Reporter Wiley Ballard went viral after getting a fan’s number during the live broadcast of the baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Blue Jays. The journalist was heavily criticized for his behavior.
Wiley Ballard, a reporter for FanDuel Sports Network, sparked controversy on social media after being seen asking two female fans for their phone numbers during the Atlanta Braves vs. Blue Jays game.
In the video shared by Miles Garrett’s profile on X, the reporter is standing between two female fans. He asks one of them for her number, but she declines. Then, Ballard turns to the other woman and asks again.
Ballard’s broadcast colleagues appear to encourage him to keep trying. “Okay, Wiley. You’ve got five innings—four—to get the numbers,” one of the commentators says.
“I should’ve thought of this years ago,” says the reporter, making the team laugh. The woman gives Ballard his phone back and celebrates: “Got the number, mission accomplished.”
The video has surpassed 12 million views. Ballard’s attitude was criticized by fellow journalists. Kylen Mills, from Big Ten Network, commented on the incident.
“If it were a female reporter asking a man for his number, it would be seen as unprofessional. But when a man does it, it’s funny, and he gets to celebrate it,” Mills posted on her X profile.
“But here you see this inappropriate behavior being celebrated as ‘standard’ by several men in the comments. Misogyny is alive and well!” Mills replied to Garrett’s post praising Ballard.
Photos: X @MilesGarrettTV. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
If a woman covering a game started hitting on fans & asking for their numbers on TV they would be crucified on the internet & fired. But here you see this inappropriate behavior being celebrated as “the standard” by a slew of men in the comments. Misogyny is alive & well! https://t.co/LaesCIFrg8
— Kylen Mills (@KylenMills) April 15, 2025
