Fans Against Violence and the Oakland Raiders Introduce the FAV FanShake Cam

Posted on September 25, 2012 by FAV

We are so thrilled to share with you the FAV FanShake Cam™ which was first Introduced at the Oakland Raiders home opener on Monday Night Football vs San Diego Chargers. In all the excitement, everyone forgot to record the unveiling! Thankfully we did not forget to record it at the Raiders/Steeler game so we could share it with you if you weren’t able to attend the game!

We are happy to announce the FanShake™ has been a huge success and has received a tremendous response by the fans!

We look forward to spotting you soon on the FanShake Cam™ so be sure to stand up, shake the hand of a visiting fan and get your FanShake™ on!!

Tennessee State University Quarterback Michael German Teams up with Fans Against Violence

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Anna Mohr

” Real fans let their team do the fighting in between the whistle. Stop fan violence!” ~Michael German

Fans Against Violence is excited to welcome our newest and first collegiate supporter, Michael German of Tennessee State University. Michael is the starting quarterback for the Tigers, and in addition to being a star athlete he is a staunch supporter of Fans Against Violence and our mission to ensure safety in the stands.

Michael is a Florida native, and began his football career at a very young age. Early on it became evident to his family and coaches that he was a natural. He earned the Most Valuable Player award in his freshman and junior years, two of his many achievements during his tenure at Blanche Ely High School. He was recruited by Tennessee State and made his debut in the 2011 season. During his rookie year, Michael completed 140 passes for 1,899 yards and led his team with 12 touchdowns. He garnered Freshman of the Year honors and was chosen to the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) New-Comer Team. Michael is currently in his sophomore year at Tennessee State, and has a very bright and promising future ahead of him.

Our athlete supporters shine light on the problem of fan violence from a different perspective. Michael, like many athletes, must concern himself with his family and fans’ safety while trying to play his game. While his focus should be on football, Michael worries about his devoted parents, who attend almost every one of his games. Violence is not restricted to the professional level, and he realizes the need to raise awareness everywhere, from little leagues to the NFL. We are grateful for his support and wish him the best of luck this 2012 season!

Aaron Curry message to Fans and Contest for FansAgainstViolence.org

Posted on September 17, 2012 by FAV

Aaron Curry sends out a message to Raider fans asking them to end the violence! Wanting join in the FanShake™ Fun, Aaron is asking fans to post their FanShake photos to the FAV Facebook page or tweet your photos to @FansAv @AaronCurry51 with the hashtag #FanShake. Five Lucky winners will win autographed pictures of Aaron Curry!

Oakland Raiders Team Up with Fans Against Violence

Posted on September 10, 2012 by FAV

Fans Against Violence is proud to announce our first team partnership with the Oakland Raiders. We are happy to be unveiling our newest program “FanShake™” and the “FanShake Cam™”. We look forward to seeing home fans and visiting fans interacting in a positive way. In addition to the FanShake™, FAV will have a permanent residence in Raiderville at all home games. We at FAV know that together with the Oakland Raiders, we can make a difference and help put an end to Fan Violence.

As part of the Raiders continuing efforts to provide a safe, secure, family friendly environment, the Silver and Black and Fans Against Violence (FAV) are teaming up.

RAIDERS CONTINUE TO PROMOTE SAFE, SECURE, FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT; TEAM UP FOR FANSHAKE™ The Oakland Raiders’ Fan Code of Conduct is part of the Silver and Black’s commitment to a safe, secure, family friendly environment. The Fan Code of Conduct can be found by clicking here.

The Fan Code of Conduct also includes parking and tailgate guidelines as well as texting and designated driver programs which continue to help fans enjoy the best possible game day experience.

The Fan Code of Conduct Public Service Announcement, which features the Raiderettes and contains video clips of fans of all ages enjoying a day at a Raiders game, can be seen by clicking here.

As part of the Raiders continuing efforts to provide a safe, secure, family friendly environment, the Silver and Black and Fans Against Violence (FAV) are teaming up beginning with tonight’s regular season opener against San Diego at O.co Coliseum to highlight fan interaction at the stadium with the FanShake™.

The FanShake™, a term originated by Fans Against Violence, will be prominently displayed in a number of ways at Monday night’s contest between two original American Football League and present American Football Conference Western Division rivals.

A FanShake™ photo gallery will be showcased on raiders.com’s “Game Center” as well as on the team’s Twitter and Face book accounts. Fans are encouraged to take their own photos of FanShakes™ and upload those to Twitter using the hash tag #fanshake. The Raiders will then re-Tweet the best photos throughout the pregame and game.

