
12th Man Thunder co-founder Charles Pellien told WKBW "This is a guy who is openly saying I'm going to come to your city, I'm going to take your football team which is our identity and our source of civic pride. That team leaves, it'll throw our city into a psychological and economic depression," he added. "This guy wants to harm our city, so this is our way to fight back."
He added that, "The Toronto groups are expecting our support to go over there and fill the seats of the stadium. And if we vow and have proof to show them we're not going to go over there, we're actually changing their business plan. We're taking money off of the table and we can change the whole face of the field by doing this."
So far the group's online petition, which states, "We will not attend games involving this team in Canada or any other location," has received over 6200 signatures.
But not everyone is opposed to Bon Jovi buying the Buffalo Bills. The Toronto Sun reports that New York Giants co-owner John Mara said Bon Jovi would be "a great NFL owner...He's got a really good knowledge and passion for the game, and he’s obviously a smart businessman."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was even more effusive with his praise, calling the potential Buffalo Bills bidder "a great friend" and an "outstanding candidate to be an owner in the NFL." As if that wasn't enugh, he then added "I don't know of anyone that I have any more respect for as a father, or as a husband, or certainly as a potential business partner."
It could be a lose-lose situation for the Buffalo Bills, though. If the Bon Jovi bid doesn't materialize, the other rumoured candidate to buy the team is... Donald Trump.
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