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submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

The skit that "missed the mark" occurred in a break in play during the second quarter of Charlotte's game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. The child was brought onto the court with Hugo, the Hornets' mascot, dressed as Santa Claus. After a letter to Santa requesting a PS5 was read out loud, a cheerleader came out with a bag containing the video game console.

The young fan was visibly overjoyed as he received the pricy gift. However, according to an online acquaintance, he was less happy when the cameras turned off and a Hornets staffer took it away, replacing it with a jersey.

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[-] NutWrench@lemmy.ml 178 points 2 weeks ago

The skit that "missed the mark" . . .

Quit sucking up to corporate America, yahoo sports writer. The Hornets farked up a simple PR event in every way it was possible TO fark up. They baited and switched a PS5 with a t-shirt and thought no one would find out about it.

[-] theangryseal@lemmy.world 114 points 2 weeks ago

And they have so damn much money that giving him the PS5 would have been like you or me flicking a penny to the kid.

People suck sometimes, I swear.

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[-] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 175 points 2 weeks ago
[-] NateNate60@lemmy.world 53 points 2 weeks ago

How would this commenter know that?

[-] ogeist@lemmy.world 69 points 2 weeks ago

I mean surely it could be a lie but they just took away a PS5 from a kid...

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[-] tobogganablaze@lemmus.org 41 points 2 weeks ago

By having met her.

[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 19 points 2 weeks ago

Source: trust me bro

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[-] ShellMonkey@lemmy.socdojo.com 141 points 2 weeks ago

I might suggest that the kid got a nicer present in the form of a reason to file suit against the team for the embarrassment and emotional distress. Using the kid for a BS publicity stunt is not acceptable.

[-] DarkThoughts@fedia.io 130 points 2 weeks ago

Jfc... How much of a psychopathic piece of shit do you have to be, to hurt a kid's feelings like that?! I fucking hate people.

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 20 points 2 weeks ago

It reminds me of the Santa mall scene in a Christmas Story

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[-] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 128 points 2 weeks ago

LOL. Cheap bastards. I mean, PS5 is an expensive gift, but not for such an occasion, no?

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 105 points 2 weeks ago

The team has revenue in the millions. They'd never have noticed the money. This should be in the dictionary under Penny Wise, Pound Foolish.

[-] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 24 points 2 weeks ago

Kinda reminiscent of various Russian official events involving children.

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[-] DandomRude@lemmy.world 81 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Compared to the marketing expenses of even very small companies, a PS5 is so ridiculously cheap that these costs are not even worth mentioning.

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[-] CileTheSane@lemmy.ca 36 points 2 weeks ago

If a PS5 is too expensive to give away, then don't pretend to give one away.

I feel like I shouldn't have to say this.

[-] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 21 points 2 weeks ago

It could have literally been a tax write off

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[-] LovableSidekick@lemmy.world 105 points 2 weeks ago

This means there was at least one meeting where this plan was discussed and approved by multiple staffers who have jobs and salaries and manage to find their way to work and back home at night.

[-] Dnb@lemmy.dbzer0.com 46 points 2 weeks ago

Likely it cost more to have said meeting than the ps5 itself

[-] PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago

I can almost guarantee that one of them wanted the PS5 for themselves, and insisted on swapping it out so they could take the console.

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[-] ramenshaman@lemmy.world 104 points 2 weeks ago

I guess I'll continue not watching basketball or football or whatever

[-] RandoMcRanderton@lemmy.world 39 points 2 weeks ago

"Did you see that ludicrous display last night?"

[-] dumbass@leminal.space 24 points 2 weeks ago

The thing about Arsenal is they always try to walk it in!

[-] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 18 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah. Fuck this noise. I'm boycotting the Hornets. You won't catch me at a Hornets Football match!

[-] Beacon@fedia.io 102 points 2 weeks ago

That's called theft. Legally a gift is irrevocable once it's given.

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[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 69 points 2 weeks ago

I swear The Boys gets more and more blatant with how evil Corporate America is, but cmon, this episode is just completely ridiculous. Not even Homelander would be that ev....

Wait this happened in a REAL Sportsball game? This is not a bit? sugh

I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed

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[-] aesthelete@lemmy.world 59 points 2 weeks ago

It'd be nice if people stopped acting like fucking psychos.

[-] jimbolauski@lemm.ee 28 points 2 weeks ago

$500 for good press or $0 for bad. Looks like Charlotte is as bad at math as they are at basketball.

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[-] weew@lemmy.ca 58 points 2 weeks ago

What fucking cheapskates.

Do they make their players turn out their pockets after each game in case they picked up some loose change off the ground too? Lol

[-] ansiz@lemmy.world 53 points 2 weeks ago

I feel like this is so boneheaded that it has to be the case where the staff member in charge of this giveaway just wanted to keep the PS5 themselves and thought the kids wouldn't complain about the ol' switcheroo! This just even sounds like something Michael Scott would have done in The Office.

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 49 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

No, Michael Scott is a moron, not a jackass. He wouldn't pull this shit. He's tone deaf, he constantly thinks he's doing the right thing without realizing why what he's doing has the opposite of the intended effect even when it's obvious to everyone else. Giving a kid something he wants and then taking it away when no one's look is a move of calculated evil.

He'd imply heavily a PS5 then give the kid a Jersey, at no point would he actually have the thing in the kid's hand and then take it back.

Maybe that's just me, but I don't see Michael Scott as a character that would knowingly choose to do something immoral. He'd do a bad deed, but without realizing it.

Mike Scott's more the "We're taking away free tampons on the women's room, because we just don't have the money for luxury goods." type, who's then baffled when he's called sexist because he legitimately believed tampons were a luxury. Not the "Promote a woman? Are you insane? This is a man's office sweetheart!" type.

I could totally see Dwight taking the PS5 for himself and mocking the kid over it though. Even then he'd do it out of Chaos, not Evil.

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[-] lorty@lemmy.ml 51 points 2 weeks ago

I bet the price of that console was going to break their bank.

[-] KingOfTheCouch@lemmy.ca 50 points 2 weeks ago

I mean I would get it if they had an empty box out on the court for the show, and then having to take away the empty show box... But they gave the kid a jersey instead? Wtf?

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[-] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 48 points 2 weeks ago

That's fucked up.

[-] MummifiedClient5000@feddit.dk 33 points 2 weeks ago
[-] Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

They're Hornets. Being stingy bastards is in the name!

[-] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 33 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

wait what? did they go back to the store and ask for a refund on the PS5, lol.... someone was like "that is fine we will just apologize and save a couple hundred bucks!"

[-] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 31 points 2 weeks ago

Goddamn hornets, this is why everyone prefers bees

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[-] VinesNFluff@pawb.social 27 points 2 weeks ago

Certain headlines get really funny if you pretend sports don't exist.

Or, in my case for this particular situation, if you are a foreigner and are missing a lot of context for American Sports.

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[-] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 25 points 2 weeks ago

That sounds about right, I've never gotten anything nice from a hornet. The one time I did get something from a hornet, it was a painful disappointment.

[-] randon31415@lemmy.world 24 points 2 weeks ago
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[-] morphballganon@lemmy.world 19 points 2 weeks ago

The only conceivable explanation is that the person who planned this sees audience members as less than human.

[-] Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 weeks ago

See this is why everyone hates Hornets, first the bullshit with the not making any honey and then this shit. They're so aggressive.

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this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2024
758 points (98.8% liked)

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