How Assumptions Lead to Fan Violence

Posted on May 7, 2012 by John Doublin

We see and hear about it at nearly every sporting event around the world: Two or more fans get into a shouting match about their favorite teams. “My team is better than yours. Your team sucks. You guys are going down!”

If it remained simply a war of words, that would be fine. In fact, that’s the whole point of fandom; supporting your team regardless of how bad they are, or what’s happening on the field.

Unfortunately, it almost never ends with verbal exchanges. Invariably, a fight breaks out and someone gets hurt.

What are the reasons behind this? Why does “trash talk” almost always end in hurt feelings and emergency room visits? The answer is multi-faceted.

Perhaps the biggest contributor to these incidences is passion. Passion for the game, passion for the team and a passion for being able to call your team a “winner.” Passion is great, but only if it’s restrained and directed in a positive manner.

The next time you hear a fan of the opposing team spouting off about this or that, just remember…that person is just as passionate as you are and they are simply looking to cheer their team on…just like you.

Don’t take offense, even if what they’re saying is offensive and rude. Keep in mind that if you react to their venom, you become no better than them. “The fight avoided is the fight best fought.”

Be the “bigger,” more mature person in these cases.

Another factor that often leads to fan vs fan violence is assumptions. Assumptions about a particular fan base, an assumption about a person’s intentions and assumptions that your words aren’t as inflammatory as you think.

Often times, appearances can lead people to make assumptions about the character of a given person. These assumptions can cloud judgement and cause a person to act in a way that is outside their normal personality.

On Halloween, when a six-year-old boy knocks on your door wearing a hockey mask and carrying a pretend ax, do you automatically assume that he is a serial killer that has been raised from the dead? Of course not.

For some reason however, when fans of opposing teams go to, let’s say, an Oakland Raiders game, they tend to assume that the people with the spiked shoulder pads and face paint are automatically thugs that don’t deserve the common courtesy of respect.

That is narrow minded and unfair. The fact is that some of these “Super-fans” are pillars of the community. Their game-day personas are simply that—personas. Wayne Mabry is not actually a “Violator.” He’s a regular person with a job and responsibilities just like you.

Mr. Mabry is not only a “normal” person, he’s a passionate philanthropist, having raised a ton of money for local and national children’s charities. I have been given the honor of interviewing Mr. Mabry and the transcripts from that interview will be available at Raider Nation Times soon.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

The most obvious reason for these confrontations between fans is the one thing professional sports leagues absolutely refuse to remedy: The sale of alcohol at games.

The fact is, there is just too much money to be made from alcohol for the teams or leagues to remove it. It’s sad, but it’s true. Everyone knows that professional sports is a business and the leagues and the team owners are in it to make money…and alcohol is extremely profitable.

It is a proven fact that alcohol lowers inhibitions and causes people to over-react to volatile situations. It has also been shown to amplify emotions. Think about that for a second. Your ability to control your actions and your emotions are skewed and your team is losing. Nothing good can come from that.

This alteration of the frontal lobe of the brain results in bad judgement and stupid decisions; decisions that send people to jail and the hospital. It’s not rocket science.

What can fans do to prevent this? That’s simple…DON’T DRINK AT GAMES! You can wait until you get home. We’ve all heard the expression, “I don’t need alcohol to have a good time.” So, why do we need it to enjoy a sporting event? We don’t.

Please, “drink responsibly”…or not at all. You’ll be doing us all a favor.

Take a look at this video and ask yourself these questions:

Is this how I’d want my children to act? Are the people chanting “let them fight” really the kind of people that represent my feelings about this game? Do I want my children subjected to this behavior? Is this scene enhancing or detracting from my game-day experience?

Ultimately, there is only one group of people that can prevent fan vs fan violence; the fans themselves. Report potential problems to security, (there are text codes to reach security posted at most every stadium). Don’t drink to excess. Don’t make assumptions about other fans. Be passionate, but be mature and think of the message you’re sending your children.

If fans don’t police themselves, the leagues will do it for them. We, as fans, have to step up and do the right things. If we don’t, the teams and the leagues will do it for us…and that will suck the fun out of everything for us. The rules for attending games will be overly restrictive and ruin our experience. “…the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, ax and saw.”