In addition, FanShake™ moments will be videotaped and shared with the crowd inside the Coliseum on the video during the game as part of FanShakeCam™. Fans Against Violence (http://www.fansagainstviolence.org/) is a fan-based organization that aims to improve and enhance game day experiences at professional sports venues across the United States.

Mike Gatto’s Stadium Violence Prevention Bill Signed by Governor Brown

Posted on September 7, 2012 by FAV

Sacramento, CA – Next time you find yourself at a football game, with a front row seat to a brawl in the stands between two rowdy fans, you’ll be able to more quickly and less conspicuously summon stadium security. Assembly Bill 2464, the Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles), was signed into law today by Governor Brown.

The Act will require major-league sports stadiums in California to clearly post the numbers fans can use to call or text-message stadium security, both inside and outside the venues. Most stadiums verbally announce the contact information for stadium security at the beginning of the game, but many fans don’t remember this number several innings later and in the midst of an emotionally charged altercation mere steps away. Now fans don’t have to memorize this number – it will be a mainstay at all professional sports stadiums and arenas in the state.

Posting these signs will enable incidents to be resolved more quickly, before a victim is seriously injured. In fact, several of the more high-profile beatings lasted over a span of several minutes, during which frantic fans dialed 911. In those instances, it is stadium security (from within the stadium) and not the police (coming from outside the stadium) who is best equipped to quickly respond and prevent an injury from becoming more serious.

The signs mandated by AB 2464 will also serve as a reminder to would-be perpetrators that they will be caught, hopefully adding an ounce of prevention to this modest cure. “It has become apparent that we need to act to keep the action at professional games on the field and out of the stands,” said Gatto, “AB 2464 is a simple, common-sense, and preventative solution.”

AB 2464 is one of three bills signed into law today authored by Assemblyman Gatto.

Mike Gatto represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and parts of Los Angeles, including Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Atwater Village. He is the Chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

Win Two Tickets to an Oakland Raiders/Broncos Game Dec 6th with Club Access!!

Posted on September 3, 2012 by FAV

The Phoenician Booster Club and the Oakland Raider Soldiers Booster Club – Phoenix Chapter is proud to sponsor a charity raffle for two tickets for the Oakland Raider vs Denver Broncos Game on December 6th, with Club Access, generously donated by Oakland Raiders Linebacker Aaron Curry. The proceeds of this raffle will support Fans Against Violence.

Each donation of $10 will receive one entry into the raffle. You will receive one entry into a random drawing for each $10 donated. Donations can be made by clicking the link below or by clicking on the “Support FAV” button on our website or Facebook page. If you are in the Phoenix Area, raffle tickets can also be purchased through the Phoenician Booster Club at the Catalina Sports Bar & Grill or the Oakland Raiders Soldiers Booster Club at Gus’s New York Pizza & Bar on September 10th during the Raiders home opener! A great way to support a fantastic cause and put yourself into a drawing to see the Raiders play at the O.co Coliseum.

Drawing will be held on September 11, 2012 and the winner will be contacted by telephone or email.

DONATE NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

These are great tickets, great seats(Raider side of the field in the lower level section) with CLUB ACCESS to the Hennessy Black West Side Club & East Side Clubs. If you haven’t experience these clubs during a game, you have been missing out! Last time we were in the Hennessy Black West Side Club, we were fortunate enough to meet Jim Plunkett!

We thank you in advance for your donations and wish you luck in the Raffle!!!

Once your donation is made, email kathy@fansagainstviolence.org with Raiders Raffle as the subject. In the email put your name, phone number, email address and amount donated.

Shooting Occurs near Raiders – Cardinals Game NOT necessarily Fan related…

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Jay Captain JackRackem Levy

Reports Friday night stated another ‘Gun-Incident’ took place at a football game pitting the Oakland Raiders against their host Arizona Cardinals. Naturally, all the ‘Debby Downers’ had it as yet ANOTHER case of Raiders fans being Hoodlums, etc… However, as is with most news stories that jump right from ‘initial reports’ to ‘the hot press,’ this incident isn’t exactly what most football-fan-hoodlum naysayers will use to ‘beat the drum.’

According to Officer Tracey Breeden, the on-duty Public Information officer for the Glendale Police Department, a 9:30 PM local time altercation between two male individuals took place in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn, which is sometimes used as ‘overflow parking’ for games. The shooter, who immediately called the police once the incident took place, stated that it was accidental when he pulled out a gun and it fired. The victim of the shooting suffered what Breeden called ‘flesh wounds’ and not what were erroneously reported originally as ‘life-threatening injuries.’ The as yet unidentified shooter is in police custody, but is not under arrest at this time. Police are reporting the shooting victim will be ‘perfectly fine.’ Further non-factual reporting had the weapon as a shotgun when in fact it was a hand gun (caliber as yet to be identified), with the shot purported to be to the face – which has yet to be confirmed. Again, as soon as the words ‘Gun Shots’ ‘Victim’ and ‘Football Game’ come across in any order in short period of time, many folks in the media as well as the general public rush off in panic mode, not knowing the full story. This travesty of jumping to conclusions before all facts are in most definitely needs to stop. While it is a shame that an incident and injury occurred due to a handgun discharge adjacent to a sporting event, one should remember that until all facts are gleaned, jumping to conclusions may be bad to your health… from the strain it puts on your mind and your legs!

