Balls-up: City spends £1k on giant balls to promote new sports centre – then defends the cost

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The university has spent over £6,500 to promote its new sports centre – including £999 on a giant pair of inflatable balls.

The balls, based on a football and a basketball, loomed above the university’s main entrance before CitySport opened in February.

City’s marketing team also spent a whopping £750 of your money on a performance by football freestyler Tom Folan outside the Students’ Union.

They splashed £900 on a banner that hung next to City’s refectory, as well as £315 on a balloon arch and £120 on flags.

This is not the first time this year that wacky promotional items have disappeared after a brief advertising campaign.

In November, Students’ Union officials wasted £600 on cardboard cutouts of themselves – then demanded refunds because they were not life-sized.

A university spokesperson defended the costs – because CitySport “competes with established chains without the benefit of an existing brand or reputation”.

The promotional campaign was intended to “engage the staff and student audience” and “convey the CitySport personality”, the spokesperson added.