Fox Sports apologized for a tasteless graphic shown during the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox game Saturday night. In the middle of Baseball Night in America, the network showed a graphic with the longtime baseball rivals’ logos superimposed onto the memorial pools at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The pools were built at the spots where the World Trade Center Twin Towers stood and are surrounded by the names of those killed in the 2001 and 1993 terrorist attacks.
“During last night’s telecast, we used poor judgment on the use of a graphic,” a Fox Sports spokesman told USA Today Sunday morning. “We sincerely apologize and regret the decision.”
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The graphic instantly went viral on social media, with many wondering how such a mistake could have been made in the first place. “Hard to believe. [Fox Sports] owes the 9/11 community an apology. On air,” 9/11 Dayย organizers tweeted. “For those who do not recognize this aerial image, it is Ground Zero of the 9/11 attacks. The logos are where the WTC Twin Towers used to be, now the sacred pools of the [September 11 Memorial].”
‘Beyond offensive’
The Sept. 11 memorial openedย on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It was designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker. It includes twin waterfall pools surrounded by bronze parapets with the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1992 World Trade Center bombing. The memorial pools are surrounded by over 400 swamp white oak trees, representing species of trees native to all three 9/11 crash sites.
‘One of the more disgraceful things your network has done’
Scroll on to see other shocking reactions to Fox’s graphic. It overshadowed the game, as the Yankees dominated the Red Sox, 14-1. ย
‘Who approved this?’
“Absolutely agree. Downright disrespectful. This is terrible. Who approved this?!?!” one person tweeted.
‘Clearly wrong’
“Who was the idiot that did this graphic?I am not easily offended but this one is clearly wrong,” one Twitter user wrote.ย
‘MLB error of the year’
“The MLB Error of the year goes to FOX Sports,” one baseball fan wrote.
‘How did no one catch this?’
“This is horrible. How many insensitive people had to okay this before putting it on air?” one person wrote.