(Getty)
While Twitter can be an invaluable tool that allows fans and athletes to interact in unique ways, it can also help quickly magnify the most vitriolic, unintelligent viewpoints.
Curt Schilling found out the latter last month when he sent out the following Tweet:
(Screenshot via Boston.com)
The six-time All-Star quickly deleted the Tweet, but it was far too late. It had already been re-Tweeted and screenshot and seen by thousands of people around the world. He wasn’t fired, although it didn’t take long for ESPN to suspend him for the remainder of the 2015 MLB season.
ESPN Public Relations’ Josh Krulewitz explained the decision:
At all times during the course of their engagement with us, our commentators are directly linked to ESPN and are the face of our brand. We are a sports media company. Curt’s actions have not been consistent with his contractual obligations nor have they been professionally handled; they have obviously not reflected well on the company. As a result, he will not appear on ESPN through the remainder of the regular season and our Wild Card playoff game.
Fortunately for baseball fans, Schilling’s absence paves the way for rising star analyst Jessica Mendoza, who is replacing him on “Sunday Night Baseball.”
The two-time Olympic softball medalist started making appearances on “Baseball Tonight” in 2014, and earlier this year, she became the first female analyst to work an MLB game for ESPN. She has received rave reviews during her transition to the booth, earning praise for her “camaraderie with the play-by-play announcer Dan Shulman and the analyst John Kruk,” as well as her knowledge of batting mechanics.
So, while Schilling’s Tweet and subsequent suspension wasn’t a great look for ESPN, it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Worldwide Leader in Sports.