NFL Implements Fan Code of Conduct

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.”

Poll

What do you think of the NFL's new fan conduct policy?

28%	It's about time
72%	Let fans be fans

Total Votes: 1836

The picture dictates what the NFL wants, fans still tailgating and getting drunk, but with a little reserve. Notice how vague the policy is, there is no description or examples given of specific behaviors that will not be tolerated. It is a decent outline of behaviors at best. If the NFL is serious about enforcing this then it would be more efficient and definitive to have a better defined list of behaviors, profanity, and actions that will be the main focus of security. For fans this is basically laughable because profanity and alcohol has never been a focus for security and a great majority of fans know it never will be. What is really interesting is how the policy is written in large, bold print but the consequences of being kicked out of the stadium and having future ticket purchasing opportunities is written bellow in smaller writing. Seems as if the NFL wanted to display this policy as more of a parental guideline for the fans and make the punishment for any offenses secondary. The poll results are the fans telling the NFL they basically do not care about this policy and will not follow it. 72% of fans polled feel that the NFL should just “let the fans be fans”, showing that the fans themselves expect, tolerate, and condone the behaviors outlined by the Fan Conduct Policy. If the policy is aimed at the majority of fans who find the behaviors outlined normal, then the policy should be more defined, more demanding, and the punishment should be more of a focus, as well as more severe. That is IF the NFL really wants to change its fans and the culture they have created. Otherwise keep the list of behaviors as is, just eliminate the punishment part because according to fans that is THE code of conduct policy; drinking, violence, profanity, and no punishment because that is NFL fan culture. 

To Tailgate or Not To Tailgate...That Is the Question

http://www.tailgatingideas.com/the-nfl-is-coming-for-your-tailgating-time/

The two pictures are what is most telling about this blog, and the author’s real thoughts on tailgating and the NFL reducing the amount of time tailgaters have. The author claims that most tailgaters are there to cook food and watch other games on television, not to get as drunk as humanly possible before kickoff. If this is true then why does the picture that shows a happy group of fans who seem to be responsibly tailgating get the red circle with the line going through it indicating times like these are over for fans. The other picture shows severely intoxicated men with alcohol in their hands, and does not get the “no” sign stamped over it. This reveals the author is signifying the good times of responsible tailgating are over and the time for drunkenness is here thanks to the NFL’s new tailgating rules. The blog is defending responsible tailgating but the pictures show advocacy towards drunkenness. The blog even gives readers a way to confront the NFL on this matter, and even provides a sample letter as a template for others to use. If the author does not want to promote or condone alcohol as a part of tailgating, then there is no need to confront the NFL on this issue. I do not see the need for more than three and a half hours for cooking and eating, especially when you are there to be in the stadium. The inconsistency with the author’s argument is not only proven by the pictures the author posts, but also by the fact that beer pong tables and bud light tailgating advertisements are located at the bottom of the blog. The replies are surprising too because it appears the author has attracted people who are pro-drunkenness because the majority of the replies agree with the author on being unhappy with the new tailgating hours rule, but many also proudly claim how fast they can drink and get drunk so a time limit means nothing to their partying. The blog does not convey the feeling of supporting sober tailgating; instead it does an excellent job of promoting drinking and drinking games as a primary way to enjoy a good tailgate party. I do not understand how three and a half hours is not enough time to enjoy food and time with friends and fellow fans, but I do understand after analyzing this blog that to be a true NFL fan one must tailgate for as many hours as possible, stuff themselves full of food, have plenty of alcohol, and get ready to be rowdy and heckle some visiting fans.

If You Can't Take the Heat Stay Out of the Kitchen

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Giants-sued-by-woman-claiming-injury-at-'09-game-090610

The most powerful statement made by this article is the statement that claims Michelle Munoz told security about fans that were being a problem to her, and her enjoyment of the game that she was attending. She was ignored, as was her request for help, and subsequently she was assaulted and received possible permanent back injuries. I believe it would be impossible for someone to read this story and not come away with the impression that if one cannot handle the profanity, the heckling, or the violence exuded by NFL fans, then one does not belong there and should not buy a ticket to a game, ever. Since there is no mentioning of the fans who assaulted Michelle Munoz, one is left to assume that they were not charged with assault, and probably were not even ejected from the stadium, further proving that violence is acceptable and is part of the norm. Though all stadiums have strict rules regarding fan violence and behavior it is abundantly clear that those rules and the security that enforces them are for show only, and can be disregarded at any time by fans. NFL fans are not out of control, they are in control.

Classic Mob Mentality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvXNjfXbUaQ

It takes quite a bit of time to make a snowball and to execute the type of throws these fans are deploying upon helpless visiting fans. Therefore, it is clear that there are several dozen fans engaging in this barbaric behavior that evidently is acceptable by the stadium and the other fans. All stadiums allow fans of other teams to purchase tickets and attend any game they please, whether they are a fan of that team or not. It seems however that the fans of the home teams do not understand this, or just do not care about the rights of others. Not only are the number of snowballs being thrown and the number of fans throwing them appalling, but the fact that security escorts the visiting team’s fans out because they are the issue is both shocking and revealing. Stadium security decides that the innocent fans being pelted with snowballs for no other reason than cheering against the home team are the ones who should be escorted out reveals that not only is the behavior of the mob acceptable, it is defendable as well. That sends a loud message to all fans that they can harass and leash out on visiting fans as much as they want, and the stadium security will have their backs on it. It seems that stadiums have an unspoken rule, the home team fans get a carte blanche and can do whatever they want, that is the norm and is to be expected and applauded.  It is obvious that there are two games being played on game day, the one on the field, and the one in the stands. The referees monitor the game, the stadium security monitors the stands, and may the best team win.

