An article published by The Sun, the U.S. counterpart to the UK newspaper, has been substantially changed after a reader pointed out that it plagiarized reporting by ARLnow.
The Feb. 25 article, “Time to say goodbye to Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant after chain confirms final day of business for 15-year-old outlet,” started with a nearly line-for-line copy — with some minor wording changes — of ARLnow’s “Buffalo Wild Wings closes in Crystal City after 15 years,” published Feb. 23.
It then reported on additional restaurant closures, including MOD Pizza, with quotes and facts that closely mirror a Feb. 19 article from ARLnow sister site FFXnow.
The article’s byline is “Will Miller, Foreign News Reporter.”
The Sun article was updated this morning, removing some of the pilfered reporting. The update followed a comment last night from an Arlington reader.
“Funny, an article nearly word for word identical to this one was published February 23 on ARLnow, a website for local news in Arlington, VA, where this BWW was located,” wrote Nicholas Harrigan. “And the photos accompanying that article were actually of the Crystal City BWW, not stock photos of suburban restaurants.”
Harrigan alerted ARLnow to the article last night, noting that he encountered it in Google Discover, the search engine’s personalized content feed.
“Just wanted you to know that News Corporation is stealing your content,” Harrigan said, referring to the tabloid’s owner.
News Corporation did not respond to a request for comment from ARLnow. As of publication time the article remains online with no editor’s note or other acknowledgement of the changes beyond an “updated” time.
The U.S. version of The Sun launched in 2020.
A comparison of ARLnow’s article to The Sun article, prior to this morning’s edit, is below.
THE OPENING LINE
ARLnow: “One of the biggest names in chicken wings has flown the coop in Arlington.”
The Sun: “ONE of the biggest names in chicken wings has officially called it a day in Arlington.”
THE CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT
ARLnow: “Sunday was the final day in business for the Buffalo Wild Wings location in Crystal City, capping off a 15-year run, an employee told ARLnow.”
The Sun: “Sunday marked the final day for Buffalo Wild Wings in Crystal City, bringing 15 years of service to a close.”
THE OPENING DATE
ARLnow: “The restaurant, located at 2450 Crystal Drive, opened in December 2010 to generally positive reviews.”
The Sun: “The restaurant at 2450 Crystal Drive opened in December 2010 to generally positive reviews.”
THE YELP RATING
ARLnow: “However, its Yelp rating has since declined to just 2.1 stars.”
The Sun: “The Crystal City store’s Yelp rating eventually slid to a measly 2.1 stars.”
THE BALLSTON CONNECTION
ARLnow: “The initial success of the restaurant contributed to the opening of a Ballston location two years later.”
The Sun: “Its early success even helped spark expansion, with a second Arlington location opening in Ballston two years later.”
THE BALLSTON CLOSURE
ARLnow: “The Ballston spot, located at 950 N. Glebe Road, closed in 2022 in response to lagging sales, and the storefront remains vacant.”
The Sun: “The Ballston branch, located at 950 N. Glebe Road, ultimately closed in 2022 amid dwindling sales. The space that was once full of customers now stands empty.”
THE FUTURE OF THE SPACE
ARLnow: “What the future holds for the former Crystal City location is not yet known.”
The Sun: “What comes next for the Crystal City location remains unclear.”
THE CENTURY CENTER RENOVATIONS
ARLnow: “[The restaurant] was located on the ground floor of the Century Center office complex… which underwent major renovations beginning in 2022 to expand office, retail and restaurant space.”
The Sun: “The restaurant sat on the ground floor of the Century Center office complex, a site that underwent major renovations in early 2022 to expand office, retail and restaurant space.”
THE TRADER JOE’S ANGLE
ARLnow: “Several notable corporate tenants arrived in 2024, and for a time, it appeared that a Trader Joe’s might be coming to the location. However, the grocery chain’s plans were ultimately scrapped.”
The Sun: “Several high-profile tenants arrived, and at one stage it appeared that Trader Joe’s might join them. Those plans, however, never materialised.”
THE NEAREST LOCATION
ARLnow: “The nearest Buffalo Wild Wings to Arlington is now located at 5275 Leesburg Pike in the Bailey’s Crossroads area.”
The Sun: “For fans unwilling to travel far, the nearest Buffalo Wild Wings to Arlington is at 5275 Leesburg Pike in the Bailey’s Crossroads area.”
THE LOCAL ALTERNATIVES
ARLnow: “Crystal City Sports Pub is nearby, while other options like First Down Sports Bar & Grill, Quinn’s On The Corner and Ballston Local feature brews, bites and plenty of televisions.”
The Sun: “Crystal City Sports Pub is nearby, while First Down Sports Bar & Grill, Quinn’s On The Corner and Ballston Local continue to serve up game-day staples.”