Please, don’t let one or two bad apples ruin the bunch for the rest of us.

Follow John Doublin on Twitter: @CoachJayDee and find more of his work at www.RaiderNationTimes.com

Baseball Rivals Nationals and Phillies Encourage Friendly Rivalry Between Fan Bases

Posted on May 4, 2012 by kcdermody

One of the most heated rivalries in baseball will be battling it out this weekend in Washington, D.C. when the Philadelphia Phillies face the Washington Nationals. With emotions running high there have been a few articles written, like this one from CrossingBroad.com, about the importance of bringing your passion along with respect for all baseball fans, regardless the team they are fans of.

Baseball is our nation’s favorite pastime, but it’s important to remember the phrase “for the love of the game.” One can not equate love with violence, and violence should have no part in any sporting event. Unfortunately it’s been happening all too often, hence the reason for the inception of Fans Against Violence. Refer to our site’s Game Day Safety Tips and Game Day Hotlines & Text Code pages before heading out to the game, taking responsibility for your own safety as well.

One of the most horrific incidents in the history of sporting events happened just last year in Los Angeles when San Francisco Giants’ fan, Bryan Stow, was brutally beaten and attacked by two Dodgers’ fans at the stadium after the game. No one wants to see something like that happen ever again.

While sports rivalries can be fun and exciting, tempers can flare, especially when alcohol is involved. Remember to use common sense and never forget that there is no game that is worth jeopardizing anyone’s health. On Sunday night ESPN will be televising the game, and any incidents would only feed fuel to the fire of alleged bad behavior by the fans.

Keep the game what it is, fun entertainment that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy. Be loud, be supportive, but also be respectful of everyone in the stands. A few bad apples can ruin it all for everyone.

CA Assembly Committee Passes the Amended “Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act”

Posted on April 25, 2012 by KSamoun

Great news for California sports fans! Today, an amended version of the bill known as the “Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act,” was sent before the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media and passed by a unanimous vote.

On April 17, 2012 the bill, which would have created a “Ban list” of persons convicted of violent crimes at sporting events statewide, A “Stadium Violence Reward Fund”, and require all professional sports venues post, in visible areas, the venues security telephone and text messaging numbers, failed to pass the Public Safety Committee.

Some of the Assembly Committees major concerns were the criminal enhancements, the constitutionality of the bill, fear might incite further violence due to release of public information, and budgets concerns with implementing the “Stadium Violence Reward Fund” program through the Department of Justice.

After the bill failed to pass the Assembly Public Safety Committee last week, Assemblyman Mike Gatto and his staff were not about to give up. They amended the bill removing the “Ban List” and “Stadium Violence Reward Fund” altogether. What remains is the portion of the bill that contained the “Safety Notification Provision”.

After passing the Public Safety Committee yesterday, the amended bill was set before the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media today and passed unanimously.

Although the bill was significantly amended, this is a big step towards improving fan safety at sporting events. The Bill will require all professional sporting venues to provide visible game day security text codes and hotlines for its fans. The Bill still has a process to go through before even getting to the Governor to be signed into law, but it looks very promising.

Fans Against Violence, a San Francisco based organization dedicated to improving the game day experience for fans in all sports, compiled a centralized list of the current security text codes and hotlines for the NFL, MLB and MLS and are currently in the process of putting together lists for the NBA and NHL. We encourage all sports fans to do what they can to support this bill.

There is still a long process for this bill reaches the Governor’s desk to be signed. We encourage all sports fans to do what they can to support this bill.

A Proposed California Bill Banning Violent Fans from Sporting Events, Fails to Pass

Posted on April 18, 2012 by KSamoun

The Bill, known as the “Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act,” failed to pass the Assembly Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, April 17. The main provision of the bill would create a statewide “Ban List” of fans convicted of violent offenses at California professional sports arenas.

Among Assembly Committees concern’s on the proposed bill were the criminal enhancements (additional time to serve), the constitutionality of the bill, fear of further violence from releasing personal information of convicted fans to the public, and budgets concerns arising from creating a new program within the Department of Justice.

