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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BROADCASTER AWARDED $25M AFTER NEWSPAPER WRONGFULLY CALLED
HIM A RACIST
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Published Feb. 6, 2024
Updated Feb. 6, 2024, 2:02 p.m. ET
High school sports broadcaster awarded $25M after newspaper wrongfully called
him a racist
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An Oklahoma man was awarded $25 million in damages after a jury concluded that
the state’s largest newspaper intentionally harmed him when it wrongfully
identified him as the high school sports announcer who hurled racist remarks at
players.
Scott Sapulpa was one of two announcers commentating on a March 2021 girls’
playoff game between Midwest City High School and Norman High School that made
national headlines when the Norman team took a knee and the other commentator,
Matt Rowan, went on a racist tirade against the girls.
“They’re kneeling? F–king n—-s. I hope Norman gets their ass kicked. F–k them.
I hope they lose. They’re gonna kneel like that?,” Rowan said as the game was
live-streamed.
After about 30 seconds, the unidentified announcer muttered something
indistinguishable before once again using the highly offensive slur, accentuated
with profanity, to refer to the student athletes.
But in its initial reporting of the incident, The Oklahoman wrongfully reported
that it was Sapulpa who made the racist remarks.
He later sued, alleging defamation and infliction of emotional distress,
claiming that he suffered lasting damage as a result of the misidentification
— even though his name was only attached to the article for less than three
hours.
Scott Sapulpa was wrongfully named as the sports announcer who made racist
remarks at a March 2021 girls’ playoff game between Midwest City High School and
Norman High School in Oklahoma. NFHS Network
On Monday, a jury agreed with him and ordered Gannett — the parent company of
The Oklahoman — to pay $5 million in actual damages and another $20 million in
punitive damages.
“We’re just so happy for Scott,” attorney Michael Barkett said in the aftermath.
“Hopefully this will vindicate his name.”
He argued in court last week that the case would set a precedent for other
newspapers, according to NonDoc.com.
“Their entire culture, we’ve seen in this case, is profits over people,” Barkett
said. “Their power is what blinds them from telling the truth. They think they
can get away with it.”
But Bob Nelon, an attorney for Gannett, pointed out that the company recognized
it made a mistake and quickly took down Sapulpa’s name.
He argued that awarding Sapulpa such a high amount of money would harm the
smaller, community newspapers the company owns.
It was actually Matt Rowan who made the remarks, later blaming the incident on
diabetes. @RzstProgramming / X
“Newspapers are made up of people, and people make mistakes. Mistakes happen,”
Nelon said.
“Gannett is made up of people — over 11,000 people. When you punish Gannett,
you’re punishing all those small-town newspaper editors.”
The Oklahoman punished its article about the racist remarks at the high school
basketball game one day after the incident, at around 11 a.m.
SEE ALSO
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YOUNG CHIEFS’ FAN ACCUSED OF BLACKFACE IN LEFTY DEADSPIN SMEAR JOB
It was updated at 12:37 p.m. to falsely identify Sapulpa as the one who used the
racial slur.
Two and a half hours later, his name was removed.
Rowan then admitted it was him, and he was named in the article at 5:35 p.m. He
would later claim he made the comments because he is diabetic.
Still, Sapulpa’s attorneys claimed that as a result of the wrongful
identification, he was placed on administrative leave, his teaching contract was
not renewed, his private business lost nearly all of its clients, he received
death threats and lost personal and professional relationships.
Following the verdict on Monday, Sapulpa said he felt “numb,” NonDoc.com
reports.
“My kids, their last name is cleared, too,” he said between tears.
But Gannett said it would appeal the verdict.
287
What do you think? Post a comment.
“There was no evidence presented to the jury that The Oklahoman acted with any
awareness that what was reported was fake or with any intention to harm the
plaintiff in this case,” Lark-Marie Anton, a spokesperson for the media
conglomerate, said in a statement.
With Post wires
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