Reporter sparks controversy after getting Blue Jays fan's number on live broadcast
Photo credit: Sports Illustrated
In the top of the fifth inning in a game between the Blue Jays and Braves, FanDuel Sports Network reporter Wiley Ballard went viral for an unexpected reason.
Fanduel sportcaster Wiley Ballard didn't hold back during Monday night's matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves, picking up a fan's number on live air.
Ballard was in the crowd interviewing two female fans when a curious exchange took place.
Miles Garrett took to the X and posted the legendary exchange from the broadcast.
Shoutout to my guy @wileyballard_ setting the standard for sports reporters getting a phone number out in the wild. 10/10 work
After succesfully getting the girl's number Ballard then joked that he may have found his new top pick-up line.
Sean Neuman from People writes that social media users widely criticized the Braves broadcast team for turning what was supposed to be a fan interview into what many perceived as an awkward attempt to flirt during the team's game against the Blue Jays.
Braves broadcast analyst C.J. Nitkowski added to the controversy by joking that men should walk around baseball stadiums with a microphone and earpiece to ask women for their phone numbers, a comment that drew even more backlash online.
Many sports reporters later criticized Ballard and the Braves broadcast team on social media, calling out the segment as inappropriate and unprofessional.
CBS MLB editor Katie Fieldman has this to say following the broadcast.
«This is one of the most insanely inappropriate things I've ever seen. Like I legitimately cannot believe it's real." -Fieldman
Washington Post sports reporter Chelsea Janes weighed in as well with her own comments.
«Imagine if a female reporter did anything like this. Career over. Pretty brutal to see it glorified by the broadcast.» -Janes
Nauman also writes that Dallas Morning News baseball reporter Evan Grant commented on the incident, saying it highlighted the ongoing double standard between genders. He emphasized that the situation was inherently wrong and showed that it's not the same for both genders.
«If a female sideline/dugout reporter did this‚ she'd be called horrible names and probably be run out of town." -Grant
What do you make of the situation?
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