By REBECCA WALSH
The Football Kingz soccer team have scored an own-goal before the season kicks off.
A television advertisement promoting the Auckland-based franchise, owned by Sky TV, has upset dog lovers.
The ad shows a dog and a soccer ball falling from a burning building.
The Kingz' new Argentine goal- keeper, Julio Cuello, dives towards the two - and comes up holding the ball, leaving the dog to its fate.
Last night, in a variation of the ad shown on TV3, Cuello catches the dog and shapes to punt it away.
Viewers have complained to Sky, which started screening the first version of the advertisement on Sunday, and to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which wants the advertisment withdrawn.
Kingz chief executive Simon Massey said Sky had received about 10 complaints.
It would apologise in writing to anyone who complained, but would not pull the advertisement, which was scheduled to run for another couple of weeks.
"I like it," Mr Massey said. "It's a funny, humorous spot. I certainly didn't intend to offend anybody."
He said the majority of people he had talked to liked the ad, which was created by the Kingz marketing team and advertising agency DDB.
He was confident it would get people talking and help sell more season tickets to the Kingz' games.
But SPCA chief executive Peter Blomkamp said the advertisement should be withdrawn.
He had not seen it, but the SPCA had received about 30 complaints.
He did not believe it was a "good image for children particularly' and had told Sky it was unsatisfactory.
"We would like to see the advertisement withdrawn and something more caring towards animals shown."
Mr Blomkamp had also written to TVNZ asking it to withdraw the ad.
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