Michigan State University (MSU) has issued an apology for the inappropriate display of an Adolf Hitler image on their videoboard prior to a football game.

The university clarified that the content was provided by a third-party source and did not reflect MSU's values. As a result, a university employee has been suspended due to this oversight.

The incident quickly went viral on social media, showing a large screen at Spartan Stadium displaying Hitler's image alongside a trivia question about his birthplace. This occurred just before the game in front of over 74,000 attendees, sparking widespread outrage, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict in the Middle East.

"MSU is aware that inappropriate content by a third-party source was displayed on the video board prior to the start of tonight’s football game," stated MSU spokesperson Matt Larson. "We deeply regret the incident, as it does not represent our institutional values. We will no longer use this third-party source and will enforce stricter screening and approval procedures for all future video board content."

Alan Haller, MSU's Vice President and Director of Athletics, emphasized that the video was not reviewed in its entirety by anyone in the athletics department and was not part of any sponsorship or affiliation with corporate partners or the community.

"The image was deeply harmful to our communities, especially our Jewish community, which is currently experiencing a surge in antisemitism, including acts of violence," Haller said. "I will be reaching out to local Jewish groups and other student leadership groups on campus and within our department, all of whom have been impacted in their own way."