Why ESPN is facing criticism after airing a fantasy football segment
Fantasy football is a popular activity in which millions of people participate every year.
Two of the most popular draft styles are snake, where owners select a player then wait as the order ascends then comes back; and auction, where bids are placed on players to help fill rosters.
ESPN aired their version of an auction draft Monday night. To say it was not received well might be an understatement.
Dear @ESPN,
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) August 15, 2017
Apologize now for doing a sketch where you auctioned a Black man off to the highest bidder. pic.twitter.com/D8SC1cjhBU
The skit received a ton of reaction. Some people likened it to a slave auction, especially with the broadcast coming just days after the racial violence in Charlottesville, Va. Others say a racist connection is a huge stretch.
Despite the differing views, the sports network issued an apology Tuesday.
“Auction drafts are a common part of fantasy football, and ESPN’s segments replicated an auction draft with a diverse slate of top professional football players,” ESPN said in a statement Tuesday. “Without that context, we understand the optics could be portrayed as offensive, and we apologize.”
Critics and backers of the segment took to Twitter to speak out on the issue.
This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 9:25 PM with the headline "Why ESPN is facing criticism after airing a fantasy football segment."