Two weeks have passed since Grant Telford, a co-founder of popular breaking outlet Backyard Breaks, announced he would be stepping away from the company after he made sexually explicit comments about a minor during a livestream.
Telford was rightfully excoriated for his comments on social media, as 99.9% of the population would never even think to utter the vile words Telford said during a box break that was streamed Jan. 28 on the e-commerce platform Whatnot.
I have a nearly 13-year-old daughter, and Telford's words were completely repulsive. That is the most obvious conclusion in a controversy that has been marred by a lack of transparency from all parties.
Backyard Breaks has not said how long Telford will be “away,” who imposed the suspension and whether it is with or without pay. The company hasn’t even confirmed Telford, who is listed as the chief marketing officer on its website, has indeed been suspended.
Other than the brief statements on social media from both Telford and Backyard Breaks, it has been business as usual for a company that has turned breaking into a $100 million business.
Whatnot has chosen not to comment publicly on the incident, which has been read by many in the hobby as “soft,” a move to protect the large revenue stream Backyard Breaks provides.
As cllct detailed in our FAQ on the controversy, Whatnot did take immediate action. It suspended Telford’s Whatnot account, saying the suspension was consistent with a zero-tolerance policy for violation of the platform’s terms of use.
However, Telford’s statement read as if he was voluntarily stepping away, and because neither Backyard Breaks nor Whatnot offered additional details, that has become the prevailing thought among many who demanded action.
Whatnot's initial thinking that not every violation needs a comment is understandable, but this is one of their biggest streaming partners, and the relationship is tied to a lot of money. That changes things. More transparency is needed in this case.
If companies refuse to comment on such obviously offensive behavior, what can the hobby expect when future incidents are less cut-and-dry?
Backyard Breaks also has failed badly to uphold its responsibility to its community. The company's other executives have been unavailable for comment — despite dozens of requests from cllct — and the streams continue as if nothing happened.
The outrage has rightfully continued to build, with thousands signing petitions urging The National Sports Collectors Convention and Fanatics Fest to ban Backyard Breaks from its upcoming shows.
That is unlikely to go away without some sort of additional transparency.
Many critics are unlikely to be satisfied unless Telford is cancelled forever and Backyard Breaks goes away entirely.
Breaking isn't that different from breaker to breaker, so if collectors want to leave the platform and go to another break, they can easily do so.
The real stars of breaking are the cards in the packs — not the person ripping them open. If the breakers become a liability, it won’t be worth it for the platforms that feature them.
While cancelling an entire company over the actions of one individual is perhaps unrealistic, Backyard Breaks now has two strikes against it.
If Backyard Breaks turns into a bullying boys network, continues to talk down to the audience and spew hateful comments, the company should be gone.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.