Is it OK leave a live sporting event early?

Lathum · 10-03-2014, 07:24 AM

The length of baseball games discussion got me wondering about this. There may already be a poll for this, but a quick search didn't turn up anything.

Anyway, do you ever leave a game early/ Do you think it is OK to do so?

SteveMax58 · 10-03-2014, 07:51 AM

Sure it is. No sense watching the brutal end to a 42-10 blowout just for the added bonus of the logjam of people leaving. Might as well get an early jump on it.

I also leave Preseason games early even if they are competitive because well, they don't really matter and the players I want to see are already out.

JonInMiddleGA · 10-03-2014, 08:04 AM

Supersized blowouts, extreme weather. Something you went to under social/professional pressure and had little/no interest in to begin with. A sorry ass NFL game in the Georgia Dome.

Otherwise, I'm not too big on it tbh. I'd never done it until I was in my 30s,

Easy Mac · 10-03-2014, 08:13 AM

We leave most Furman games at halftime. In the past it was because the child was 4 or under and ready to nap, since most games started at 1.

This year we've left around halftime because they've been absolutely atrocious.

Shepp · 10-03-2014, 08:13 AM

I think the only time it would not be OK to leave would be if you were being paid to be there.

Logan · 10-03-2014, 08:18 AM

Of course it's okay, for reasons given already. You also have public transportation issues where people know if they stay until the bitter end, vs leaving a couple minutes early, they may have to wait a half hour or an hour for the next train to the suburbs.

That being said, I've also seen people leaving their seats with a couple minutes to go in a tight game (real time, not game time) and watching from the concourse or ramps just to be the first ones out to the parking lot. That ends up being crazy to me, and I'd never do it, but have at it if it's your thing...

bhlloy · 10-03-2014, 08:24 AM

A ton of people left the Royals - Angels game after the 9th inning last night. I guess it's possible those people were all getting the train and that runs on the 9 inning schedule, but that kind of blew my mind.

Butter · 10-03-2014, 08:36 AM

Florida State - Clemson at Clemson last year. FSU scores late 3rd quarter to make it 41-7.

We nope'd out of there right quick. Didn't need to hear the gloating, see the tomahawk chopping for another 45 minutes.

Radii · 10-03-2014, 09:10 AM

I get the reasons why, but I voted no. I don't go to a lot of games, so when I do, I'm staying to the bitter end. Oh, its a blowout? What if this is the game that the Bills pull the greatest comeback of all time and I miss it? Buying the ticket commits me to the time in my mind.

nilodor · 10-03-2014, 09:13 AM

I've never left a game early, we figure we paid for the seats, we've set aside the time you never know when you might miss something amazing. Besides even if the game is atrocious you're still hanging out with your friends. We also chant beat the traffic, beat beat the traffic to people leaving early. Unless they have kids because if they want or need to go, that's a pretty good reason to leave.

Neon_Chaos · 10-03-2014, 09:14 AM

It's perfectly fine, you paid for those seats.

But don't come crawling back in when your team forces overtime in the NBA Finals.

korme · 10-03-2014, 09:35 AM

In 2013, we left the Mother's Day game in Cincinnati in like the 8th because we were losing and the weather was miserable. I was with my mom, after all, and she was ready to go.

So of course on the way home we get to listen to Joey Votto hit a walk off grand salami.

path12 · 10-03-2014, 10:26 AM

I personally don't but sure it's OK. It's your money.

EDIT: Actually, yeah I have but that has only been when with either a kid or a date that was done.

flounder · 10-03-2014, 10:50 AM

The first time I saw a baseball game in Oakland, I was totally unprepared for how cold it got at night even during the summer. I was freezing, wasn't really a fan of either team, and the score was 13-9 in the 5th after 2-1/2 hours. I left and didn't have a second thought about it.

I've left some other sporting events since then, but they were all kid related.

lungs · 10-03-2014, 11:19 AM

When I was in Boston for a game at Fenway, I left in about the 5th or 6th. It was one of those 14-10 type American League four hour games with teams I had no allegiance to and we wanted to check things out around the stadium.

I've left two Brewer games early. One I was ejected from the stadium and the other was when the Cubs were pounding the Crew 9-0 in the 6th and I couldn't stand to stick around to watch that.

ColtCrazy · 10-03-2014, 11:24 AM

There's only two times I think my dad and I leave Colts games early. Our town is 90 miles away from Indy, so a lot of it has to do with time.

1. Preseason games. We leave at halftime. They are typically are night games and it's not worth being out late to watch scrubs.

2. Night games that are blow outs. If it's pretty clear that a miraculous comeback is not going to happen, we might leave midway through the 4th. Again, it's more so because we both have to work the next day and don't want to get home by 1:30-2 if it's not necessary.

