By Tim Binnall
A professional soccer team in Spain has undergone a rather remarkable rebranding by changing their name to Flat Earth FC in support of the controversial conspiracy theory. The surprising transformation was reportedly announced on Friday by club president Javi Poves in a video released by the organization formerly known as Mostoles Balompie. In the dramatic presentation, he declared "we are born to unite the voices of millions of Flat Earth movement followers and all those people who are looking for answers."
Poves went on to note that "football is the most popular sport and has the most impact worldwide, so creating a club dedicated to the Flat Earth movement is the best way to have a constant presence in the media." While it seems unlikely that ESPN will start regularly covering a relatively obscure football team in Spain, his observation appears to be partially correct in the sense that the club's odd name change has sparked headlines well beyond the borders of the country in which they play.
However, Poves asserted that the rebranding was about something more significant than merely generating a bevy of free publicity. "This will also be the first football club associated with a cause and an idea, without having a specific location," he declared. Rather than being beholden to a country or a city, Poves argued, fans of Flat Earth FC "are united by the most important thing, which is an idea." To that end, the team's website has also been transformed to reflect their new purpose and, presumably, sell what will probably be a 'must have' merchandise for Flat Earth fans.