While this is definitely a setback, the bill is not dead. According Assemblyman Mike Gattos’ staff, they will be working this week with the Assembly Committee staff and Chair to amend the bill. They have hopes of resubmitting the bill for consideration next Tuesday April 24th.

Although, the bills main provision is the proposed “Ban List”, it also comes with some other very interesting provisions. The bill would require all professional venues post, in visible areas, the venues security telephone and text messaging numbers. It would also require a verbal announcement of the signage locations:

Once per quarter for a football game.
Four times per game for a baseball game.
Once per period for a hockey game.
At least three times for any other professional sporting event.

Another provision to the bill is the “Stadium Violence Reward Fund.” This provision would require each professional team to contribute $10,000 annually (until $180,000 is acquired) into a fund administered by the Department of Justice. The purpose of fund is to provide a reward to the general public who assist in the apprehension of persons committing violent acts at professional venues.

With the growing number of violent acts at sporting events nationwide, we believe this bill is a step in the right direction.

Click Here to view the entire Bill
Click Here to view the Assembly Committee Analyses

Fans Against Violence Launches Game Day Safety Tips Page

Posted on April 16, 2012 by FAV

Today we launched our newest page in an effort to help fans improve their game day experience. Please visit read our Game Day Safety Tips page and Enjoy your game!

Although teams and venues have a responsibility toward their fans to provide a safe environment, we as fans also have a responsibility to ensure our own safety. Always remember to follow venue rules and regulations and be a responsible fan.

It is important to be as prepared as possible when attending a sporting event. Along with your favorite team gear, banners, or whatever else you bring to cheer on your team, it is a great idea to have a good plan to ensure you have a safe game day experience.

California Legislation Would Ban Violent Fans from Sporting Events

Posted on March 14, 2012 by kcdermody

While the state of California is known for sometimes creating unnecessary laws, a bill currently proposed in the California State Assembly makes sense, and may set a precedence for other states to follow suit. If the legislation passes, the Golden State would be the first to create a “Ban List” that would “prohibit violent fans from attending professional sports events anywhere in the state for up to five years under newly proposed legislation.

The Sacramento Bee reported that the ban would only apply to those convicted of felonies such as assault, and it would not include less serious crimes, such as abusive heckling and throwing beer.

The proposed law comes as a result of several rather horrific violent incidents that have occurred at sporting events across the nation recently. A year ago this month, San Francisco Giants’ fan Bryan Stowe became a victim of violence after he was beaten senseless following a Los Angeles Dodgers game. During a preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders in August, there were several shootings in the parking lot and others acts of violence inside the stadium.

Just before Christmas, a New York Jets fan was savagely beaten in the parking lot after the game by a group of Kansas City Chiefs fans, and in January while two San Francisco 49ers fans were cheering on their team at an Applebee’s restaurant in Georgia, they were shot at in the parking lot as they left the building. A man was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in the incident.

The legislation will not have an affect on the average fan attending a sporting event, but if it does pass, I hope that it will make a difference in the record amount of violence we’ve been seeing.

One Year Later: A Raider Fan Recounts the Events of Her Brutal Attack

Posted on November 12, 2011 by SusanManuel

I didn’t go to the Chargers vs. Raider game this year in San Diego. The pain is still there. I knew it would bring up a flood of emotions and I am not sure, even a year later that I am ready for it. Even writing this now, is a struggle. But I want people to be aware.

I went last year with a friend who used to play for the Chargers. He was involved in alumni and special appearance functions. I was busy picking up some tickets for some of his crew and trying to get to the stadium to deliver them.

It was December 5th, and the traffic into the stadium was horrid. I was just sitting on the freeway, stuck, with the guys calling wanting to know where their tickets were. Finally I decided to get off at the next exit park and walk in. I knew it would be faster than trying to park inside.

I followed a few other vehicle with the same idea and we parked in an empty office parking lot. I paid attention to my surroundings, making sure I could find my way back to the truck after the game. I got the tickets to the guys at the gate, got to my seat, and enjoyed the game. It was a wonderful win. The Charger fans were cordial, and I was careful not to get too out of hand with my celebrating or comments.

