Sixers: No discipline for Mike Scott after fight with Eagles fans
“This was an unfortunate and isolated incident, and it is in no way representative of the Philadelphia fan base as a whole," a Sixers spokesperson said.
Mike Scott won’t be disciplined by the Sixers after getting into a heated scuffle with Eagles fans outside Lincoln Financial Field before the team’s season-opening win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the Sixers said that the team reviewed the incident, which involved a short fistfight between Scott and fans tailgating with the “F-Lot Crew,” and is not treating it as a disciplinary matter. There were no injuries reported, and Philadelphia police said no reports on the scuffle were filed.
“This was an unfortunate and isolated incident, and it is in no way representative of the Philadelphia fan base as a whole," the Sixers spokesperson said in a statement. "This city has incredible fans and we appreciate their passion and support.”
According to one fan who witnessed the incident, Scott, a Virginia native who was wearing a Sean Taylor Redskins jersey, approached the tailgaters after noticing a coffin with a Redskins t-shirt draped over the side. The fans did not recognize Scott and began taunting him, a scene that eventually descended into the melee caught on video.
Audio obtained by 97.5 The Fanatic’s Marc Farzetta reveals tailgaters were roasting fans wearing non-Eagles merchandise and using obscene language shortly before Scott made his way to the display. It’s unclear what was said to Scott before the fight broke out.
Scott was accompanied by a member of the Sixers security staff at the time of the incident, according to the spokesperson, who said the team was using this situation to review its policies and protocol to ensure the safety of players.
Following the scuffle, Scott watched the game from a Lincoln Financial Field suite alongside Alex McIntyre, a freelance sports photographer and self-proclaimed member of Scott’s fanbase, dubbed “The Hive." McIntyre told the Inquirer Scott invited her to watch the game after the two started communicating when she offered on Twitter to bring him some McGriddles from McDonalds.
“Mike was a really good sport. When the Redskins were up, he told me he hopes the Birds come back so everyone has a good time and the fans get a good game,” McIntyre said. “There was a point where he was holding up an imaginary microphone so I could sing the fight song after a touchdown. He took the loss really well.”
Scott, who was traded to the Sixers the day before the Feb. 7 trade deadline, signed a two-year, $9.8 million deal in June to remain in Philadelphia.