The Cleveland Cavaliers issued an apology Thursday for a video played in Quicken Loans Arena during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Chicago Bulls.
Cleveland.com reported that organization drew a ton of criticism on social media for a video spoof of the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing. Only in this video instead of doing the famous lift, a man tosses his girlfriend to the ground because she is a fan of the opposing team.
ESPN noted that during the video the man says, "Bulls fan? I didn't know you were a Bulls fan." An announcer is then heard saying “When it's playoff basketball time, you have to be all-in. Don't make the same mistake she made."
Given where we are today with the discussions and concerns that have been raised in the sports world pertaining to domestic violence, it’s mind-boggling that the Cavs actually showed something like this.
After the outrage from fans, the team released the following statement apologizing for the video:
During a timeout at last night's Cavaliers vs. Bulls playoff game at The Q in Cleveland, we ran a 1-minute in-arena video that was intended to be a humorous spoof on a popular commercial centered on a song and dance from the classic movie Dirty Dancing. 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.
The Cavaliers organization has a strong and lengthy track record of supporting domestic violence-related causes and efforts. We will continue to proudly work with our regional partners at the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center in support of their numerous programs to end domestic violence in our country once and for all.
For more sports news follow Michelle on Twitter @PhilaMichelle
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