Kevin Harlan’s daughter baffled by hate for Braves reporter who got woman’s number
There hasn’t been this much division of opinion on social media* since perhaps the discussion about a dress being blue and black or white and gold.
*Well, non-political talk, that is
FanDuel Sports Network Braves reporter Wiley Ballard was encouraged to ask for the number of a fan he was interviewing during Atlanta’s game on Monday night, and chances are you saw the video that went viral.
Many people thought it was a charming exchange. But others, like former Royals Vice President of Communications & Broadcasting Mike Swanson, said he would never have hired someone who asked for a woman’s phone number like Ballard did.
“All these men who are tweeting how funny and cute this is should know if I were hiring a sideline reporter, I would be searching their accounts for reasons to or not to hire them,” Swanson wrote on X. “They’d best start scrubbing their accounts.”
Numerous female broadcasters expressed their surprise and disdain for Ballard’s actions, with many saying if the roles were reversed a woman reporter would have been widely criticized.
Here are a few examples.
But Olivia Harlan Dekker, who has worked as a television reporter at NFL games for years, thought it was a fun moment and couldn’t understand the backlash directed at Ballard.
“People getting mad about the Braves reporter asking for the girl’s phone number ARE INSANE! Haha how does that offend you?” Dekker, the daughter of Kevin Harlan, wrote on X. “It was innocuous and cute… good TV I’d say. It doesn’t detract from the game or season. Lighten up
“I’ve been a team reporter, and the season is LONG. Producers are always looking for something different/memorable, ways to involve fans or show some human interest around the game. Most of those interviews are duds, so good on him for having a sense of humor and rolling with it.”
Here is the post from Harlan Dekker, a Shawnee Mission East graduate who worked Super Bowl LVIII with her father.
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 9:53 AM.