Otherwise we will stay till the end. I do know season ticket holders around us that tend to leave at the end of the 3rd regardless of the score. To me, why even bother to have the tickets?

The Jackal · 10-03-2014, 11:38 AM

I try not to, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. If you are going to a sporting event that's going to end at 11PM or later and have a 1+ hour commute to get home, and/or have kids .. there's no shame.

Now if it's an important game/playoffs, I'm sure you'd tough it out, but for some random regular season game or what not, whatever.

flere-imsaho · 10-03-2014, 12:15 PM

Sports are entertainment. Saying you "can't" leave before an event ends is giving it considerably more importance than it deserves.

DaddyTorgo · 10-03-2014, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

Sports are entertainment. Saying you "can't" leave before an event ends is giving it considerably more importance than it deserves.

This

korme · 10-03-2014, 12:43 PM

Went to 7 Pacers games last year and never left early, though we would have if the time was an issue, considering the 3 of us that had the tickets all met in Dayton (where I live), and then one had another hour south to Cincinnati and another an hour northeast to Columbus. So I'd be getting home around 1130 while they'd finally get home at 1230.

CU Tiger · 10-03-2014, 12:46 PM

It's perfectly "ok" it doesn't lessen your "fandom" or anything like that in my eyes.

That said...I've left exactly 3 games before it was over in my life.

'96 Carolina vs Dallas playoff game - Rode to the game with a friend and midway through the 4th quarter my ride was leaving...it was walk home or leave. Coincidentally the last time I ever rode to a game with anyone.

'09 Clemson vs BC - There were two lightening delays of just over an hour each. My then 5 year old daughter looked at me when the second delay started and said,"Daddy can we pleeease leave. I'm cold, wet and hungry." And then she batted those brown eyes and a single tear trickled...and what kind of man could say no to that.

'14 Clemson - UGA - It had been a long day and we had tailgated hard, and we had a 4 hour drive home...when UGA scored the last TD we scooted.

saldana · 10-03-2014, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lathum

The length of baseball games discussion got me wondering about this. There may already be a poll for this, but a quick search didn't turn up anything.

Anyway, do you ever leave a game early/ Do you think it is OK to do so?

Only if you need a new tent and Dick's is going to close soon.

stevew · 10-03-2014, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radii

I get the reasons why, but I voted no. I don't go to a lot of games, so when I do, I'm staying to the bitter end. Oh, its a blowout? What if this is the game that the Bills pull the greatest comeback of all time and I miss it? Buying the ticket commits me to the time in my mind.

Speaking of which, This Guy(points at myself) left early when EJ Manuel brought the Bills back against your panthers last year. An event that inspired Riverboat Ron to be created. And I don't regret it at all. Ralph Wilson Field traffic is a nightmare and I wanted to get on the turnpike ASAP. My wife hates this but I also don't see her ass volunteering to drive either.

General Mike · 10-03-2014, 08:49 PM

I'll leave early if I want to. I don't really go to many games anyway, but the last major league game I went to was a Mets game last year. It featured a nearly 2 hour rain delay, so it didn't start til 9. Me and my buddy stayed until Matt Harvey left the game.

DanGarion · 10-07-2014, 04:27 PM

Considering it's my decision as a fan to come and go when I want to. Of course it is. I mean it's just a sport, it's not like some life or death decision...

Ragone · 10-09-2014, 01:09 PM

where is the "I'm a Miami Sports fan, I have to leave early" option?

gstelmack · 10-09-2014, 01:47 PM

They should be grateful anyone showed up in the first place - between parking, cost of concessions, all the drunk people, and HDTVs, maybe they should be working a bit harder on making it worth you staying?

albionmoonlight · 10-09-2014, 02:25 PM

I agree with the majority that it is your money and time and you can do with it what you want. And with young kids, if I didn't leave early, they would never get to go to a game.

I will note, however, that the fan bases of pretty much every major school love to talk about how die-hard they are and how they are the best and most loyal fans in the universe, etc. etc. etc. And, man, those seem like the first fanbases to leave when their team is losing a home game big.

I'll pick on one of my teams here. I'm a mild LSU fan having grown up in Louisiana. And I know a lot of people who call themselves HUGE LSU FANS!!!! BEST EVER!!! WHOO HOOO!!! BLEED PURPLE AND GOLD!!! And yet these are the same people who were bragging about leaving the Mississippi State game early in the Fourth Quarter because "I don't need to stay to see that shit."

I am sure that the same thing happens with every big time program. I have no problem with leaving blowouts early because you don't like watching your team get beat. That's pretty rational, honestly. But then don't go on and on and on in the preseason about how you are the most loyal and die-hard and bestest fan ever.

