Balta1701 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 So, this weekend we had a fan knocked unconscious by a ball of Schwarber's bat. Earlier this year there was a fan impaled by a bat fragment at Fenway. Baseball has stated this is an issue they're going to study in the offseason. ESPN here reports that there are 1750 fan injuries per season on foul balls, with the majority less severe than those obviously. They're already facing lawsuits from some of the injuries this year. Players including Justin Verlander have issued public statements supporting increased efforts towards fan safety after a fan was injured at their game last week. There's a blog and a book upcoming on the issue. When even players are joining in calling for more safety that's an issue reaching a crescendo. Despite the "foul ball" warning on tickets, I think it seems clear that MLB is going to recognize that "severe fan injuries" are a threat to their business model and they're going to have to do something to at least reduce the risk for fans in their stands. Pictures of a dead fan stabbed by a baseball bat or hit in the head by a baseball will do real harm to their business model and that's one baseball can't afford. So let's see if anyone has any opinions on this. I'm not quite sure what will be done - ballparks sell more tickets by putting fans closer but that also puts fans more in harm's way. More and longer nets? Higher fences? Do nothing and get into the NFL like setup where they're facing a major public backlash? Open to suggestions and interested to hear other people's reactions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flavum Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Fans are more distracted than ever. Fans sit closer than ever. The ball comes off the bat faster than ever. The bats break easier than ever. Put the screens up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 They are going to end up putting nets up. The question is will they do it on their own or will a fan's death force the issue? The NHL was forced to put up safety nets after a teenage girl was killed by a puck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I wouldn't sit that close to the field with my kids. Just won't do it. I don't even like sitting that close. I've sat first row of the dugout and had a couple shots come my way. I hated it. You have such little time to react (and that is when you are paying attention...and at a baseball game, a lot of the time people aren't paying attention). I am fine if they put nets up and would rather they do it now then after someone is killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shysocks Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 24, 2015 -> 09:05 AM) Fans are more distracted than ever. Fans sit closer than ever. The ball comes off the bat faster than ever. The bats break easier than ever. Put the screens up. Yup. Just put nets up down the lines and do it before next season. They don't impede the view that much and it's just the best solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 The one unfortunate part of the nets is it does mean the players won't toss the balls back into the stadium and it could reduce access to players before the game. I think the solution needs to be something that comes up and down, so after the 3rd out it comes down again and before the game it is down, so fans can get the experience and try and get the autographs. I presume you wouldn't be able to sneak balls through the nets so if the nets were permanent, you've basically got rid of autographs before games. Unless I suppose the nets were only going to be up between the bases (which I would support...hardest hit balls where you have least time to react are there). You do still get some rockets further down the lines but fewer and more time to react (again presuming you are paying attention). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 The nets do not need to be as tall as the ones behind homeplate. Could make them 10-15 feet high and it'd only affect first few rows view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middle Buffalo Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I find it incredibly scary to sit in the seats close to the dugout. Even if you're paying attention, sometimes you can't see the ball right away because of the angle or if there are too many white shirts on the people on the opposite side of the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pettie4sox Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Not to be sexist but the majority of the injured people making news are women. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 24, 2015 -> 02:45 PM) So, this weekend we had a fan knocked unconscious by a ball of Schwarber's bat. Earlier this year there was a fan impaled by a bat fragment at Fenway. Baseball has stated this is an issue they're going to study in the offseason. ESPN here reports that there are 1750 fan injuries per season on foul balls, with the majority less severe than those obviously. They're already facing lawsuits from some of the injuries this year. Players including Justin Verlander have issued public statements supporting increased efforts towards fan safety after a fan was injured at their game last week. There's a blog and a book upcoming on the issue. When even players are joining in calling for more safety that's an issue reaching a crescendo. Despite the "foul ball" warning on tickets, I think it seems clear that MLB is going to recognize that "severe fan injuries" are a threat to their business model and they're going to have to do something to at least reduce the risk for fans in their stands. Pictures of a dead fan stabbed by a baseball bat or hit in the head by a baseball will do real harm to their business model and that's one baseball can't afford. So let's see if anyone has any opinions on this. I'm not quite sure what will be done - ballparks sell more tickets by putting fans closer but that also puts fans more in harm's way. More and longer nets? Higher fences? Do nothing and get into the NFL like setup where they're facing a major public backlash? Open to suggestions and interested to hear other people's reactions. QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Aug 24, 2015 -> 05:08 PM) I wouldn't sit that close to the field with my kids. Just won't do it. I don't even like sitting that close. I've sat first row of the dugout and had a couple shots come my way. I hated it. You have such little time to react (and that is when you are paying attention...and at a baseball game, a lot of the time people aren't paying attention). I am fine if they put nets up and would rather they do it now then after someone is killed. This is a great thread! Some very smart baseball people here saying it's dangerous as hell to sit down low at a baseball game. There have to be nets put up ASAP. I'd love to send this thread to the commissioner if he'd read it. This is good, serious stuff. We have a good adult fan on here saying he WOULD NOT have his kids down that close. Serious business. PUT UP NETS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananarchy Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Aug 24, 2015 -> 02:00 PM) Not to be sexist but the majority of the injured people making news are women. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm I would argue this is coincidental. The nets will go up, but like hockey, I doubt anyone will care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 If you are sitting close and nervous about it bring a glove.. You will look like a geek, who cares? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Aug 24, 2015 -> 02:00 PM) Not to be sexist but the majority of the injured people making news are women. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm Obviously that means women are getting the majority of the best, close tickets. Hmmmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Aug 31, 2015 -> 07:57 PM) If you are sitting close and nervous about it bring a glove.. You will look like a geek, who cares? No adult wants to lug around a glove before during and after a game. Put up the nets now. What other business would just assume 50 or more people are going to be injured at their place of business in a six month span? It's probably more than 50 a season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabiness42 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I would argue this is coincidental. Not at all coincidental. When we go to Sox game, I actually watch 90+% of the pitches. My wife probably watches half, if that. The rest of the time she is watching: Her phone Ads on the scoreboard Her phone Woman in the next section over with a bad haircut Her phone The left fielder's ass Her phone The Diet Pepsi vendor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pettie4sox Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I would ban women from the lower bowl near home plate. I'm not kidding either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I admit it, if I am close to the action, I still bring my glove to games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 2, 2015 -> 03:42 PM) I admit it, if I am close to the action, I still bring my glove to games. Ditto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pettie4sox Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I always bring my glove. It's fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Bringing a glove is fine, and if you are with little kids, or people who don't pay full attention and are close, it could save a lot of trouble. I would rather be required to "lug a glove" to the game in order to sit close than watch behind a net. The net doesn't always save you either. I was in the Scout Seats once in my life. There was a server who would sit on the short wall behind home with his back right up against the net. We kept on asking him to move because he was blocking our view. He would, but would always come back, until a foul ball nailed his back. He wasn't hurt so bad, thankfully, but what a moron. I was about 15 rows back from the Sox dugout on Sunday when a foul ball went into the club level but caromed downstairs and hit a lady right on top of the head. She had no idea it was coming. Edited September 2, 2015 by Dick Allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Zelig Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Sep 2, 2015 -> 02:37 PM) I would ban women from the lower bowl near home plate. I'm not kidding either. You should get a petition going. Edited September 2, 2015 by Leonard Zelig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Sep 2, 2015 -> 12:59 PM) Bringing a glove is fine, and if you are with little kids, or people who don't pay full attention and are close, it could save a lot of trouble. I would rather be required to "lug a glove" to the game in order to sit close than watch behind a net. The net doesn't always save you either. I was in the Scout Seats once in my life. There was a server who would sit on the short wall behind home with his back right up against the net. We kept on asking him to move because he was blocking our view. He would, but would always come back, until a foul ball nailed his back. He wasn't hurt so bad, thankfully, but what a moron. I was about 15 rows back from the Sox dugout on Sunday when a foul ball went into the club level but caromed downstairs and hit a lady right on top of the head. She had no idea it was coming. If you are sitting a row back from the dugout, a glove isn't going to do most people any good. Ability to react is minimal. Not to mention, it is baseball, majority of fans aren't watching every single pitch (especially in the regular season). The baseball experience, for most fans in attendance, includes the joys of catching up with the people you are going to the game with. So glove or no glove, reality is you have a higher percentage of people not paying attention then any other sport, imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Sep 2, 2015 -> 05:08 PM) If you are sitting a row back from the dugout, a glove isn't going to do most people any good. Ability to react is minimal. Not to mention, it is baseball, majority of fans aren't watching every single pitch (especially in the regular season). The baseball experience, for most fans in attendance, includes the joys of catching up with the people you are going to the game with. So glove or no glove, reality is you have a higher percentage of people not paying attention then any other sport, imo. You shouldn't sit somewhere if you are in danger, and especially if you aren't going to watch the damned game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 2, 2015 -> 04:46 PM) You shouldn't sit somewhere if you are in danger, and especially if you aren't going to watch the damned game. Well in that case, might as well bar 90% of the people from attending the games and cut the revenue (and I'm probably understating that number). Easy to make that statement but I guarantee every die hard fan runs that risk as well. As I've said, the once a year I take my daughter (or the one time ever I took her) I bought seats where she wouldn't be in harms way and I will continue to not buy seats where they aren't in harms way. If a net was put up, I'd sit closer and they'd get more of my $'s. Which, afterall, is the #1 thing these sports franchises are after. Bottom line, when you go to a sporting event, you shouldn't be in danger. Should Nascar have just ignored the safety rules and just told fans if they want to risk dying, get in those seats and deal with it, and if you don't, just buy cheaper seats? No. A sporting environment should be safe both from violence from other fans (harder to control because whacko's can do anything and it amazed me it took as long as it did for stadiums / teams to start having you go through metal detectors) and from being hurt from objects from the field of play. I realize odds are minimal but bottom line, how would any of us feel if it was their kid who got killed at a game because of something so trivial as the lack of a net. And by the way, even the players have nets and protection now because they too are not quick enough to dodge shots coming into the dugout. And also prevent the Mo Vaughn's of the world from ruining their careers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananarchy Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Sep 2, 2015 -> 02:33 PM) Not at all coincidental. When we go to Sox game, I actually watch 90+% of the pitches. My wife probably watches half, if that. The rest of the time she is watching: Her phone Ads on the scoreboard Her phone Woman in the next section over with a bad haircut Her phone The left fielder's ass Her phone The Diet Pepsi vendor This is anecdotal evidence and in no way demonstrates a valid trend. My neighbor owns a Ferrari. That must mean everyone's neighbor owns a Ferrari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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