TV Reporter Who Went Viral for On-Camera Stiff-Arm Says She Received Threats

CBS Miami reporter Samantha Rivera entered Game 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final on June 5 as just that—a reporter.

Unfortunately, she left it as a national story. As Rivera shot a postgame hit after the Panthers‘ 7–2 loss, an unruly Golden Knights fan seemingly attempted to interrupt her take on camera. Rivera responded by throwing the fan off with a perfectly executed stiff-arm that won her viral fame.

Rivera was widely praised for her actions and professionalism. However, she tweeted Monday afternoon that her notoriety had come with a darker side.

"I’ve been getting an influx of hate messages/comments these past couple days and to those people, I’d like to ask if maybe now is a good time for you to move out of your mom’s basement??" she wrote. "Stay blessed."

Per W.G. Ramirez, a fellow reporter who said he talked with Rivera on Monday, the messages have included "death threats," which he characterized as "straight criminal."

Rivera, undeterred, has continued to report on the Final. The DePaul alum tweeted out a hit from T-Mobile Arena Tuesday afternoon ahead of Vegas’s first attempt to close out the series.