View Poll Results: Do you ever/ Is it OK to leave a sporting event early?
Yes	79	87.78%
No	9	10.00%
Only the trout fishing championships	2	2.22%
Voters: 90. You may not vote on this poll

10-03-2014, 08:04 AM	#3
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Supersized blowouts, extreme weather. Something you went to under social/professional pressure and had little/no interest in to begin with. A sorry ass NFL game in the Georgia Dome. Otherwise, I'm not too big on it tbh. I'd never done it until I was in my 30s, __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

10-03-2014, 08:18 AM	#6
Logan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NYC	Of course it's okay, for reasons given already. You also have public transportation issues where people know if they stay until the bitter end, vs leaving a couple minutes early, they may have to wait a half hour or an hour for the next train to the suburbs. That being said, I've also seen people leaving their seats with a couple minutes to go in a tight game (real time, not game time) and watching from the concourse or ramps just to be the first ones out to the parking lot. That ends up being crazy to me, and I'd never do it, but have at it if it's your thing... Last edited by Logan : 10-03-2014 at 08:18 AM.

10-03-2014, 08:36 AM	#8
Butter Coordinator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Dayton, OH	Florida State - Clemson at Clemson last year. FSU scores late 3rd quarter to make it 41-7. We nope'd out of there right quick. Didn't need to hear the gloating, see the tomahawk chopping for another 45 minutes. __________________ My listening habits

10-03-2014, 09:14 AM	#11
Neon_Chaos Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Parañaque, Philippines	It's perfectly fine, you paid for those seats. But don't come crawling back in when your team forces overtime in the NBA Finals. __________________ Come and see.

10-03-2014, 07:51 AM	#2
SteveMax58 College Starter Join Date: Dec 2006	Sure it is. No sense watching the brutal end to a 42-10 blowout just for the added bonus of the logjam of people leaving. Might as well get an early jump on it. I also leave Preseason games early even if they are competitive because well, they don't really matter and the players I want to see are already out.

10-03-2014, 08:13 AM	#4
Easy Mac Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Here	We leave most Furman games at halftime. In the past it was because the child was 4 or under and ready to nap, since most games started at 1. This year we've left around halftime because they've been absolutely atrocious.

10-03-2014, 08:13 AM	#5
Shepp High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Atlanta, GA	I think the only time it would not be OK to leave would be if you were being paid to be there.

10-03-2014, 08:24 AM	#7
bhlloy Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003	A ton of people left the Royals - Angels game after the 9th inning last night. I guess it's possible those people were all getting the train and that runs on the 9 inning schedule, but that kind of blew my mind.

10-03-2014, 09:10 AM	#9
Radii Head Coach Join Date: Jul 2001	I get the reasons why, but I voted no. I don't go to a lot of games, so when I do, I'm staying to the bitter end. Oh, its a blowout? What if this is the game that the Bills pull the greatest comeback of all time and I miss it? Buying the ticket commits me to the time in my mind.

10-03-2014, 09:13 AM	#10
nilodor College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: calgary, AB	I've never left a game early, we figure we paid for the seats, we've set aside the time you never know when you might miss something amazing. Besides even if the game is atrocious you're still hanging out with your friends. We also chant beat the traffic, beat beat the traffic to people leaving early. Unless they have kids because if they want or need to go, that's a pretty good reason to leave.

10-03-2014, 09:35 AM	#12
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	In 2013, we left the Mother's Day game in Cincinnati in like the 8th because we were losing and the weather was miserable. I was with my mom, after all, and she was ready to go. So of course on the way home we get to listen to Joey Votto hit a walk off grand salami.

10-03-2014, 10:26 AM	#13
path12 Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle, WA	I personally don't but sure it's OK. It's your money. EDIT: Actually, yeah I have but that has only been when with either a kid or a date that was done. __________________ We have always been at war with Eastasia. Last edited by path12 : 10-03-2014 at 10:27 AM.

10-03-2014, 10:50 AM	#14
flounder High School Varsity Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lynchburg, VA	The first time I saw a baseball game in Oakland, I was totally unprepared for how cold it got at night even during the summer. I was freezing, wasn't really a fan of either team, and the score was 13-9 in the 5th after 2-1/2 hours. I left and didn't have a second thought about it. I've left some other sporting events since then, but they were all kid related.

10-03-2014, 11:19 AM	#15
lungs Pro Rookie Join Date: May 2002 Location: Prairie du Sac, WI	When I was in Boston for a game at Fenway, I left in about the 5th or 6th. It was one of those 14-10 type American League four hour games with teams I had no allegiance to and we wanted to check things out around the stadium. I've left two Brewer games early. One I was ejected from the stadium and the other was when the Cubs were pounding the Crew 9-0 in the 6th and I couldn't stand to stick around to watch that.

