Despite Elon Musk’s best efforts to turn it into an unenjoyable wasteland, X remains a major aspect of how sports media members conduct their business.
That’s doubly true for beat reporters, who often X as a way to live-post during games and break news about the teams they cover.
That presents a challenge for Philadephia Eagles beat reporters in Brazil covering the Eagles’ game against the Green Bay Packers as X is currently banned in the country.
While many reporters in Sao Paolo covering the game have decided to use this as an opportunity to boost their presence on other social media platforms, some of them have found a unique way to make sure they can provide their usual updates during the game.
They’ve enlisted their spouses to post on their behalf.
“happy gameday, Eagles fans. this is Mrs. EJ Smith, reporting live from my couch as EJ texts me stuff from Brazil. please be patient and nice to me, this is a first for all of us!” read a post on Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles beat reporter EJ Smith’s X account earlier in the day.
happy gameday, Eagles fans. this is Mrs. EJ Smith, reporting live from my couch as EJ texts me stuff from Brazil. please be patient and nice to me, this is a first for all of us!
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) September 6, 2024
“Btw, we’re controlling Zach’s twitter account while he’s in Brazil. He might miss twitter more than he misses us!” read a post on the account of PHLY reporter Zach Berman. The post was accompanied by a photo of his wife and children.
Btw, we’re controlling Zach’s twitter account while he’s in Brazil. He might miss twitter more than he misses us! pic.twitter.com/xX5vIS5PEM
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) September 4, 2024
The Bermans also snuck in a post in their Eagles gear as the NFL action got underway.
Both accounts did indeed include the usual live-posting info from the game, ensuring Eagles reporters and fans alike didn’t miss a beat. We’d love to see if Mrs. Schefter or Mrs. Rapoport could pull this off…