Anti-Fan Violence “Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act” Passes CA Senate

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Anna Mohr

California is a signature away from passing legislation in an attempt to solve the growing problem of violence at sporting events- a small victory in the ongoing crusade to bring peace to fans statewide.

AB 2464, proposed by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, landed on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk on Tuesday, and is expected to be signed within the next two weeks. It will mandate owners of all sports facilities to post notices containing the telephone number and text message code to dial in the event an incident arises which calls for security to be summoned. Further, these notices must be strategically placed in locations visible to a majority of spectators in seating areas, parking lots located on the complex premises and at all points of entry.

Gatto introduced this bill back in February, in response to the outrageous number of violent acts reported at sporting events statewide. After being told by some of his constituents that they are concerned for their safety at stadiums and arenas, Gatto decided to take action. The passage of this bill, he hopes, will encourage people to alert authorities before situations escalate and assuage the fear that many have developed to attend games and matches.

We’re optimistic that this law will go into effect, and hopeful that California blazes a trail for other states to follow. As citizens and fans, we are entitled to protection and should not be shy about asking our politicians to ensure that we receive it at all times, including during sporting events. Thank you to the citizens of California, and to Assemblyman Gatto, for refusing to sit on the sideline while this vicious conduct continues. We admire their efforts and hope they inspire more people to join the cause.

New Security Measures are Necessary Considering the Increase in Violent Acts at Sporting Events

Posted on August 11, 2012 by kcdermody

There are some fans who are upset about the inconvenience of the new security screening measures put into place for all NFL games this year. Every stadium in the nation is affected, including O.co Coliseum. According to Raiders.com, everyone who walks into the stadium will be subject to “security screening of property and person, including metal detection.”

Are the new rules inconvenient? Yes. But are they worth eliminating even just one violent incident, and possibly the life of an NFL fan? Of course.

It’s unfortunate that we live in a world where security screening measures like these are necessary, but with the high number of violent acts committed at sporting venues across the country in recent years, the NFL is taking steps they feel will help reduce and eliminate potential injury or death to those who just want to watch their favorite team battle it out on the field.

Of course some incidents have happened in parking lots outside the stadium, as in the shooting after the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders preseason game last summer, and the new rules may not have prevented this horrendous situation, but there are others that would have been prevented through metal detection and advanced security screening.

At MetLife Stadium last September, a fan used an illegal taser at the game between the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys. In a cellphone video of the fight that occurred, one fan can be heard saying, “How did he get in here with that thing?”

Had metal detectors been in place, it’s unlikely he would have made it through with it.

With alcohol being consumed during the game, mixed with high tempers, adding a weapon of any kind is a recipe for disaster.

Yes, it’s inconvenient, and you’ll have to allow more time to get into the game, but considering the number of deaths involving random shootings at places we should be able to go into and feel safe, it only makes sense to take any action possible to prevent such horrific violence from happening again.

Other articles by K.C. Dermody can be found below. Follow her on Twitter @kcdermody, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter or at www.kcdermodywriter.com

Oakland Raiders Fan: Fans Against Violence Taking Back the Stands for All Sports

Raiders vs. 49ers Preseason Battle Nixed; NFL’s Latest Ideas to Stop Violence

Six Things to Look for in the Oakland Raiders First Preseason Game

Titans WR O.J. Murdock Tragic Suicide – Dies at Age 25

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Anna Mohr

It is with great sadness that we report on the passing of Orenthal James “O.J.” Murdock, wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans. Murdock died Monday, July 30, 2012 in front of his alma mater, Middleton High School, in Tampa Bay, Florida as the result of an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound. He was 25 years old.

Titans WR O.J. Murdock

We must remember that suicide is also an act of violence- upon oneself. In fact, approximately 50% of deaths due to violence per year are attributed to suicide. While all suicides can not be prevented, we can work, as a community, to minimize them, just as we strive to assuage the violence to which fans subject one another in the stands.

As football fans, advocates against violence and human beings, our deepest condolences are extended to the Murdock family, the Tennessee Titans organization and Mr. Murdock’s fans. He displayed immense talent and potential during his brief life, and he will be missed by many.