San Francisco

Airplane Banner Calling for Trent Baalke's Firing to Be Flown Over Levi's Stadium

A GoFundMe petition created on Monday to gather donations for the banner doubled its $1,076 goal in less than 24 hours

An airplane set to fly overhead Levi's Stadium during the 49ers' next home game will have a special message for the San Francisco organization.

Nearly 91 people raised over $2,250 via GoFundMe to fly a banner that will call for the 49ers to fire General Manager Trent Baalke.

The petition was created on Monday and doubled its $1,076 goal in less than 24 hours, according to the GoFundMe page.

As for what's going to happen with that excess cash, organizers wrote on the page that they plan to lift another plane into the sky during another home contest this season and flash a similar sentiment.

Baalke has been under increased scrutiny for what critics say is lackluster team management ever since San Francisco parted ways with former head coach Jim Harbaugh in 2014. Since that time, the 49ers have amassed just six wins to go along with 17 losses. San Francisco is currently sitting in dead last in its division and has been routinely gashed on defense among other deficiencies.

Frustrated fans have not been shy in voicing their displeasure with the team's management. Someone vandalized Baalke's Wikipedia page after San Francisco's most recent 34-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday.

"Despite the incredibly awful job he has done, and continued success in embarrassing and destroying this organization, gutless Jed York refuses to fire Baalke," someone wrote on Wikipedia, which was then reported by the Mercury News. "An 11-year-old can see that Baalke is running this team into the ground, but York doesn’t care as long as he continues to make a profit."

The scheduled demonstration will not be the first time someone has tried to pass along a message to the organization via the friendly skies. A small aircraft circled Levi's Stadium last season calling for the 49ers and owner Jed York to part ways.

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NBC Bay Area
A banner flies over Levi's Stadium on Nov. 29, 2015 reading "Jed & 49ers Should Mutually Part Ways."

NBC Bay Area is awaiting comment from the banner's organizers and the San Francisco 49ers organization.

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