10-03-2014, 11:24 AM	#16
ColtCrazy College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Midwest	There's only two times I think my dad and I leave Colts games early. Our town is 90 miles away from Indy, so a lot of it has to do with time. 1. Preseason games. We leave at halftime. They are typically are night games and it's not worth being out late to watch scrubs. 2. Night games that are blow outs. If it's pretty clear that a miraculous comeback is not going to happen, we might leave midway through the 4th. Again, it's more so because we both have to work the next day and don't want to get home by 1:30-2 if it's not necessary. Otherwise we will stay till the end. I do know season ticket holders around us that tend to leave at the end of the 3rd regardless of the score. To me, why even bother to have the tickets? __________________ The Field Generals and Statis Pro Basketball Super League

10-03-2014, 11:38 AM	#17
The Jackal Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Hampshire	I try not to, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. If you are going to a sporting event that's going to end at 11PM or later and have a 1+ hour commute to get home, and/or have kids .. there's no shame. Now if it's an important game/playoffs, I'm sure you'd tough it out, but for some random regular season game or what not, whatever.

10-03-2014, 12:15 PM	#18
flere-imsaho Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicagoland	Sports are entertainment. Saying you "can't" leave before an event ends is giving it considerably more importance than it deserves.

10-03-2014, 12:43 PM	#20
korme Go Reds Join Date: May 2001 Location: Bloodbuzz Ohio	Went to 7 Pacers games last year and never left early, though we would have if the time was an issue, considering the 3 of us that had the tickets all met in Dayton (where I live), and then one had another hour south to Cincinnati and another an hour northeast to Columbus. So I'd be getting home around 1130 while they'd finally get home at 1230.

10-03-2014, 12:46 PM	#21
CU Tiger Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Backwoods, SC	It's perfectly "ok" it doesn't lessen your "fandom" or anything like that in my eyes. That said...I've left exactly 3 games before it was over in my life. '96 Carolina vs Dallas playoff game - Rode to the game with a friend and midway through the 4th quarter my ride was leaving...it was walk home or leave. Coincidentally the last time I ever rode to a game with anyone. '09 Clemson vs BC - There were two lightening delays of just over an hour each. My then 5 year old daughter looked at me when the second delay started and said,"Daddy can we pleeease leave. I'm cold, wet and hungry." And then she batted those brown eyes and a single tear trickled...and what kind of man could say no to that. '14 Clemson - UGA - It had been a long day and we had tailgated hard, and we had a 4 hour drive home...when UGA scored the last TD we scooted.

10-03-2014, 08:49 PM	#24
General Mike Pro Starter Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The State of Rutgers	I'll leave early if I want to. I don't really go to many games anyway, but the last major league game I went to was a Mets game last year. It featured a nearly 2 hour rain delay, so it didn't start til 9. Me and my buddy stayed until Matt Harvey left the game.

10-07-2014, 04:27 PM	#25
DanGarion Coordinator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Great Northwest	Considering it's my decision as a fan to come and go when I want to. Of course it is. I mean it's just a sport, it's not like some life or death decision... __________________ Los Angeles Dodgers Check out the FOFC Groups on Facebook! and Reddit! DON'T REPORT ME BRO! Last edited by DanGarion : 10-07-2014 at 04:27 PM.

10-09-2014, 01:09 PM	#26
Ragone Pro Rookie Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, Mo	where is the "I'm a Miami Sports fan, I have to leave early" option?

10-09-2014, 01:47 PM	#27
gstelmack Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cary, NC	They should be grateful anyone showed up in the first place - between parking, cost of concessions, all the drunk people, and HDTVs, maybe they should be working a bit harder on making it worth you staying? __________________ -- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities

10-09-2014, 02:25 PM	#28
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	I agree with the majority that it is your money and time and you can do with it what you want. And with young kids, if I didn't leave early, they would never get to go to a game. I will note, however, that the fan bases of pretty much every major school love to talk about how die-hard they are and how they are the best and most loyal fans in the universe, etc. etc. etc. And, man, those seem like the first fanbases to leave when their team is losing a home game big. I'll pick on one of my teams here. I'm a mild LSU fan having grown up in Louisiana. And I know a lot of people who call themselves HUGE LSU FANS!!!! BEST EVER!!! WHOO HOOO!!! BLEED PURPLE AND GOLD!!! And yet these are the same people who were bragging about leaving the Mississippi State game early in the Fourth Quarter because "I don't need to stay to see that shit." I am sure that the same thing happens with every big time program. I have no problem with leaving blowouts early because you don't like watching your team get beat. That's pretty rational, honestly. But then don't go on and on and on in the preseason about how you are the most loyal and die-hard and bestest fan ever.

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