Packers fans targeted by Eagles fan’s vulgar rant share their version of viral incident

Alex Basara and his fiancée, Ally Keller, have broken their silence over the viral incident that saw an Eagles fan hurl vulgar insults at Keller during Sunday’s showdown between the Packers and Eagles.

Basara and Keller, Packers fans from Chester County, Pa., described the disconcerting scene inside Lincoln Financial Field, which ended with Ryan Caldwell calling Keller an “idiot.” “.

In an interview with NBC10, the couple said it started out friendly with the Eagles fans around them and “started off with playful jabs” while Basara and Keller sat in their seats.

“I talked with him a little bit,” Basara told the outlet. “But then he continued to say some of the same things. Continued throughout the game. It got worse and worse as the match progressed. We were surrounded by Eagles fans. We were getting all the attention.

Things started to get worse, the couple said, as the Eagles increased their lead over the Packers.

At one point, they said Caldwell asked them if they were having a good time and told the couple they had “terrible attitudes” before going into detail about the fact that his third-grade teacher had instilled in him the virtues of having a “good attitude”.

“He went on and on,” Keller said. “He wanted something from us. So, I turned around, because I’d had enough at this point, and said, “Well, maybe you should go back to third grade then because it looks like you’re the one who a bad attitude. And it seems like it’s all the fans around us who have bad attitudes.

The situation escalated from there and when Keller said that, the insults started coming.

She told NBC10 that Caldwell then began attacking her appearance.

“And then he just said, ‘Actually, you’re not even good-looking enough to talk to me,'” Keller said. “And then I said, you know, ‘What does that mean?’ And he said, “You know what that means. » And then I said: “Have you looked in the mirror yourself? And he said, “Yes, but I’m a man.” I have the right to be ugly. You are a woman.’

Things only got worse, even after both men said they asked a person sitting next to Caldwell who they believed to be his brother if he could intercede to defuse the situation.

As tensions grew, the couple said they were reluctant to engage too aggressively because they were the only Packers fans in the section in what Basara called a “dangerous situation.”

“I was, I guess, trying to stay calm, but I was pretty furious at the time and I was just hoping another fan would tell this guy to stop. And everyone stood there and I guess allowed him to call me that,” Keller said.

Eventually, Basara thought to take out his phone and started recording, which he said eventually calmed things down.

The couple moved to the end of the row later in the game and made sure to leave before the other group of Eagles fans so as not to have them walking down the aisle behind them.

Caldwell was banned from all future events at Lincoln Financial Field and his employer, BCT Partners, released a statement condemning his actions and announcing that they had opened an investigation.

“BCT Partners denounces this type of behavior and we take this matter extremely seriously,” reads the BCT Partners press release, which does not specifically name Caldwell. “As an organization that has always championed inclusiveness, the conduct displayed was completely unacceptable and goes directly against our company values.

“We have already launched a thorough investigation into an internal personnel matter to determine what action will be taken. We sincerely apologize to everyone affected by this behavior and remain committed to fostering a culture of respect for all.

Later Tuesday, BCT Partners decided to fire Caldwell.

Caldwell has yet to publicly give his version of the incident.