A B.C. baseball team is giving new meaning to the term “gold digger.”
Some are accusing the Victoria HarbourCats of sexism for a promotion that encourages women to dig through the dirt in search of jewelry boxes.
The HarbourCats asked women to attend their Sunday afternoon game for a “diamond dig.” The women will be given a plastic spoon to dig through the dirt at the backstop in search of a jewelry box with a ring in it. Whoever finds the ring receives a $1,000 gift card for a local jewelry company, according to a statement by the HarbourCats.
But while the HarbourCats say this could be a stunt they’ll use for years to come, others aren’t so sure.
Janni Aragon, an associate professor of political science at the University of Victoria, said the stunt comes across as sexist.
“This just plays with some of the old tropes about women competing with one another for the affection of a man,” Aragon told CTV Vancouver.
No one from the HarbourCats was available for comment, but a Friday post on their Twitter account said they’ve heard “nothing but great responses.”
Other minor league teams across North America have held similar promotions, such as a Texas team in May.
With files from CTV Vancouver.
