When it comes to sideline reporting, the on-field reporter for an MLB team is among the most coveted jobs in baseball media. Reporters work incredibly hard to get into that role, and nearly everyone approaches the job with professionalism.
Braves reporter Wiley Ballard completely failed in that regard on Monday.
Ballard — who works with the Braves’ broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network — was interviewing two women in the crowd during Atlanta’s win over the Blue Jays in Toronto. Ballard took a flirtatious approach throughout the entire interview, and with the encouragement of announcers Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski, Ballard reached for his phone and asked for the fan’s phone number.
Shoutout to my guy @wileyballard_ setting the standard for sports reporters getting a phone number out in the wild.
10/10 work
🎥@fanduelsnbravespic.twitter.com/RFEyd605Lb
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) April 15, 2025
How did he think this was an appropriate place for that? Ballard was theoretically there to do a job, but he opted to use his position as a reporter to put a stranger on the spot — with the pressure of it unfolding on live television.
Yet, the entire broadcast applauded Ballard’s efforts while seemingly ignoring how this exchange would have played out had a female reporter asked for a man’s number on the air.
Understandably, Ballard faced plenty of criticism from his peers in sports media. It wasn’t fun TV. It was unprofessional and weird.
This was how Twitter/X reacted
💡 Pro tip to any sports reporters out there: don’t do this! https://t.co/57MhsnK8km
— Krissy Birdsall (@KrissyBirdsall) April 15, 2025
Hey, journalists. Don’t do this https://t.co/q8NyggjrPp
— Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman) April 15, 2025
That everyone involved thought this was ok to execute & air (and post to social media to celebrate it) is a perfect descriptor of the difference between being a man and a woman working in this industry. @FanDuelSNBraveshttps://t.co/xCHpkD50Kl
— Kim Adams (@_kimadams) April 15, 2025
Imagine if a female reporter did anything like this. Career over. Pretty brutal to see it glorified by the broadcast. https://t.co/01A5CAkpP1
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) April 15, 2025
An unprofessional disgrace, from the reporter, to the guys in the booth, to the producer in the truck who could’ve stopped it at any point.
It’s not “fun”. It’s not “cool”. It’s not “harmless”. And it’s only a “standard”’for harassment. https://t.co/6mcXzv1bwY
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) April 15, 2025
This is one of the most insanely inappropriate things I’ve ever seen. Like I legitimately cannot believe it’s real. https://t.co/gj2WGbkmjQ
— Kate Feldman (@kateefeldman) April 15, 2025
If this were a female reporter asking for a man’s number, it would be unprofessional. But if a man does it, it’s funny and acceptable to take multiple victory laps after doing so.
Misogyny is alive and well, folks! https://t.co/29J6Y4PMd6
— Emma Lingan (@emma_lingan) April 15, 2025
Example #28495 why men get away with the bottom of the barrel content because misogyny is alive and well in sports television. A woman could never and would never without losing their job over this.
Lazy, disappointing, offensive, grimey, I could go on. Yikes all around. https://t.co/JE1ijBpP7J
— Rachel Hopmayer (@rachelhopmayer) April 15, 2025
If I had ever done anything close to this, my career would be over. This is…flabbergasting. https://t.co/LuCtbXFrei
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) April 15, 2025
Such a bad look.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Braves reporter Wiley Ballard deservedly criticized after his inappropriate on-air exchange with a fan
When it comes to sideline reporting, the on-field reporter for an MLB team is among the most coveted jobs in baseball media. Reporters work incredibly hard to get into that role, and nearly everyone approaches the job with professionalism.
Braves reporter Wiley Ballard completely failed in that regard on Monday.
Ballard — who works with the Braves’ broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network — was interviewing two women in the crowd during Atlanta’s win over the Blue Jays in Toronto. Ballard took a flirtatious approach throughout the entire interview, and with the encouragement of announcers Brandon Gaudin and C.J. Nitkowski, Ballard reached for his phone and asked for the fan’s phone number.
Shoutout to my guy @wileyballard_ setting the standard for sports reporters getting a phone number out in the wild.
10/10 work
🎥@fanduelsnbravespic.twitter.com/RFEyd605Lb
— Miles Garrett (@MilesGarrettTV) April 15, 2025
How did he think this was an appropriate place for that? Ballard was theoretically there to do a job, but he opted to use his position as a reporter to put a stranger on the spot — with the pressure of it unfolding on live television.
Yet, the entire broadcast applauded Ballard’s efforts while seemingly ignoring how this exchange would have played out had a female reporter asked for a man’s number on the air.
Understandably, Ballard faced plenty of criticism from his peers in sports media. It wasn’t fun TV. It was unprofessional and weird.
This was how Twitter/X reacted
💡 Pro tip to any sports reporters out there: don’t do this! https://t.co/57MhsnK8km
— Krissy Birdsall (@KrissyBirdsall) April 15, 2025
Hey, journalists. Don’t do this https://t.co/q8NyggjrPp
— Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman) April 15, 2025
That everyone involved thought this was ok to execute & air (and post to social media to celebrate it) is a perfect descriptor of the difference between being a man and a woman working in this industry. @FanDuelSNBraveshttps://t.co/xCHpkD50Kl
— Kim Adams (@_kimadams) April 15, 2025
Imagine if a female reporter did anything like this. Career over. Pretty brutal to see it glorified by the broadcast. https://t.co/01A5CAkpP1
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) April 15, 2025
An unprofessional disgrace, from the reporter, to the guys in the booth, to the producer in the truck who could’ve stopped it at any point.
It’s not “fun”. It’s not “cool”. It’s not “harmless”. And it’s only a “standard”’for harassment. https://t.co/6mcXzv1bwY
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) April 15, 2025
This is one of the most insanely inappropriate things I’ve ever seen. Like I legitimately cannot believe it’s real. https://t.co/gj2WGbkmjQ
— Kate Feldman (@kateefeldman) April 15, 2025
If this were a female reporter asking for a man’s number, it would be unprofessional. But if a man does it, it’s funny and acceptable to take multiple victory laps after doing so.
Misogyny is alive and well, folks! https://t.co/29J6Y4PMd6
— Emma Lingan (@emma_lingan) April 15, 2025
Example #28495 why men get away with the bottom of the barrel content because misogyny is alive and well in sports television. A woman could never and would never without losing their job over this.
Lazy, disappointing, offensive, grimey, I could go on. Yikes all around. https://t.co/JE1ijBpP7J
— Rachel Hopmayer (@rachelhopmayer) April 15, 2025
If I had ever done anything close to this, my career would be over. This is…flabbergasting. https://t.co/LuCtbXFrei
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) April 15, 2025
Such a bad look.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Braves reporter Wiley Ballard deservedly criticized after his inappropriate on-air exchange with a fan
