2 months ago
The Washington Wizards apologized connected Thursday aft an April Fools’ Day in-game promotion during their nonaccomplishment to nan Philadelphia 76ers prompted disapproval connected societal media.
During Wednesday night’s crippled astatine Capital One Arena, a instrumentality was brought connected to nan tribunal for a blindfolded half-court changeable promoted arsenic being worthy $10,000. The changeable missed, but arena unit and performers reacted arsenic if it had gone successful and concisely presented nan instrumentality pinch a ceremonial cheque arsenic portion of what later was revealed to a scripted skit.
Video of nan series circulated online and led to questions astir whether nan instrumentality had been misled.
“To do this to a instrumentality that chose to travel spot a 17-win squad is unhinged,” Jemele Hill, a contributing newsman for nan Atlantic, wrote connected X.
“This is truthful on-brand for nan Wizards season,” erstwhile NFL executive turned expert Andrew Brandt added. “Finding caller ways to offend their (few) fans.”
As nan backlash mounted Thursday morning, nan Wizards said successful a connection that nan conception was pre-planned and that each participants were alert of nan joke.
“We apologize for past night’s April Fools’ joke that near galore wondering if we had misled a fan,” nan squad said in a connection posted to X. “The skit involving our mascot and different members of our capacity squad was scripted and intended to observe nan day. All participants were successful connected nan joke, but we missed nan mark.”
The squad added that it remains “committed to providing a affirmative acquisition to each who be our games”.
Washington mislaid nan crippled 153-131 and are 17-59 this season, dormant past successful nan Eastern Conference.
