WATCH ABOVE: Cleveland Cavaliers in-game playoff parody video drawing heat for showing man throwing woman to the ground
All in… or else? The Cleveland Cavaliers are facing some criticism Friday after releasing a video which uses domestic violence to settle a sports rivalry.
The video originally aired during the Cavaliers’ Wednesday night game against the Chicago Bulls and shows a young couple beginning an amateurish rendition of the infamous final dance scene from Dirty Dancing.
The Cleveland Cavaliers apologized Thursday afternoon saying “it was a mistake to include content that made light of domestic violence.”
“It’s our song,” the woman says as the song comes on and she starts to dance with the man wearing an “All In” Cavaliers shirt while the basketball game plays on a TV in the background.
The woman takes off her apron, showing the Chicago Bulls’ shirt she’s sporting underneath, and runs at the man to re-enact the lift from the dance. But instead of lifting her, he throws her over his head and over the couch next to him.
“Bulls fan? I didn’t know you were a Bulls fan. I can’t believe she’s a Bulls fan,” the man says as he walks away.
The voiceover then says “When it’s playoff basketball time, you have to be All In, so don’t make the same mistake she made,” as the woman writhes in pain on the ground.
The final scene of the commercial shows the two sitting on the couch, now both wearing Cavaliers’ All In shirts while the woman holds an ice bag to her head.
Man: “I thought you were All In?”
Woman: “Well, I’m All In now. Let’s just watch the game.”
Man: “Go Cavs.”
The basketball team quickly pulled the commercial offline but has nonetheless faced staunch opposition on Twitter saying it promotes domestic abuse.
The commercial seems to be a parody of a United Health Care commercial when a couple tries a similar dance. But in that video, the couple falls together.
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