On Monday, Atlanta Braves reporter Wiley Ballard went viral during an in-game segment where he interviewed two female Braves fans. As the segment seemed ready to conclude, Braves play-by-play announcer Brandon Gaudin chimed in with, “Okay, Wiley, you’ve got four innings to get the numbers.” Ballard humorously replied, “I’m on it, I’m on it,” turning the moment into a viral sensation.
While the Braves were trying to score runs, their sideline reporter was out here scoring digits.pic.twitter.com/Zdt1CdNc3g
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 15, 2025
However, Ballard faced scrutiny from many women in the industry on Tuesday, with some calling his actions “insanely inappropriate.” Critics pointed out how the situation might have been perceived if the genders had been reversed. Undeterred, Ballard returned to the air with a different in-game segment, participating in a $1 hotdog promotion where he found a friend to join him on the in-stadium wiener seesaw.
Do with this what you will. pic.twitter.com/8qE11dP9W7
— Luz (@luzthegoosey) April 16, 2025
Commenting on the lighter segment, Braves game analyst CJ Nitkowski said, “Some good wholesome fun,” possibly alluding to the controversy of the previous night. The Braves could benefit from focusing on family-friendly events in the future to steer clear of any additional headaches.
