When the Philadelphia 76ers signed young Australian Ben Simmons to their roster, they had the perfect idea for a marketing promotion: adding meat pies to the menus at their concession stands.
Pies are an important business in Australia but, unlike on the terraces of UK football grounds, they’re a relatively unknown quantity at American sporting venues, where hot dogs and nachos are often the order of the day.
Enter ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell, who went the extra mile to help out fans by posting a video of himself tasting a Four’N Twenty pie to Twitter so they’d know what to expect.
The @sixers, inspired by Australian star Ben Simmons, are now selling Meat Pies at their games. I put them to the taste test this morning. pic.twitter.com/vgtSDaeLcv
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 20, 2017
But he had no idea that in so doing he would somehow manage to offend the entire population of Australia.
Because that is not how you eat a Four’N Twenty pie.
A word of advice, don’t use cutlery to eat a Four N Twenty, that’s what you’ve got two hands for!
— James Rate (@J_Rate94) November 20, 2017
Also if you can still see the pastry on the top you need more tomato sauce
— Simon Cowan (@SimonJCowan) November 20, 2017
THIS IS NOT HOW YOU EAT AN AUSSIE MEAT PIE!!!!!!
OH MY GOD – WHERE IS THE SAUCE? WHY ARE YOU NOT DRIPPING IT ONTO YOUR SHIRT??
This is un-Australian. #bensimmons https://t.co/ePYIKbjL9X
— Salty ? (@MsVeruca) November 21, 2017
No, cutlery should not be used.
— carlosthedwarf? (@carlosthedwarf_) November 20, 2017
Cutlery? Please. ? Pretty cool to see the pies getting a run at @sixers games now though! ?? https://t.co/e2Cwkwx6Qm
— Vanessa Di Cicco (@ten_apples) November 21, 2017
No no a million times no ????? https://t.co/yPezp6Lubn
— RealestGirlInTheRoom (@vampgirlxoxox) November 21, 2017
Things escalated pretty quickly.
darren the public desecration of a four n’ twenty pie in the manner of which you have just done is a declaration of war as per the australian constitution we will see you on the battlefield
— wheels (@wheelswordsmith) November 20, 2017
Even the police got involved.
Steady on, you could get cautioned for treating a meat pie like that ? #FreshPrince https://t.co/o0SgyKxqat
— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) November 20, 2017
Things got so bad that Rovell had to issue not one but two apologies.
I am sorry to all Australians for my lack of understanding on how to eat a meat pie.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 20, 2017
I have been destroyed all day for how I apparently tested out the Australian meat pie being offered at 76ers games. Now that the police are involved, I would like to extend my sincere apologies. https://t.co/HNa24A5YGc
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 20, 2017
Even that may not have been enough.
i will forward your apology on to our prime minister @TurnbullMalcolm and report back with his response, but know this, the ships have already left the harbour and the jets are in the sky
— wheels (@wheelswordsmith) November 20, 2017
To avoid future diplomatic incidents, next time it should probably look a bit more like this…
— Scott (@RestingPlayers) November 21, 2017
It seems the makers of Four’N Twenty themselves weren’t too bothered though.
We got your back @darrenrovell massive love for putting @FOURNTWENTY in front of #Americans globally. #mateship #4N20sixers https://t.co/C0tegnN0EQ
— FOUR’N TWENTY (@FOURNTWENTY) November 21, 2017
Whether or not any of this is making Simmons feel at home is anyone’s guess, but he’s certainly looking the part in the NBA – he scored 27 points in Monday night’s 107-86 win over the Utah Jazz.
