Video of a Travis Hunter imposter goes viral, highlighting the troublesome nature of clout chasing in sports.
Travis Hunter Imposter Centers Clout Chasing
Yesterday, a video on social media surfaced of someone posing as Hunter in a gym. Now, why that may not resonate as news, the issue at the heart of the matter is. The Fake Hunter posts up in a gym, talking about prepping for the draft.
No way: Fake Travis Hunter was spotted in a gym interacting with a fan telling him he’s getting ready for the NFL 😂😂
He even did the Heisman pose.
(via Ig/ttpmarquise) pic.twitter.com/HXR4wDlLQ6
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 1, 2025
Now, if that convo occurred between two people in a joking manner, no issue exists. However, when you post something on the internet, it’s forever. While that doesn’t seem like a huge problem, the fact that so many people reposted the video underscores the fact that truth takes a seat to clout.
The phrase clout-chasing, as it pertains to the fake Hunter incident, actually possesses a legitimate dictionary definition by dictionary.com:
“Clout chaser is a critical term for a person who is thought to be intent on attaining fame, especially one who tries to do so in ways considered desperate, such as leveraging their proximity to famous people or doing things considered foolish, degrading, or dangerous.”
You can hear the comments asking what harm the video does. What happens when the Hunter clone decides to use whatever resemblance to pick up dates? And if that date doesn’t realize that the imposter isn’t the genuine article, they could contact those who engage in gotcha journalism.
Imagine the splashy headline that uses the athlete’s name and image. As a result, social media floods with the story, regardless of its validity. The damage control needed to fully cleanse the landscape after such an incident never truly works. Mark Twain offered up the difference between truth and fiction:
“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
People endeavor to be famous for doing the absolute least amount of work. Think about it, Travis Hunter ran hundreds of conditioning drills, earning his spot. At the same time, influencers like the imposter only run their mouths.
At no other time in sports history has the conduit between fans and athletes been stronger than social media. While some of the interaction can be construed as wholesome, a darker side exists. Watch an athlete drop a pass, fumble a ball, or miss a field; the word assault begins, and the aforementioned conduit degenerates into a public display.
The athlete cannot win in these interactions because the fan received the acknowledgment from the athlete. One of the few times an athlete emerges from a conversation with a fan, former Rams running back Todd Gurley stands atop of the heap. After a subpar game, the fan threatened to fight Gurley when if they ever crossed paths.
When Fan Behavior Goes Sideways
Abusive fan behavior plagues college sports. Now, if you attach a camera to the issue, the lowest hanging of fruit surfaces. Add in sports gambling, and some influencers use their platform to direct hate towards athletes and other fans.
One of the most blatant examples is people dressing up as opposition and trolling fans leaving a stadium. What is the outcome? The atmosphere degenerated to the point of the NCAA issuing this statement and airing these spots during tournaments. NCAA President Charlie Baker decried the gambling connection as a pathway to player abuse, stating:
A YouTuber is going to college football games and is triggering sports fans by wearing the opposing team’s gear.
I’ve never understood why grown adults get so emotional over sports.
YouTuber @yt_snarp has made it his mission to go to college football games and start “beef”… pic.twitter.com/JQLHY4G62H
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 28, 2024
“Angry fans are sending numerous abusive messages and threats to student-athletes, publicly and privately, because of lost bets placed on the athlete’s performance in a game. These actions severely threaten student-athletes’ mental health and well-being while harming the college athletics environment,” Baker said.
“We need fans to do better. We need states to do better and ban player props that target student-athletes and enable detrimental abuse.”
KEEP READING: Travis Hunter Emerges As Rare Top-10 Certainty in Unpredictable Class
While the Travis Hunter imposter may outwardly seem harmless, the act crosses the line for the enrichment of one by the potential reputation-sullying exploits that hurt others. One day, some of these influencers could venture too far, and no video or statement will fix that.
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