Uber Eats prank at Duquesne-Loyola game prompts university safety review

Not only did Loyola and Duquesne have to contend with each other in Wednesday night’s college basketball match-up, they also had to ignore the temptation of grabbing a quick McDonald’s.

Early in the second half of Duquesne’s 72-58 victory, an Uber Eats delivery person appeared to wander on to court with a bag of McDonald’s. Play was stopped while security staff ushered the man off court. The video screens at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse later showed a happy conclusion to the story: a student in the crowd was shown cheering as he tucked into his delivery.

Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot complimented the delivery person on his commitment to his craft.

“I really didn’t see it, that’s how crazy it is,” Dambrot told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I just saw the video after the game. Our guys were dying laughing in [the locker room]. Guy had a job to do. He did his job well.”

On Thursday, after the footage went viral and was featured on ESPN’s Sportscenter, the Pittsburgh university’s media relations team confirmed it was a staged prank.

“As you would probably expect, we strive to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for guests and participants at all events on our campus. We also rely on common courtesy and the civility of those in attendance to adhere to the guidelines that are in place.

“This was a prank, planned in advance, done for internet exposure. We determined that the individual was wearing a mic while someone filmed him as he walked on to the court during active play. While the incident may have seemed funny at the time, and no harm was done, we are mindful that incidents like this can put players and officials at risk.

“The university has reviewed its safety protocols and tightened its security measures to ensure conditions for our players and fans are safe and meet the standards for the highest level of competition in college basketball.”