The Charlotte Hornets have apologized for a promotional stunt gone wrong during a recent game against the Philadelphia 76ers. During the pre-game show, the team’s mascot, Hugo, dressed as Santa Claus, handed a 13-year-old fan a PlayStation 5 console. The unsuspecting fan, Jack, was overjoyed as the crowd cheered and congratulated him.
However, things took an awkward turn when a Hornets staff member discreetly took the console away from Jack off-camera and handed him a jersey instead. The fan’s uncle, Alexei Phillips, claimed that a staff member had whispered to him beforehand that the kids would not actually get to keep the presents, but this information was not shared with Jack.
The incident, captured in a post on X, has garnered 4.5 million views. The Hornets have since apologized, stating that the on-court skit “missed the mark” due to “bad decision making and poor communication.” The team has reached out to the family to apologize and has promised to provide Jack with the PlayStation 5 console and a VIP experience to a future game.
Phillips noted that the team’s apology was appreciated and that the incident did not leave a lasting bad impression. “The funny thing is, if he had just gone out in the first place and they just gave him a jersey out there on the court, he would have been stoked,” he said.
