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Mparas1432's Blog
No Fun League: The Fan's Get Fined Edition Stuck
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 11:28 AM.


With the NFL having its lowest attendance since 2007 last season, there’s been a lot of discussion on how to bring fans back to the stadium. Having people attend games on Sunday with steep ticket prices is a challenging task, and that’s without taking into account the easiness of television.

So when ESPN’s Darren Rovell reported that the NFL is cracking down on fan conduct, the double standards that arose were astonishing. According to Rovell’s report, the NFL will start charging fans to take a four-hour online policy course if they get booted during the game.

“[Ari] Novick said when fans get ejected from a game this year, they will be sent a letter that encourages them to apologize to the team and complete the course. If they fail to meet the requirement, and they are caught on stadium property, they are told they could be arrested for trespassing,” Rovell writes.

“Not only do fans have to take the course if they want to come back to the stadium, they have to pay for it, too. Costs vary by team.”

The NFL wants to encourage fans to attend games, but then wants to charge them if they are kicked out of the game? Prices are already expensive enough. Fining fans is a sure way to make them not comeback.

I understand the NFL wants to deal with obnoxious drunks. However, no person should pay for the course and attend another live game when it’s just as easy to watch it on TV.

The amount of double standards here is sickening. The NFL can’t wonder why fans aren’t coming to the games and then bully their customer around to get more money out of them.

It’s a good thing the players don’t have to deal with these sorts of double standards. This would be like the league demanding more player safety and then expecting players to play two more games a season.

Oh wait...

What do you think of the NFL’s new policy? Let us know in the comments.

Questions and comments can be sent to Matt at [email protected] or reply in the comments section. You can follow him @Mparas1432.
Comments
# 1 mestevo @ Aug 20
Looks more like idiots getting what they deserve for being a nuisance at games. Love it.
 
# 2 Cletus @ Aug 20
I took a couple of years away from the NFL because I worked a lot of Sundays and there were so many commercials I often forgot what was going on. I decided a couple of years ago to try to watch it again because my roommate was a big football fan. It was week 1 and I saw a highlight of Calvin Johnson catching a touchdown pass that had been a touchdown since the forward pass was made legal. He got 2 hands, a butt, a back in the end zone, in bounds and maintained possession of the ball. The ball then touched the ground while Johnson still had possession. It was ruled incomplete. Last time I watched the NFL. There's too many rules. Let players play football. There are so many rule changes that I'm not sure what sport they're playing now.
 
# 3 Bmore Irish @ Aug 20
not surprised. and with technology today you can have a great gameday experience from the comfort of your own home, with no bathroom lines and overpriced concessions! personally i love going out to the stadium though, the atmosphere is great, even better at a legit college game, and i dont get to go often so its always a treat. im going to the ravens pre-season game against the jags on thursday, plan on having some cold beverages, so we'll see how it goes lol
 
# 4 woodjer @ Aug 20
I applaud this move. I don't understand what's wrong with it. Someone acts like an idiot (drunken or not) and gets kicked out of the stadium. If they want to come back, they need to take a lesson on how to behave in that setting. Sounds fine to me.

My only question...what happens to the jackhole that gets kicked out, watches the video, and gets kicked out again? My vote is for a lifetime ban.
 
# 5 Craigsca @ Aug 20
I don't understand the issue here.

Obviously, the NFL is attempting to maximize attendance at their games. At the same time, they're also looking to discourage behaviors that will get fans kicked out of games (I'm assuming part of the thought here is that the NFL is losing fans because of the "obnoxious drunks" you mention in the article). I see no problem forcing a person who can't control himself on Sunday to take an online course (and pay a fine) to ensure they understand what's to be expected of them the following weekend.

I don't see how a four hour online course and a fine (which is really what that additional fee is) can be viewed as a "sickening" double standard. The NFL feels that the excessive boorish behavior is driving other paying customers away. Makes sense to me.
 
# 6 Mparas1432 @ Aug 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by woodjer
I applaud this move. I don't understand what's wrong with it. Someone acts like an idiot (drunken or not) and gets kicked out of the stadium. If they want to come back, they need to take a lesson on how to behave in that setting. Sounds fine to me.
That part is dandy, sure, but they shouldn't have to pay 50-100 dollars for it when they already didn't get their money's worth when they get kicked out. This is a money grab, plain and simple.