Everyone filed quickly from the stadium, but I was so proud of our team, I had to stand over the tunnel and make sure the last Raider player, coach and staff had left the field, and had been appropriately “hurrah’d.”

Cell phone reception was iffy inside the stadium, but after the game, my friend was able to get through to me and let me know his friends would take him back to the hotel where I was staying.

I headed out to where I had parked his truck, walking with other people from the game–a mix of both Raider and Charger fans. And I felt nothing threatening.

I was only a block or two from getting back to my friend’s truck and all the people I was walking with at that point headed in different directions. I turned down the when two guys in hoodies stepped out of a brushy area where the sidewalk narrowed. I was careful to move to the far right side and noticed that they just had generic clothing on. They weren’t Charger fans. And they weren’t Raider fans.

Just as we were closely passing on the sidewalk the first blow came. Directly to my eye and blow after blow from the both of them continued to pummel my face and head. They pounded me.

Susan Manuel after being Brutally attacked

Susan Manuel 3 days after being brutally attacked

I could hear men run up and chase them, and what felt like a large woman grabbed me and comforted me.

It was at that point I realized my vision was gone. I could not see and at best any vision I could get was a blurred, triple vision.

They took my trademark fedora, they took a bracelet I was wearing, and they took my “2010 Season Ticket Holder” mini Raider backpack.

The backpack contained chap stick, gloves, an old digital camera, and sunglasses.Luckily my cell phone was zipped in my left Raider jacket pocket, and the keys to the truck were zipped in the right pocket. My cash and ID were zipped in a small secluded pocket.

They never said anything to me. Never asked for money. Never called me names. But it was clear, they meant to take my vision in the first blow.

The police asked me what they had on their hand when they hit me. I never saw the punch coming as they were too close and passing me at the same time.

The doctors asked the same thing. What weapon did they have? The damage to my eye was deep and extensive. I was sent to XRay, as they were sure my orbital and facial bones were fractured. I also had a concussion. Because they were not able to knock me down, the damage was contained to my head and face.

I was out of work for a month until I was able to regain some of my vision. There were of course repeated doctor visits to various specialists. But what was worse was hearing from other people…

Why didn’t you fall down and play dead? (Uh, because they would have kicked my ribs in and killed me). Why didn’t you have pepper spray? (Uh, because even if I had it–there would have not been enough time to get it out and use it). And yes, even one “helpful” person said you should have been carrying a gun. (And you really think I would have gotten into the game packing a gun, and again, there would have been not time to get it out and use it). And, then there was a person who said God must have been mad at me to allow this to happen to me.

A year later, I still have vision problems when I look up, down or to the side. it has taken time for me not to panic when I am alone, or when I am in a crowd.

And what did I learn?

-On game days, stay buddied up–no matter what.
-Do not carry anything of value in a bag or purse.
-Keep anything of value on your body. -Park in a controlled stadium parking lot.
-Even go to the bathroom or to concession stands in pairs. -Be constantly aware of appearances. (I was more focused on what the assailants were wearing than what their face looked like).
-Realize it doesn’t have to be a fan of the opposing team who assaults you. It can be anyone.
(The police determined they guys were not affiliated with either team, and were probably not even at the game).

Stabbing Outside Charger-Raider Game: Fan Rivalry Taken to the Extreme

Posted on November 12, 2011 by RaiderKat

Wednesday morning, after taking my daughter to school, I came home, made coffee and signed onto Facebook to see what was going on with all of my friends and family. A number of my friends were preparing to make the trek from the Bay Area to San Diego for the Chargers-Raiders game. You could feel the excitement everywhere! The San Diego Chargers-Oakland Raiders game is typically one of the most exciting games of the season, but for a brief moment, I felt concern for my friends rather than excitement.

Very shortly after the formation of Fans Against Violence I was shocked to learn that one of my friends, Susan had been brutally attacked following the Chargers-Raiders game in San Diego last year leaving her with severe injuries including losing her vision for a month. Naturally, knowing my friends were attending this years game left me worried. I messaged my friends and asked them all to please stay safe, make sure they stayed, at the very least, paired up and not to wander anywhere alone.

