If you'd already made your mind up on the "Phillies Karen" saga, then it might surprise you to learn that some people are siding with her.
The Incident That Went Viral
What was supposed to be a fun-filled family outing for Drew Feltwell and his son Lincoln at the Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins game turned into a viral spectacle on Friday night.
The incident, which quickly spread across social media, involved a woman - now dubbed "Phillies Karen" - who confronted Feltwell over a home run ball that he had claimed for his son.
The moment became heated when the woman, seemingly determined to get the ball, demanded that Feltwell hand it over.
Despite being surrounded by booing fans, she refused to back down.
The confrontation escalated, with the woman reportedly yelling at Feltwell and even flipping the bird to nearby spectators.
Her actions were captured on camera, painting her in a very negative light, but as the internet exploded with criticism, a small group of people started to sympathize with her.
A Divided Opinion on the 'Karen' Incident
While most online reactions leaned heavily against the woman’s actions, some commenters on Reddit defended her.
One post shared in a different thread argued: "The 'Phillies Karen' did absolutely nothing wrong."
The individual pointed out that the ball had initially landed in front of the woman before Feltwell allegedly “ran over several seats” to snatch it.
The post went on to suggest that the woman had been unfairly targeted and would likely be "witch-hunted for absolutely no reason."
Some people even defended the woman, suggesting that perhaps she was simply “sticking up for herself,” even if she could have handled the situation better.
"Could she have handled it better? Should he have relaxed knowing it was for a kid? Yes to both, but we don’t know she wasn’t getting it for a kid back home," one person wrote.
Drew Feltwell Speaks Out
Drew Feltwell, the father at the center of the controversy, has since shared his side of the story. In an interview with NBC Philadelphia, he described how the situation unfolded.
He recalled: "She was very vulgar. Screaming right in my ear... 'That’s my ball.’"
Feltwell explained that the woman was insisting that she had the right to the ball because it was from "her section." Despite the verbal exchange, he ultimately handed over the ball to defuse the situation.
"It was tough giving the ball back, but it ended that situation. I hope that ball meant a lot to her," Feltwell added.
He also expressed that he didn’t want anything bad to happen to her, despite the viral backlash she faced. "I don’t want her life ruined, but she brought that on. She’s going to pay for that, and it’s not by my hand," he said.
Despite the tension, the night ended on a positive note for the Feltwell family. After the game, Lincoln was invited to meet Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader, who not only gave him the ball back but also gifted him a bat.
"Our evening worked out quite well afterward," Feltwell reflected. "Well, I’d love to get the ball to give back to my son," he added.
The Growing Sympathy for ‘Phillies Karen’
While the incident continues to spark debate online, some fans feel that the public backlash against the woman has been excessive.
One commenter pointed out that “the pile-on and gloating needs to stop,” urging people to move on after 48 hours of widespread condemnation. “There are much bigger issues,” the post concluded.