THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES KICK OFF THEIR 2024 SEASON THIS FRIDAY – IN THE FIRST NFL GAME EVER TO BE PLAYED IN BRAZIL.

AND AS THE EAGLES PREPARE TO FACE THE GREEN BAY PACKERS ABROAD – THEY ARE FACING ANOTHER ISSUE OFF THE FIELD HERE AT HOME – TACKLING A PROBLEM DESCRIBED BY THE TEAM AS “COUNTERFEIT POLITICAL ADS.”

IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ACROSS PHILLY – POSTERS HAVE BEEN POPPING UP SHOWING AN IMAGE OF DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS HOLDING A FOOTBALL AND WEARING AN EAGLES JERSEY – WITH THE CAPTION READING “KAMALA – OFFICIAL CANDIDATE OF THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES.”

THE POSTER FEATURES A LINK TO THE EAGLES WEBSITE’S VOTING INFORMATION SECTION.

WHILE THAT LINK IS THE REAL DEAL – THE EAGLES SAY THE POSTER AND THE ENDORSEMENT ARE NOT.

THE TEAM SENT OUT THIS MESSAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA MONDAY – SAYING “WE ARE AWARE COUNTERFEIT POLITICAL ADS ARE BEING CIRCULATED AND ARE WORKING WITH OUR ADVERTISING PARTNER TO HAVE THEM REMOVED.”

SO WHILE THE EAGLES DO HAVE OFFICIAL PARTNERS LIKE – CONVENIENCE STORE CHAIN WAWA BEING THE TEAM’S OFFICIAL HOAGIE – AND DUNKIN’ – BEING THE OFFICIAL COFFEE OF THE TEAM – THERE IS NO OFFICIAL EAGLES CANDIDATE – DESPITE WHAT THESE ADS SAY.

SO HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

A SPOKESPERSON FOR INTERSECTION – THE MEDIA COMPANY THAT OWNS THE BUS SHELTERS IN THE BATTLEGROUND STATE WHERE THE POSTERS ARE APPEARING – SAYS IN A STATEMENT SOMEONE TAMPERED WITH THE SHELTERS – REPLACING THE PAID ADVERTISEMENT WITH “UNAUTHORIZED COPY.”

THE SPOKESPERSON SAYS THOUGH THERE ARE LOCKS TO PREVENT VANDALISM LIKE THIS – “OCCASIONALLY PEOPLE FIND A WAY TO UNLOCK THE AD BOX AND INSERT UNAUTHORIZED COPY.”

THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA ALSO RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING “THIS WAS NOT A DIGITAL BREACH; WHOMEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ILLEGALLY PLACED POSTERS, BROKE INTO THE SECURELY COVERED SHELTER AD SPACE AND SOMEHOW PUT THE POSTERS IN THE SPACE.”

THE CITY BEGAN REMOVING THE POSTERS MONDAY AND WILL CONDUCT A FULL INVENTORY OF ITS BUS SHELTERS.

AT LAST CHECK – THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST SIX COUNTERFEIT ADS REPORTED ACROSS THE CITY.

WHILE SOME REPORTS POINT TO A PHILADELPHIA STREET ARTIST BEING BEHIND THE POSTERS – THAT HAS YET TO BE CONFIRMED.