NFL releases new code of conduct for fans

[whitesoxfan101]

(I thought this deserved it's own thread. If not, go ahead and throw it in the catch all).

 

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nf...f-conduct_N.htm

 

FAN CODE OF CONDUCT

 

"The National Football League and its teams are committed to creating a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for all fans, both in the stadium and in the parking lot. We want all fans attending our games to enjoy the experience in a responsible fashion. When attending a game, you are required to refrain from the following behaviors:

 

Behavior that is unruly, disruptive, or illegal in nature

Intoxication or other signs of alcohol impairment that results in irresponsible behavior

Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures

Interference with the progress of the game (including throwing objects onto the field)

Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel

Verbal or physical harassment of opposing team fans

 

"Event patrons are responsible for their conduct as well as the conduct of their guests and/or persons occupying their seats. Stadium staff will promptly intervene to support an environment where event patrons, their guests, and other fans can enjoy the event free from the above behavior. Event patrons and guests who violate these provisions will be subject to ejection without refund and loss of ticket privileges for future games.

 

If the NFL plans to actually uphold this rule, about 80 percent of people that go to Bears games will be kicked out and not allowed back for future games. I have never, in my life, seen a place more crude, rude, and foul than a Chicago Bears game, which is saying something. I don't think any clear minded, sane person minds these rules though, it's just for the out of control drunken idiots.

 

(And for the record, I do not mean to seem like I am picking on people that go to Bears games, but based on what I've seen, what I said about them is true).

Edited August 6, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[lostfan]

Much of this is unenforceable. It's just a bunch of PR posturing.

[whitesoxfan101]

Much of this is unenforceable. It's just a bunch of PR posturing.

 

The last two rules involving not listening to stadium personnel and harrassing opposing fans are very enforceable. I think you might be right about the rest of them though, because you'd seriously have to kick out half the stadium at ALL NFL games if you can't get drunk and stupid and use bad language.

[lostfan]

The last two rules involving not listening to stadium personnel and harrassing opposing fans are very enforceable. I think you might be right about the rest of them though, because you'd seriously have to kick out half the stadium at ALL NFL games if you can't get drunk and stupid and use bad language.

That's mostly what I was referring to.

 

Also, to be perfectly honest, I expect a certain amount of harassment when I go to my teams' away games. That's just part of going. As long as it doesn't get out of hand... touch me, or anything on my body, or throw anything at me, and I'm gonna want to beat the s*** out of you.

[whitesoxfan101]

That's mostly what I was referring to.

 

Also, to be perfectly honest, I expect a certain amount of harassment when I go to my teams' away games. That's just part of going. As long as it doesn't get out of hand... touch me, or anything on my body, or throw anything at me, and I'm gonna want to beat the s*** out of you.

 

NFL games and Cubs/Sox games are the only places I've really seen fans be treated unfairly for simply rooting for the other team. However, with that in mind, if any league needed a rule to protect fans of the other team, it's obviously the NFL. And having been to some Bears games myself, the "ignoring stadium personnel" rule is going to get a few more people kicked out of Soldier Field this year.

[lostfan]

I know that Saints fans were all pissy about getting harassed during the NFC Championship, and they were acting like this was something unique to Chicago. lol it's a NFL game in the playoffs, in one of the more rabid football cities in the country, and people are drinking beer, what do you expect? Would it be different for a Bears fan at a Saints home playoff game? Not really.

[Soxbadger]

NFL games and Cubs/Sox games are the only places I've really seen fans be treated unfairly for simply rooting for the other team.

 

Never been to many college football games?

 

In Madison its a tradition that if some one wears an opposing teams shirt into the student section that their shirt is ripped off and thrown out of the stadium. There is also a tradition that a dead fish is thrown at them.

 

In all my times at Bears games Ive actually felt that their fans were not that bad (Ive seen Cubs and Sox fans be way worse) so I guess im not exactly sure how this is a "Bears" thing. I cant imagine that a Red Sox fan would be welcomed in Yankee Stadium?

 

 

[knightni]

How about a better code of conduct for the NFL's players first?

[lostfan]

How about a better code of conduct for the NFL's players first?

You want Goodell to start summarily executing players or something? How could he be any harsher?

[knightni]

You want Goodell to start summarily executing players or something? How could he be any harsher?

I'm saying that each team should police their own fans and the NFL should butt out.

[whitesoxfan101]

Never been to many college football games?

 

In Madison its a tradition that if some one wears an opposing teams shirt into the student section that their shirt is ripped off and thrown out of the stadium. There is also a tradition that a dead fish is thrown at them.

 

In all my times at Bears games Ive actually felt that their fans were not that bad (Ive seen Cubs and Sox fans be way worse) so I guess im not exactly sure how this is a "Bears" thing. I cant imagine that a Red Sox fan would be welcomed in Yankee Stadium?

 

Never been to a Red Sox/Yanks game, and as for college football, I have seen fans get all kinds of crap, but not like getting beat up or stuff thrown at them or anything like that. You are right though that's it isn't just a Bears thing, it just seems worse at them than anywhere else I've been. However, I haven't been to many NFL games (could count the total on one hand) outside of Bears games, so it probably is pretty bad everywhere else too.

