Someone Actually Thought That Running This Misogynistic NBA Promo Was a Good Idea
In this week’s “what-the-hell-were-they-thinking?†news: A promotional video meant to entertain Cleveland Cavaliers fans in the arena during Wednesday night’s playoff game against the Chicago Bulls made domestic violence a punchline. Actually. The video, which attempted to spoof a popular UnitedHealthCare commercial, according to a statement from the Cavaliers organization, was meant to be funny, but it failed epically. See for yourself:
RELATED: We’re All Aware That Domestic Violence Is a Problem—Now What?
It’s probably fair to say that things got a bit awkward in the arena after that train wreck of a video made its debut. Not surprisingly, fans at the game were not amused.Â
Strangest thing of night: when videoscreen showed skit of a guy in Cavs gear throwing girlfriend across room until she removed Bulls gear.
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) May 7, 2015
Once the video made it to YouTube, the reactions continued.Â
Not only does the video show abuse but it also subjugates women. Her opinion does not matter at all if its different? #Cavs #Cavaliers
— Sahar_K (@Sahar_K1) May 7, 2015
In their statement about the incident, released yesterday on NBA.com, the Cavaliers organization said, “While the video was not intended to be offensive, it was a mistake to include content that made light of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a very serious matter and has no place in a parody video that plays in an entertainment venue. We sincerely apologize to those who have been affected by domestic violence for the obvious negative feelings caused by being exposed to this insensitive video.â€
RELATED:Â The Other Side of Domestic Violence: Male Victims
While it’s nice that the Cavs made an effort to recognize their big mistake, it’s highly unlikely that this will be the last time this kind of thing happens. Let’s get it together, people. Â
If you are experiencing domestic violence, you can learn steps to take to end the cycle. You can also call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233).