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Library/Moment/Deflategate
Grade A23 sourcesHIS-01415

Deflategate

Moment · 2015 · Notable

48Editable slideCertificate

A football-pressure dispute led to a four-game Brady ban, parodies and Free Brady shirts.

Bob Kravitz

@bkravitz · Jan 19, 2015

Breaking: A league source tells me the NFL is investigating the possibility the Patriots deflated footballs Sunday night. More to come.

1.1K441
Original · Bob Kravitz
Clip · Saturday Night Live on YouTube
Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, side by side
NFL
Tom Brady throwing a pass in a Patriots practice jersey
NFL
Bill Belichick in front of a Patriots logo backdrop
New England Patriots
Saturday Night Live sketch parodying the Patriots' deflated-footballs press conference
Saturday Night Live on YouTube
Tom Brady talking with coaches on the Patriots sideline
Sports Illustrated
Courtroom sketch of Tom Brady at the Deflategate hearing in federal court, 2015
Time
Tom Brady pointing during a Patriots game
NFL

Spread Score

How it works
Reach38ContagionNo data yetBreadth80Velocity25Longevity4648

Numbers

CBS-reported #DeflateGate tweets; lower bound, not unique authors
60K
As of Jan 21, 2015 · X · CBS News
Seed to peak proxy
3 days
Jan 19 ’15 to Jan 22 ’15
Platforms
6
Started on X
Origin
Organic
Sports

Mechanics

  • ControversyPrimary
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Identity badge
  • Fandom mobilisation

How it spread

Trace the origin

Kravitz’s report moved from Twitter into news, Facebook video and parody. The Wells Report led to a Brady suspension and Patriots penalties. Fans bought Free Brady shirts while court appeals and a courtroom-sketch meme kept the dispute in circulation.

Proxy date; not a directly measured attention peak.

Wikipedia views · Google searchesDec ’14Feb ’15AprJunAugSepDecApr ’16JulOctPeak proxyXPressFacebookTVYouTubeOpen web
XPressFacebookTVYouTubeOpen web

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. January 2015

    Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) seed · Jan 19 ’15

    Kravitz tweeted at 12:55 a.m. Eastern that the NFL was investigating possible football deflation.[1][2]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk press · Jan 19 ’15

    ProFootballTalk relayed Kravitz’s report and raised the possibility of lost draft picks.[3]

  3. Chris Mortensen / ESPN press · Jan 20 ’15

    Mortensen reported eleven balls were underinflated by two pounds, a claim the later Wells data did not support.[4][5]

  1. platform jump · Jan 21 ’15

  2. owner response · Jan 22 ’15

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Why it worked

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Origin
Organic
Sector
Sports
Region
US
CBS-reported #DeflateGate tweets; lower bound, not unique authors
60K
As of Jan 21, 2015 · X · CBS News
Evidence
Grade A

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