Charlotte Hornets issue public apology after promotional skit involving a kid goes horribly wrong

The Charlotte Hornets conducted a Christmas-themed promotional skit during Monday's 121-108 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, many were left confused and outraged upon discovering a child was shortchanged off-camera, resulting in the organization's public apology.

Midway through Monday's contest, Charlotte's mascot, Hugo the Hornet, dressed up as Santa Claus and distributed gifts to young fans, fulfilling their Christmas wishes. One child's request for a PlayStation 5 was seemingly granted, to the applause of the Spectrum Center crowd.

However, X/Twitter user @StanUsmnt, a self-proclaimed close friend of the boy's family, promptly called out the franchise for allegedly deceiving fans. According to the user, the giveaway was only for show, and the Hornets later took back the PS5 behind the scenes, replacing it with a team jersey.

"You guys want to see a cheap sports organization? In this video, my best friend and his nephew get called onto (the) court for a special segment where they gift the kid a PS5 publicly. With cameras off, they TOOK IT AWAY and gave him a jersey," @StanUsmnt wrote. "Take a bow, Hornets. (You) crushed the kid."

The accusation ultimately proved accurate. After facing extensive fan backlash, Charlotte issued an apologetic statement the following day, adding that it planned to make it up to the child.

"During last night's game there was an on-court skit that missed the mark," the organization said. "The skit included bad decision-making and poor communication. Simply put, we turned the ball over and we apologize. We have reached out to the family and are committed to not only making it right but to exceeding expectations."

Per WCNC Charlotte's Nick Carboni, the Hornets are "giving the kid a PS5 and (a) VIP experience for (a) future game."

Nevertheless, the debacle could change how some view in-game fan segments.

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Hornets' fan giveaway mishap overshadows another loss for struggling squad

Monday's Christmas promotional segment gone wrong overshadowed another defeat for Charlotte. The loss marked the team's 10th in its last 11 outings, dropping it to 7-19, the NBA's fifth-worst record.

Between the franchise's apparent stinginess and its subpar on-court product, Hornets fans have seemingly had a rough go lately.

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