ESPN has apologized for playing the Confederate Civil War anthem "Dixie" during its Colts-Texans NFL Wild Card telecast Saturday.
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Some TV viewers accused ESPN of racial insensitivity on social media after watching the graphic depicting Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as a Civil War officer, while "Dixie" sounded in the background.
MORE: "Monday Night Football" is in a mid-life crisis
The graphic was supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek homage to the humorous @CaptAndrewLuck Twitter account, which imagines the Colts QB as a Civil War officer writing home to his Mother. But some viewers weren't laughing on social media Saturday night.
"Is George Pickett running the graphics department at ESPN," asked Michael Baumann, a staff writer at Bill Simmons' "The Ringer," in a reference to the Confederate general who led the final charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Reinforcements along the Colts' offensive line have kept Captain Andrew Luck upright in 2018. pic.twitter.com/4wKsBsdzuH
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 5, 2019
"Dixie" was not part of the graphic when the piece was initially produced and approved, a source told SN. Instead, the song was dropped into the piece at the last moment by a staffer in the production truck. A source said ESPN addressed the issue with the staffer, but would not elaborate on the outcome.
“It was a mistake to use this song. We regret having done so and we apologize," said ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz in a statement to SN.
In a weird, ahistorical touch, Luck's blue-clad Union officer is "protected" by soldiers/offensive linemen wearing both the grey and blue uniforms of the Confederate and Union armies.
Soooo we going to act like this didn’t happen @espn can u please explain? I’m an afro American and no I don’t wish I was in dixie.. pic.twitter.com/3iTFXj4CoN
— DonaldGodbolt (@gospelmystro) January 6, 2019
@espn We're waiting for your apology for the Civil War graphic and use of the Confederate anthem "Dixie." Inaccurate + tone deaf.
— Diana Prince (@dianaprince1984) January 6, 2019
@espn @JasonWitten @nfl someone needs to get fired, publicly, over playing #dixie during playoffs. That's intentional shit, and you just made the white power dudes cream their jeans
— Live N Sleazy (@livensleazy) January 5, 2019
Lol @espn playing the Andrew Luck video graphic with Confederate soldiers protecting him and “I wish I was in Dixie” playing in the background. Indiana was a Union State. But what good is being historically accurate🤷🏻♂️
— Brian Baird (@B2theBaird) January 6, 2019
Over the decades, many sports entities have stopped playing "Dixie" due to its connotations of racism, slavery and the Confederacy. The University of Mississippi, for example, announced in 2016 that the Ole Miss marching band would no longer play any variations of the song.
With the real-life Luck leading the Colts back to the playoffs, the popular @CaptAndrewLuck parody account has embraced by ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" and NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
The feed's author is a still anonymous Civil War buff, according to Ben Strauss of the Washington Post.
Dearest mother —
— Capt. Andrew Luck (@CaptAndrewLuck) January 6, 2019
Our victory frolicking has ceased. We must now begin our march to Kansas City to battle a unit of such great stature, every member has been granted the title of Chief. Our path has been long and winding, but I have never seen the men’s spirits higher.
— Andrew
.@CaptAndrewLuck has brought 21st-century football to the 19th-century Civil War battlefield in a unique fashion.
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 16, 2018
It’s been a long journey back from injury for the Colts' Captain. pic.twitter.com/BWuP3YG5Ah
Dearest @CaptAndrewLuck —
— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 28, 2018
Colt scouts spotted Gen. Vrabel and his Titan company preparing their defenses. They will not allow any honky tonk to distract from stifling your campaign. All eyes will be upon the battlefield overmorrow when you lead the assault on Fort Nissan.
— SNF pic.twitter.com/qAqD7kY1i5
ESPN's "Monday Night Football" team produced the network's Wild Card playoff coverage from Houston on Saturday night. During Saturday's telecast, and through the 2018 regular season, the MNF team routinely used graphics to illustrate players and story points.
ESPN simulcast the Colts' 21-7 win over the Texans across ESPN, ESPN Deportes and sister Disney broadcast network ABC. The telecast averaged 22.8 million viewers across the three channel, up 3 percent from the comparable Titans-Chiefs Wild Card telecast last season.
