Awarded Media Company Publishes Astros as Cheaters in Ranking

Variety Magazine publishes the Astros as the “cheaters” in their yearly TV rankings.

The Houston Astros climbed their way back to the World Series in 2021, after falling a game short the year before in 2020. Adversity, projections and critics were not thinking of the Houston team as a threat this past season, mainly in-part to the 2017 sign-stealing scandal.

Due to a negative outlook on the team, there weren’t many analysts and personalities choosing the Astros in the Fall Classic, but they made it. Of course, it didn’t end in their favor, but they silenced some critics, showing that the sign-stealing scandal wasn’t a main component to success.

The heckling and banter won’t stop anytime soon, even with only five members of the ’17 squad still rostered. But even four years later, major-media outlets are degrading the Astros’ achievements.

Variety posted their top-rated TV show ranking from 2021, before the year ended, but they marked the Astros as the ‘Cheaters.’ This was later fixed in the article, as ‘Cheaters’ was changed to ‘Houston.’

It is just another sign of pettiness from an awarded media outlet, that has taken home the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage. Variety didn’t provide a reason for why it was published like it was or a note about it being corrected.

The outlet highlighted Game 3 of the 2021 World Series, as the only Fall Classic game in their ranking. That contest ended 2-0 in favor of the Atlanta Braves, so the jabs continue beyond the misspelling.

World Series’ Games 5 and 6 also made the ranking within the top 50, which makes sense in the realm of Atlanta bringing home a championship and the Astros forcing a Game 6. That Game 6 was ranked No. 48 of the top 50 primetime telecasts, as well, for adults 18-years-old to 49-years-old.