Hornets apologize after pretending to give child PS5 and taking it away off camera
sports.yahoo.com
Unbeknownst to the kid, the Hornets were only pretending to give him a console.

The skit that “missed the mark” occurred in a break in play during the second quarter of Charlotte’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. The child was brought onto the court with Hugo, the Hornets’ mascot, dressed as Santa Claus. After a letter to Santa requesting a PS5 was read out loud, a cheerleader came out with a bag containing the video game console.

The young fan was visibly overjoyed as he received the pricy gift. However, according to an online acquaintance, he was less happy when the cameras turned off and a Hornets staffer took it away, replacing it with a jersey.

  • Beacon@fedia.io
    984·
    17 hours ago

    That’s called theft. Legally a gift is irrevocable once it’s given.

    • dev_null@lemmy.mlEnglish
      6·
      6 hours ago

      He was given an empty box for show, letting him keep it wouldn’t make it any better.

    • ImplyingImplications@lemmy.caEnglish
      579·
      4 hours ago

      They never intended on giving the kid the gift. If they allowed them to go home with the PS5, and then requested it back the next day, then the family would have a good argument that ownership was transferred to them. This was just a bad joke.

      Edit: on lemmy.world it’s like I never left reddit!

      • shottymcb@lemm.eeEnglish
        772·
        13 hours ago

        That’s utter nonsense. A gift only counts if you make it home with the gift? Where did you come up with that?

        • ImplyingImplications@lemmy.caEnglish
          26·
          5 hours ago

          Gift law

          The donor of the gift must have a present intent to make a gift of the property to the donee

          Intent needs to be proven or it’s not a gift. They did not intend on giving a gift.

          • Lemminary@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            22 minutes ago

            The cheerleader and other people around were reportedly also confused when the PS5 was confiscated. The child’s uncle was apparently informed he wouldn’t get to keep the gift, but not the child himself.

            They unfortunately made the kid fully believe their whole intent was to give him the gift. That’s so sad for the kid. :(

            I wonder how this would play out in court, though. The company can argue that it was the uncle’s responsibility to inform the kid as he was with him, but the kid’s parents can argue the uncle wasn’t his legal guardian and that he needed to be informed personally to play along.

            Idk, this armchair is comfy though. lol

        • Rentlar@lemmy.caEnglish
          131·
          13 hours ago

          I’m guessing it’s based on the rules of the schoolyard game to run from one side of a field to the other while avoiding the corporate bullies in the center.

      • Beacon@fedia.io
        151·
        10 hours ago

        Intent matters but not if the intent was to deceive. If the act had all the elements that represent giving a gift, then legally it WAS giving a gift. Otherwise all gifts could be taken back at any time just by claiming that it was actually a joke.

      • PiousAgnostic@lemmy.worldEnglish
        432·
        13 hours ago

        Why would the act of going home change the legality? Or intent?

        If i take a $20 bill and hand it to a stranger in front of witnesses and say, “Here you go, this is a gift.”

        If in 5 mins, I snatch that bill back and walk away. That’s legal? Because he didn’t touch his house first, and I never had intent to give a gift?