Strip club ad runs in University of Alabama newspaper

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Christian Examiner) – Students were shocked and concerned to see an advertisement for a Dallas strip club in the Sports section of the University of Alabama newspaper, The Crimson White.

The image showed the torso of a woman holding a football and wearing a white cutoff shirt with the website of the club, Baby Dolls Saloon, across the chest. The text said, "Our halftime show is better than theirs!" and advertised free admission with ticket stubs.

But students question the appropriateness of the ad. Alabama student Alex Pledger told WIAT 42 he found the appearance of the ad in the paper surprising.

"I mean, whoever was in charge of placing the ad from Dallas, though, was smart," he said. "I was just really surprised that the university would allow it."

The timing of the ad was placed to attract students who traveled to Arlington for a Crimson Tide game scheduled on Sept. 5 against the Wisconsin Badgers.

It appeared at the bottom of a page in the Aug. 31 edition of the paper and at first glance seemed to target sports fans.

Pledger said he wasn't offended by the ad but that others were. He didn't realize the paper would allow a strip club to advertise to students.

The Crimson White media kit tells potential advertisers it prints and delivers 11,000 issues twice a week to over 150 campus locations as well as Tuscaloosa and Northport. According to the kit, one third of Alabama's 36,000 students belong to a Greek organization, giving the university the nation's largest fraternity and sorority community.

The color ad probably cost the strip club more than $100.

University officials told the local news station that they did not supervise advertisements in the student paper. Queries to the paper itself have not yet been returned, WIAT 42 reported.