Threatening potential fans with a fine isn't a way to raise attendance. I understand the want/need to take care of obnoxious fans, but when you're league is at its lowest attendance since 07, the NFL needs to be encouraging fans to come.
 
# 7 debauchlord @ Aug 20
It is somewhat interesting that there are many of the NFLs most loyal and diehard fans among those being penalized, especially when "idiocy" is kind of subjective. Not to say that I disapprove but, this may ultimately have zero effect.
 
# 8 Cardot @ Aug 20
If the policy is effective at minimizing the drunk morons, you might see alot more families attending games.
 
# 9 TreyIM2 @ Aug 20
It.sounds kind of crazy but if u let logic and reason prevail, it's only right. Like it's been said, apart of what is keeping fans away are the rowdy, obnoxious ones but, again, that is only apart of the issue. The unstable economy and job market has to be the biggest reason. Rising costs of gas and everyday items play a factor as well as HD home theater. It's definitely a gumbo of things but the NFL can only try to control so much. Maybe they need to cut back on player and high staff salary since they're not really affected by the economy with the crazy money they make.
 
# 10 Bmore Irish @ Aug 20
and what i forgot to mention is, the NFL is fine. all the money comes from tv and advertising, gate prices dont even make that big a deal. not to mention for most teams attendance is fine, it may be lowest since 2007, but how long now has football, and particulalry the NFL, been the obsession of America? sure you want seats filled, but more important are the luxuary suites and corporate suites, the big players. the average fan doesnt even have to make it out to the game, as long as they are watching at home, the NFL has them.
 
# 11 Adibesee @ Aug 20
I like the polciy. I enjoy a drink just as much as the next man, but my rights end where your's begin. If I cant act right then I will have to deal with the punishment handed down by the NFL. Thru my work I have attended 2-3 games per year over the last few years. I can attest that some fans act in a way that is flat out unacceptable and would stop me from brining my kids or younger family members. Im glad the aholes will have a tougher time getting back in for the next game.
 
# 12 kdurant35rules @ Aug 20
Punishing fans whom get you cash will do little to no help but is needed Are they given refunds (FANS)
 
# 13 Craigsca @ Aug 21
Refunds for what? The online course? For the money they paid for the ticket? That doesn't make sense. There are certain times when a given customer just costs too much. Customer pays $X amount for the ticket, but because he's a jackass stadium/team has to pay $Y amount for additional security/online course/back-office employees, etc. A customer who can't manage his own behavior and gets kicked out costs more money than your typical fan, without even figuring his impact on other paying customers. So, while jerkface might be a paying customer, he might be a net loss.
 
# 14 woodjer @ Aug 22
Wait...you want me to feel sorry for the idiot that gets kicked out because he "didn't get his money's worth when he gets kicked out?!" You can't be serious...if you act like an idiot enough that you're picked out of thousands of fans and escorted from the stadium for inappropriate conduct, I couldn't give a flaming pile if you feel cheated out of money. There are really two basic reasons to remove somebody based on conduct...a) said person has ignored at least one warning or b) said person did something so bad that no warning was given. If that happens, who should pay for the class? Certainly not the one that enforced the policy. You also need to remember that the class isn't mandatory if you get kicked, it's only mandatory if you want to come back.

I also applaud the NFL here BECAUSE they are hurting for fans and put this policy in place. In other words, they are saying that they'd rather have no fans than poorly-behaving ones. I wish more companies would take this type of stance.
 
# 15 woodjer @ Aug 22
Also, for those talking refunds of ticket prices...who do you want to get the refund? The jerk that was obnoxious and got booted? What about me...the dad with two kids who have had to witness the jerk being all kinds of inappropriate and, as a result, couldn't enjoy the game?

While we're on the subject of refunds, how about giving one to the guys that jumped onto the field at a baseball game a couple years ago and assaulted the visiting team's first base coach? What about refunding the money to the drug dealer whose car was impounded? He paid for the car so he should be able to do what he wants with it, right?
 
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