Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Fresno Grizzlies Lose Sponsor Due to Ocasio-Cortez Video
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
May 30, 2019

Share

A company has cut ties with the Fresno Grizzlies after the baseball team played a Memorial Day video that included an image of Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with images of Kim Jong-un and Fidel Castro.

The Fresno Bee reported the raisin company Sun-Maid terminated its sponsorship of the Fresno Grizzlies on Wednesday.

The company acknowledged the Grizzlies apologized but said terminating the sponsorship was the right thing to do.

The Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals has said it failed to properly vet the video found on YouTube.

The video has patriotic images and excerpts from President Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural speech.

When Reagan mentions “enemies of freedom,” the video shows the North Korean leader, Ocasio-Cortez of New York and the late Cuban leader.

The team posted on Twitter, hours after the video was displayed, that it was “a pre-produced video from outside our front office” and that it contained “some misleading and offensive editing.”

Images of Anti-Fascist, Alt-Left Protesters

“We’re embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first,” the team posted.

About an hour later, the Grizzlies sent another tweet that said “we unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in addition to our fans, community and those we hurt.  It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.”

“We didn’t take the full steps to make sure that video was the right content for the ballclub.” — Grizzlies president Derek Franks

The video, shown between games of a double-header against the El Paso Chihuahuas, was lifted by a Grizzlies staff member from a third-party YouTube account, Grizzlies president Derek Franks said at a news conference Tuesday. “This was taken off the internet. Borrowed, if you will,” Franks said.

Images of anti-fascist, alt-left protesters also appear in the video.

Franks said the staff member who found and used the video was “remorseful.” He said the matter was being handled internally.

“We didn’t take the full steps to make sure that video was the right content for the ballclub,” Franks said.

DON'T MISS

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

DON'T MISS

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

DON'T MISS

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

DON'T MISS

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

DON'T MISS

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

DON'T MISS

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

DON'T MISS

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

DON'T MISS

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

UP NEXT

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

UP NEXT

Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on Mexico to Curb Immigration

UP NEXT

Sanger Men Arrested in Connection with Slingshot Vandalism Spree at Businesses

UP NEXT

What Is Sierra Unified’s Plan to Boost Lagging Student Achievement?

UP NEXT

Fresno State Bulldogs Stumble in Fourth Quarter, Suffer Narrow Loss to Hawai’i

UP NEXT

Challengers Seek Seats on Tulare County Irrigation District Boards

UP NEXT

Shy Pup Finds Hope with Foster Family, Evasion from Euthanasia

UP NEXT

AMOR Wellness Trunk-or-Treat Brings 700 Mendota Residents Together for Halloween Fun

UP NEXT

What Kind of Trouble Is Miguel Arias Trying to Stir Up This Time?

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Shot to Death at NW Apartment Complex Is Identified

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

4 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

4 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

4 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

4 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

5 hours ago

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

5 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

5 hours ago

Fresno Murder Suspect Stopped in Las Vegas, Others Wanted

6 hours ago

Trump’s Crowds Are Dwindling as His Campaign Winds Down

6 hours ago

Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on Mexico to Curb Immigration

6 hours ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

A driver suspected of being under the influence crashed into a California Highway Patrol car early Sunday, officials said. Officers were inv...

1 hour ago

A driver suspected of DUI crashed into a parked California Highway Patrol car at a fatal crash scene in Fresno County, sustaining minor injuries and later being cited. (Fresno County SO)
1 hour ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

fresno
2 hours ago

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

2 hours ago

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP/Ashley Landis)
4 hours ago

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

Voters cast their ballots at Desert Breeze Community Center in Las Vegas during the last day of in-person early voting in Nevada on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Nearly 75 million people have cast early ballots, making their voices heard amid worry about the process, the outcome and democracy itself. (Bridget Bennett/The New York Times)
4 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

4 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

4 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

5 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

Search

Send this to a friend