The Cleveland Cavaliers aired a comedic promo for its "All In" campaign on the arena jumbotron during Wednesday's game, but many were upset by it, saying it made fun of domestic violence.
Deadspin reported that the team removed the video from its Vimeo page Thursday morning, and a team spokesperson promised The Associated Press an explanation later in the day.
The Cavs video was apparently a spoof of a recent UnitedHealthcare commercial.
In the original commercial, a middle-aged couple is seen flirting and dancing to "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," the theme from the movie "Dirty Dancing." The woman leaps into the air expecting her partner catch her, but instead she bowls them both into the kitchen table, resulting in injuries.
In the Cavs video, the premise is the same, however the male partner realizes at the last minute that his ladyfriend is wearing a Chicago Bulls T-shirt — just as she leaps toward him. He catches her, but then intentionally throws her across the room like a rag doll. She is then seen writhing in pain on the floor as a voice over says, "When it's playoff basketball time you have to be 'ALL IN,' so don't make the same mistake she made."
"I thought you were 'ALL IN?'" that man says in the concluding shot.
"Well, I'm 'ALL IN' now. Let's just watch the game," says the woman, holding an ice pack on her head and wearing a new Cavs T-shirt.
"Go Cavs," the man concludes with a smirk.
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