 

As for the teams policing their fans and not the NFL, I think the reason the NFL is doing this is the teams have proven they can't police their own fans by themself. Also, if you wear an opposing team shirt and go to a game in the STUDENT SECTION as a road fan, you deserve to have a fish thrown at you, that is just stupid. Sit in the section where the rest of the fans from your school are.

Edited August 6, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[Steff]

Oddly, I find Bears games way more tame than baseball games. We're season ticket holders to both and by far had had many more bad experiences at Sox games than at Bears games - except the MNF game againt Miami, in Miami, 6 or so years ago when they were playing in the hurricane and Miami was winning 800-0. Those fans are rabid! Maybe it's because we are ticket holders and don't have different folks sitting around us every home game like at the Sox games.

[DrunkBomber]

If they enforced these rules I wouldnt go to games anymore. As long as youre not hurting anyone or driving drunk they should let you be. I dont think the NFL will take it too far considering the amount of marketing for beer companies the league does.

[lostfan]

If they enforced these rules I wouldnt go to games anymore. As long as youre not hurting anyone or driving drunk they should let you be. I dont think the NFL will take it too far considering the amount of marketing for beer companies the league does.

I wonder how many people actually drive drunk leaving games? It has to be a lot.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

This is just a bunch of PR bulls***.

 

If these rules were enforced (which they can't be), every single stadium would be half empty.

[witesoxfan]

Oddly, I find Bears games way more tame than baseball games. We're season ticket holders to both and by far had had many more bad experiences at Sox games than at Bears games - except the MNF game againt Miami, in Miami, 6 or so years ago when they were playing in the hurricane and Miami was winning 800-0. Those fans are rabid! Maybe it's because we are ticket holders and don't have different folks sitting around us every home game like at the Sox games.

 

Are you considering ratios of games here?

 

I could definitely understand Sox games being more intense and people going at each other, but 3 games over a 162 game schedule isn't much (or however many/whatever games you've been to that have been as such) doesn't really compare to 1 Bears game (or again). I'm not discounting your point, as it's very interesting and it actually means a lot to a person that fully and 100% believes (though can't prove based off of numbers and ratings) that baseball is still America's #1 pastime.

 

Basically, baseball is intense, and whether the common fan watches it or not means absolutely nothing to the diehard. They can stick a whoknowswhat up there whatknowswho.

[Steff]

Are you considering ratios of games here?

 

 

I am considering my experiences.

[mr_genius]

i bought Bears tickets for my brother, my dad, and me a couple years ago. so we go to the game and before half time there is a huge booze driven brawl 2 rows ahead of us (some lady even gets punched). second half another fight breaks out behind us and my 70 year old dad gets a beer dumped on his head, me and my brother were about to kill this guy but we knew pops would not appreciate us getting arrested. left the game. my dads been a Bears fan his whole life and it's total bulls*** that these morons are at games.

 

edit: but I have been to many Bears games and this was the first time I've seen something like this. So I don't think that kind of behavior is the norm. Still, it really pissed me off.

Edited August 7, 2008 by mr_genius

[Texsox]

NFL games and Cubs/Sox games are the only places I've really seen fans be treated unfairly for simply rooting for the other team.

 

Blackhawk fans becoming civilized?

 

Sad that the NFL has such a crummy product that only drunken brawlers will come to games or the only way to enjoy a NFL game is to get intoxicated.

[YASNY]

Blackhawk fans becoming civilized?

 

Sad that the NFL has such a crummy product that only drunken brawlers will come to games or the only way to enjoy a NFL game is to get intoxicated.

 

It's not that, Texsox. If your team is sucking, you have to drink. If they are playing well, you want to celebrate.

[lostfan]

Blackhawk fans becoming civilized?

 

Sad that the NFL has such a crummy product that only drunken brawlers will come to games or the only way to enjoy a NFL game is to get intoxicated.

Wha...?

 

It's not that, Texsox. If your team is sucking, you have to drink. If they are playing well, you want to celebrate.

Yes. This.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

I've been to one Bears game in my life, in 2003. There is some pretty unruly behavior there, a lot worse than a Sox game. Before the game even started, I saw a guy leaned over a pole with puke everywhere. I saw one fight, and another shouting match between a couple of guys.

[DrunkBomber]

Blackhawk fans becoming civilized?

 

Sad that the NFL has such a crummy product that only drunken brawlers will come to games or the only way to enjoy a NFL game is to get intoxicated.

That crummy product is the number one sport in the country. If you want to talk about a crummy product look at the NBA. Players are going overseas to play now.

[DrunkBomber]

i bought Bears tickets for my brother, my dad, and me a couple years ago. so we go to the game and before half time there is a huge booze driven brawl 2 rows ahead of us (some lady even gets punched). second half another fight breaks out behind us and my 70 year old dad gets a beer dumped on his head, me and my brother were about to kill this guy but we knew pops would not appreciate us getting arrested. left the game. my dads been a Bears fan his whole life and it's total bulls*** that these morons are at games.

 

edit: but I have been to many Bears games and this was the first time I've seen something like this. So I don't think that kind of behavior is the norm. Still, it really pissed me off.

I was at a mall one time and a fight broke out, Im waiting for malls to be shut down.

[MHizzle85]

That crummy product is the number one sport in the country. If you want to talk about a crummy product look at the NBA. Players are going overseas to play now.

Crummy product because 2 players have left to play overseas? Gonna need more evidence than that. I do agree that the NFL is the #1 sport in the United States.