Mission Statement
It is FAVs mission to encourage fan safety at professional sporting events through education, discussion and partnerships with like-minded organizations. We believe that attending sporting events is an act of fellowship and community between fans, and that each person who attends a professional sporting event should feel safe and be protected by the hosting facility and franchise.
FAV is a fan based organization. We represent and include all fan bases and promote friendly rivalries. Stereotypes and misconceptions have played an adverse role within rivalries, increasing and encouraging hostility between opposing fans. Through our mission, we hope to provide fans a platform where this hostility can be diffused. Quite simply, we are all far more alike than we realize. If we don’t work together to improve the climate of our sporting events, the leagues, venues, and government will impose further limits and regulations upon us. Let’s work together to take a stand in Taking Back The Stands.
Our Story
There was some concern about sharing the context in which FAV came about. The simple fact that there was some concern made it even more clear that FAV was needed. See, we’re Raider fans.
We know the stereotypes and we know the resistance that is met when we identify ourselves as part of Raider Nation. So yes, we do own computers and we have jobs and/or are students. We’ve never been to jail, none of us have records. Not a neck tattoo in the bunch. We don’t drink too much at games or start fights. Some of us are parents, good ones at that, and we all donate time and or money to local causes. Like most Raider fans, we’re good decent people.
The savage beating of Bryan Stow at Dodgers Stadium on March 31, 2011 was hard to comprehend, even while knowing the extreme rivalry between the Giants and Dodgers. Then came the Battle of the Bay, Raiders at 49ers on August 20, 2011. The fights and post game shootings have been well documented. To say we were greatly affected by theses incidents is an understatement. Not only were we dismayed that our Bay Area rivalry had reached such violent peaks, we were disheartened to see how our fan base was slandered and depicted. What made it worse was watching some Raider fans revel in it.
If this was just a ‘Raider thing’ or just a ‘California thing’, we wouldn’t be so driven to reach out. But this can occur anywhere, even in your stadium or arena. Let’s work together to make sure it never happens.
Our hope is that FAV will be the springboard for discussion and action across fan bases. We have a lot of ideas that we’ll explore as FAV grows. Your participation is crucial and we are looking forward to you sharing your stories, ideas and pictures.
Our immediate function will be to:
- Provide resources for a safe game day experience
- News and editorials on stories regarding fan safety and violent incidents
- Calling bad journalism to the carpet for reinforcing fan stereotypes
- Connecting with organizations to promote fan events and increase communication between fan bases