Bally Sports crew bamboozled by fake Leafs trade, report it on live television
With the trade deadline looming, sports journalists and panelists are scouring the web for trade rumours and scoops. This job is made much more difficult by some people who like to make fake accounts that look official and "break trade news". The results are often hilarious, people freak out, and once in a while, someone in the media takes the bait.
A fake Toronto Maple Leafs account posted an absolutely horrible trade announcement on Thursday. The trade was Ben Chiarot and a 3rd round draft pick for Topi Niemela, Matthew Knies and a 1st round pick. Arguably Toronto's 2 best prospects and the best of their 3 picks in the 2022 draft for a rental defenceman, and not a great one. If that trade happens, Kyle Dubas' next job should be making double doubles at a Tim's in the Soo.
Looks official right? The panel at Bally Sports, an American broadcaster with rights to regional NHL games, thought so. Unfortunately for them, the internet rarely misses when someone blunders, and never, ever forgets.
Let their misfortune be a lesson, always check your sources before repeating what you saw on the internet, especially if you happen to be on live TV.
