An English soccer club is reportedly considering suing a former U.S. football coach turned far-right YouTube evangelist who allegedly used images of their stadium without permission.
Dave Daubenmire, who goes by the name "Coach Dave," has developed a following on YouTube with his proselytizing videos, and the "Pass the Salt" preaching series on his website.
In his videos he has spread Jewish conspiracy theories, attacked the LGBT community, and in a recent post defended the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville Saturday.
Playing on his past as a high school football coach, Daubenmire addresses his followers in a baseball cap with a sports stadium backdrop.
A legal challenge though may be coming his way, with soccer club Sunderland FC from the northeast of England accusing Daubenmire of using images of their stadium without permission since June, the Chronicle Live reported.
The club is currently in eighth place place in English soccer's second-tier league, the Championship.
Paul Dobson, a spokesman for the club's fans, expressed his anger at Daubenmire's use of the image.
"It's simply unacceptable and makes my blood boil," Dobson told the Chronicle.
"His videos would be funny if the content wasn't so obnoxious.
"To be in any way associated with his views is extremely detrimental to the image and reputation of our club."
Forbes reported that Daubenmire built his following as an evangelist after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued him for forcing players to pray with him at a school in Hebron, Ohio.
Newsweek has contacted Daubenmire for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