More Hitting In the Stands than On the Field

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3-IIERdzqI&feature=related

This video shows how the entertainment fans receive from violence in the stands far outweighs the entertainment value they receive from the football game that they paid money to attend. The video’s original intent was to be a recording of the game. The director of this video is clearly focused on the game alone at the beginning of this clip, but then a fight breaks out. You see the camera surfing for where the profanities are coming from at the beginning, and then you here the excitement from the director when he finds the fight. The person in the green jersey is a Green Bay Packers fan attending a game at the New York Giants. I do not know what started this heated argument, but you notice a change in his demeanor very quickly when he stands and confronts the other fan he is arguing with because he begins to posture himself in a very aggressive manner. You can see his hand gestures as he waves for the other fan to come towards him. He begins to lift up his jersey and you see his anger escalade by his facial expressions. What happens next really needs to be analyzed because the Green Bay Packers fan seems to just switch into a completely different person. Right after he lifts his jersey notice his facial expression, it is one of someone who just became completely possessed by anger and violence. He then fully extends his arm and with an open palm he shoves a female by her face and almost causes her to fall down several rows of stands. A man eventually holds the Packers fan down, and seems to try and talk to him and calm him down. The Packers fan must be possessed with uncontrollable rage because he escapes and is consequently knocked down rows of seats. This is a very brutal and despicable incident but what makes it even worst is the lack of chivalry and decency in the people surrounding the incident. I would think that after witnessing a woman being assaulted more fans would try to hold the dangerous and violent Packers fan down until security arrived…..but this is the NFL, and these are its fans.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIQcy8P4mqQ

It is not that a woman is fighting in this video that is troublesome, it is the fact that the other fans around the incident start to cheer and shout profanity back at the woman. The football game is no longer the attraction as everyone around this incident has shifted their focus and their cheering towards the fight between fans. I find it very ironic that both the woman and the man involved in the argument are both Detroit Lions fans. How do two “fans” of the same team engage in an argument while their team is playing against the Minnesota Vikings, who are division rivals with the Lions? It also hard to understand how the woman’s friend is trying to pull her away from the argument, but later ends up yelling in the man’s face just like her friend was. Notice how long it takes security to arrive even though through most of the video the two gentlemen are constantly calling for security. At one point they even make eye contact with security on the field and you can see the security officers look up at them and then casually walk away. Finally, it is shocking to see how the woman reacts when she is approached by security. She continues to banter with the other fans while simultaneously pleading with the officers. She does not seem to understand or really care that she is being escorted by security and embarrassing herself. In fact, when the officers try to let her retrieve her purse, she takes the opportunity to punch the fan. Now you would think since there was police there assisting she would realize that she is now going to jail for assault and would start acting more sorrowful and regretful, instead she decides to shout profanity at Vikings fans on her way out of the stadium. It is hard to understand what would cause this woman to engage in a verbal conflict with a fellow fan, that other fans would cheer and encourage the fight, how long it takes security to arrive allowing the incident to escalate, and how a person can show no remorse or shame while being placed under arrest and escorted out of the stadium. NFL fans clearly have a different personality and attitude when attending games if this is the sort of behavior that is tolerated and cheered for.

We Are......Sparta?

If getting dressed up in costumes is part of being a regular NFL fan then why is no one around this person in costume as well? The most powerful aspect of this photograph is the gentleman’s posture. He is standing up straight, chin up, chest out, and shoulders back. Everything about his posture shouts that he is a proud and powerful man of stature, and he should be feared and respected. His choice of costume and his posture clearly reveals that he is no longer in his “regular” mindset but is now consumed by his costume, and has taken over the persona of a Spartan warrior. Notice how he is the only one standing, as if he was the leader of his fellow fans getting them ready to take charge on opposing teams and fans. The most surprising part of this photograph is that there are maybe three people that notice this fan, and only one looks annoyed by him, and that is the gentleman at the bottom right of the picture. Everyone else seems to be only looking at the game or the jumbo television screen. The fact that no one seems to care about this fan makes it abundantly clear that fans of this nature are normal, acceptable, and non-threatening. Finally, notice that the Dallas Cowboys symbol is on the side of his helmet. The blue star has long been the logo of the Cowboys, and is on every player’s helmet. The star being on his Spartan helmet conveys either that football is a battle or a war, or that he himself is part of the Dallas Cowboys team, and is ready to go into war with his fellow teammates. His whole costume is a symbol of violence. He looks more ready to engage in bloody battle rather than sitting with families, friends, and fellow fans watching a game of football.