PHILADELPHIA — We are hearing from Packers fans who were verbally abused in the stands during Sunday’s playoff game in Philadelphia.
A video of the vile tirade has gone viral and has since been viewed by millions.
"I didn't want to turn around and yell at this guy and then have my fiancé get jumped in the crowd. I was trying to stay calm, but I was pretty fuming at that point," Ally Keller, a Packers fan, explained.
Keller and her fiancé, Alexander Basara, were at the game, wearing the "wrong shade of green" and surrounded by Eagles fans who, for the most part, engaged in playful banter. However, Keller and her fiancé said one guy kept taking it too far.
“It wasn’t about the game either. He was making personal jabs at me. It’s one thing if he’s going, ‘F--- the Packers,’ or whatever, but he’s talking about my looks the whole time. It got personal,” Keller said.
Basara said he’s seen similar situations play out, which is what led him to pull out his phone.
Watch: Packers fan verbally abused in stands during playoff game speak out
“It’s a dangerous situation. I’ve seen videos of other stadiums where the same situation occurs, where it's a couple and the husband jumps in, and then the wife is in the middle of the crossfire. It’s a very dangerous situation, and it’s infuriating," Basara explained. "So that’s why we went that route. And after we did that, he actually stopped. I think he realized he was caught on tape.”
The couple says the rest of the game went on without incident. After posting the video, they say the Eagles called them to apologize.
However, the couple says they won’t return to Philadelphia for any future Packers games.
“At this rate, I don’t know if it’s necessarily worth it. I know that not every fan is like that, and I hope no one has to endure that. That was kind of my point of posting that video. You know, hopefully, this makes people understand that that’s not OK. That’s not OK to do,” Basara said.
A spokesperson for the Eagles said the incident has been addressed and the fan who harassed Basara and Keller has been banned from future events at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles fan was also fired from his IT consulting job. He issued a statement Wednesday saying he regrets the situation and called his behavior unacceptable.
You can read his full statement below.
“While attending an NFL game last Sunday to support my beloved Philadelphia Eagles, an incident occurred that I deeply regret. What began as banter with two Packers fans sitting near me escalated to something more serious, and I said things that were unacceptable. In the heat of the moment, I chose unforgiving words to address one of the fans, Ms. Ally Keller. I want to sincerely apologize to Ms. Keller for those words, and to my wife, family, and friends, my former employer and colleagues, Packer fans, Eagle fans, the Philadelphia Eagles, the City of Philadelphia, and all who were offended."
