Football stadium apologizes after showing Hitler on video board in pregame quiz
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Alexander Haenke/X
Michigan State football team has found itself in hot water.
The team were playing No. 2 Michigan yesterday (October 21) at the Spartan Stadium, and did its usual pregame quiz via the huge scoreboard.
But one question got some people's chins wagging as a large image of Adolf Hitler was shown.
Advert
It's unclear what the question was, but some have reported game-goers were asked where the late dictator was born.
While it was only showing an image of Hitler to go with the correct answer, people questioned why there was some trivia on him in the first place.
Someone wrote on X (FKA Twitter) below a photograph posted of on the screen: "People commenting saying oh it was just a trivia question about where Hitler was born.
"In my mind I’m thinking why was there a trivia question on Hitler????"
"This can't be real," said another, as a third went on: "Um…is that real? In what context is having Hitler on a scoreboard not a fireable offense for someone."
A fourth person added: "There is a place for hitler history lessons and a football game ain’t one of them."
There is a place for hitler history lessons and a football game ain’t one of them.
— sooner (@sooner531) October 22, 2023
In light of the backlash, Michigan State have issued an apology.
“MSU is aware that inappropriate content by a third-party source was displayed on the video board prior to the start of tonight’s football game,” Michigan State spokesman Matt Larson said, as per New York Post.
"We are deeply sorry for the content that was displayed, as this is not representative of our institutional values.
"MSU will not be using the third-party source going forward and will implement stronger screening and approval procedures for all video-board content in the future.”
It's believed the scoreboard was playing a trivia video from YouTube titled General Knowledge Trivia Quiz (Part 18) from The Quiz Channel.
While Austrian-born, Hitler gained power in Germany through politics and was later appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933.
Prior to this, he was made head of the Nazi Party in 1921.
When German President Paul von Hindenburg died in 1934, Hitler gave himself the title of Führer (leader) of Germany.
100 years on from when his dictatorship began, Nazi beliefs are still prominent across the globe.
As of 1995, there were 33 countries with active Neo-Nazi groups.