by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News August 18, 2024
Sales of Jarren Duran’s jersey surged to the top spot in the Major League Baseball Shop, even surpassing Shohei Ohtani, after the Red Sox outfielder was suspended for shouting what major media reported as a “homophobic slur” at a fan who was heckling him.
During the Red Sox’s Aug. 11 game against the Houston Astros, a fan yelled at Duran that he needed a tennis racket to hit. In response, Duran yelled back, “Shut up, f—–g f—-t.”
Duran, who had not missed a game this year, was suspended for two games without pay.
Duran apologized for the incident, stating: “I apologize to the entire Red Sox organization, but more importantly to the entire LGBTQ community. Our young fans are supposed to be able to look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility.”
Also, his earnings from the two-game suspension, more than $8,000, is being donated to the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
Along with being the MLB Shop’s top seller, Duran’s Instagram page has been flooded with supportive messages.
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This isn’t the first instance of a professional athlete gaining increased support from their home fans amid media-stirred controversy.
In the NHL, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov saw a rise in jersey sales after he declined to participate in the team’s Pride Night due to his religious beliefs.
Related: Jersey of Flyers’ Ivan Provorov is white hot after he refused to wear gay pride gear, January 20, 2023
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s jersey became a top seller in the NFL this summer after his speech at a commencement ceremony in which he slammed DEI and encouraged graduates to have Catholic pride.
Related: Sales of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s jersey skyrocket after commencement speech, May 17, 2024
Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran’s jersey sales surge after suspension for ‘homophobic slur’ added by Editor Two on
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