- ESPN accidentally screened the woman who flashed during a commercial break
- The channel showed a shot of the famous Bourbon Street in addition to advertisements
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ESPN was forced to apologize on New Year's Day after accidentally airing a woman flashing her breast during the live broadcast of the Sugar Bowl.
The annual college football bowling match in New Orleans was contested between Texas and Washington, with the Huskies winning 37-31 in the Superdome to advance to the showpiece national title.
But during their victory on Monday night, broadcaster ESPN was left red-faced after accidentally giving airtime to a woman seen flaunting her right breast on a nearby street.
During a commercial break, the channel chose to show a shot of the famous Bourbon Street alongside advertisements in the bottom left corner of the broadcast, before their cameras caught the woman flashing at someone on a balcony above.
The shocking moment lasted just a few seconds as the woman in question exposed herself, apparently to obtain beads from an onlooker above – and ESPN chiefs quickly apologized.
ESPN was forced to apologize after accidentally broadcasting a woman showing her breast during the live broadcast of the Sugar Bowl
During a commercial break, the channel chose to show a shot of the famous Bourbon Street alongside advertisements before showing the woman flashing.
Washington advanced to the national title game by holding on for a 37-31 win over Texas
“We regret that this happened and apologize that the video aired during the broadcast,” ESPN's Bill Hofheimer said in a statement to The Associated Press.
It is unclear whether the footage was captured live or pre-recorded and then broadcast during Monday's match.
That night, Washington set up a national title matchup with Michigan by holding on for a 37-31 win over Texas next Monday in Houston.
The second-ranked Huskies (14-0) endured a six-year CFP drought for the Pac-12 and won the conference in the most entertaining and competitive season in years. The Huskies are only the second Pac-12 team to reach the championship game, and the first since Oregon lost its first to Ohio State after the 2014 season.
The last Pac-12 team to win a national title was Southern California in 2004.
Washington's triumph also cemented Michael Penix Jr.'s remarkable comeback story. was one win away from a perfect ending.
Penix passed for 430 yards and two touchdowns as the Huskies advanced to the national title game, giving both the sixth-year quarterback with two surgically repaired knees and the beleaguered Pac-12 a chance to go out as champions.