The expression losing franchises do losing things can be deemed a bit harsh considering all that it takes for an NBA program to be successful. It seems fitting for the Washington Wizards, who have the worst record in the NBA at 17-59. And apparently the worst promotional team known to man.
Wizards’ Joke Inside An April Fool’s Joke Was Really More Jokes On Their Fans
The Wizards actually April-fooled everyone by making people think that they made a fan think he won $10K in an April Fool’s prank by pretending he made a blindfolded half-court shot.
The prank got so out of control that nobody knew the fan was actually an employee in on a skit, which a lot of NBA fans didn’t think made the situation any better.
Fans Didn’t Find 17-29 Wizard’s April fool’s Day Joke Funny
How else can you explain this?
Absolutely nobody seemed to think the prank was funny or added any value to the public’s perception of the franchise.
Former ESPN columnist and on-air personality Jemele Hill said it best:
“To do this to a fan that chose to come see a 17-win team is unhinged”
Considering the product that franchises put on the floor each night, you’d think they would want to do something more fan friendly. Making fans think that a fan who actually paid to get into a Wizards game was pranked in such a brutal manner is just nasty business. Then divulging that the fan wasn’t a fan and it was just an employee in on a joke is, well, exactly what you would expect from the Wizards.
Fans React To Wizard’s $10K April Fool’s Prank Played On Fan
“‘They knew to get a white person to do this lmao,” one fan said on X. “Cus u fake give a n-gga 10 bands thinkign he finna change his life, man I wuda started swingin on all they ass”
“The worst time to reveal a prank is the moment someone thinks their life just changed…,” another fan said.
“Imagien getting trolled by the worst team in the league,” a third fan added.
One fan attempted to put a damper on the critics by reporting that it was “classy of the Wizards to still hook him up with courtside seats next year (when they’ll be very competitive) and a signed jersey. We’re acting like we’ve never seen a fan get pranked before.”
But no one could figure out if he was joking or being dead serious — about the Wizards being competitive next year that is.
“Classy would have been giving him the 10K,” one user quipped.
“Classy????CLASSY??? It’s the very LEAST they could do!Lol”
Fans Don’t Think Jokes About Money Fly In This Economy
It did seem a bit weird. Think about it. What kind of franchise would even attempt to make fans think that they were acknowledging April Fool’s Day by deceiving another fan of this nature in this kind of economic environment?
“Either way – I think corporations are seriously misreading the mood right now if they think jokes are money are going to land well,” said one netizen who didn’t find the prank/skit funny.
“At this point, they just gotta pay the man,” one user said.
“Idc about the April Fool’s prank, they running me that bread,” another insisted.
Wizards Admit to Missing The Mark With April Fool’s Joke In Statement
Even after the Wizards put out a press release basically apologizing for misleading everyone, people still didn’t find it funny. And some suggested there were other reports that disputed the Wizards’ account of what happened.
Hill then reposted the statement the Wizards organization made about the failed April Fool’s joke.
“Aha! So it wasn’t just a normal fan who didn’t get the 10K but a team employee who was in on the joke.”
“We apologize for last night’s April Fool’s joke that left many wondering if we had misled a fan. The skit involving our mascot and other members of our performance team was scripted and intended to celebrate the day, all participants were in on the joke but we missed the mark. Our fans are our priority and we continue to be committed to providing positive experience to all who attend out games”
Fans Say Clarification Makes Washington Wizards April Fool’s Prank Worse
“So instead of fooling one person they fooled everyone in attendance. Doesn’t make it any better. Actually worse,” one unforgiving fan said.
“This attention for trying to be a joke for a joke franchise is the most attention they got so good for them, finally trending,” said another fed-up fan.
The Wizards admit that the joke was a miss all the way around. I wish we could say something different for the franchise since the John Wall days.