This morning I woke up to the news of a 25yo man having been stabbed in the parking lot following the game. Although the identity of this man and has not been released, most of the reports I have read insinuated it was again a “Raider Fan” issue. My first thought upon hearing the news was “not again!”. My second thought was that of anger towards the media for again, in their subtle way, pointing the finger at the Raider fans. I decided I should take a breath and investigate a little further.

What I found out came as a huge surprise to me. I called a few of my friends and spoke with some fans that were actually at the game to find out what their experience was like. Everyone I spoke with said basically the same thing. They had a great time and had no problems, all of the Charger fans they encountered were welcoming and friendly, aside from the friendly bantering that always goes on between fan bases. Patty Mejia, who is an Oakland Raider fan, attended the game with her friend who happens to be a Charger fan had this to say:

I actually went with a Charger fan, and we were at the Black Sunday tailgate party with my cousin. He had a Raider Hater shirt on, they threw a “Black Sunday” sticker on his back and then fed him bbq and gave him a beer. He was in sea of black and not one person said anything to him, at least not on a serious note. We all had a great time. I was proud of everyone.

So what exactly came as such a surprise to me? I’d like to think, when it comes to acts of violence, I remain pretty unbiased. What I realized was, after hearing about Susan’s attack, I was putting that on the entire Chargers fan base. How different was this than what the media has consistently done with Raider Fans? Answer: It is no different.

Coming to this realization made me wonder should the media take responsibility when vilifying an entire fan base? Does this type of reporting contribute to the possibility of volatile situations between fan bases? If you go into a situation being told you should be in fear for your safety, does it make you more careful, put you more on edge? I can only answer for myself when I say yes to all the above. This type of stereotyping and finger pointing by the media seems to do no more than fuel the fire. What ever happened to responsible, non-biased reporting?

The truth of it is, Susan’s attack, the shootings at the 49er-Raider game, the Bryan Stow attack, the stabbing at the Chargers game and most incidents of Fan Violence at sporting events are isolated incidents, not the “norm”. Most sports fans are not there “looking for trouble”. Most are there to enjoy the game, support their team and have fun with friends and family.

As far as the stabbing goes, was this stabbing “seemingly unrelated to the sports rivalry” as the interviewing officer reported? I really cannot say. Who was at fault? Not something any of us can really answer. We can all speculate but the only thing I can say for sure is that it is unacceptable and inexcusable. No sport, No rivalry, No argument is worth taking to the level where someones life is in danger..EVER!

To read more about Susan and here incredible story please view her recent post here One Year Later: A Raider Fan Recounts the Events of Her Brutal Attack.

Road to Recovery:Doctors Announce Bryan Stows Transfer to Rehab

Posted on October 11, 2011 by FAV

Although the road to recovery is far from over for San Francisco Giants Fan, Bryan Stow, today he has taken a step closer. It has been seven months since the brutal attack on Bryan Stow in the parking lot of the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener after the game. Having suffered severe brain injury the outlook looked grim.

Today his outlook seems a little brighter. In a press conference this afternoon, Stow’s Doctors announced that he has been released from San Francisco General to an undisclosed rehabilitation center. Although the lasting effects on Bryan Stow as a result of the attack are still unknown, his family has reported that he is now speaking in full sentences and is moving his limbs.

As always our thoughts and prayers are with Bryan and his family. We are so happy to hear he is making progress. Please take a moment to visit the Bryan Stow Donation page we have established on FAV and give what you can to help this family in need. All proceeds from this page go directly to the Stow family.

Candlestick Park – Post Game Fight and a Concealed Handgun

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Julie

Jed York and the San Francisco 49ers have had another violent incident occur under their watch at Candlestick Park. Following the 49ers overtime loss to the Cowboys on Sunday, September 18th, the police were called to the site of a fight in one of the parking lots just outside the stadium.

Three men were attempting to leave the parking lot while the victim was standing behind their car. Some sort of argument broke out and the men got out of the car and began to attack the victim. The victim’s friend came to his aid was then hit in the head, as was the uniformed security officer who also tried to help. The most substantial injuries were the result of blunt force trauma to the head caused by a bottle and flashlight.

What’s even more disturbing is the concealed handgun found in the perpetrators car. No indication regarding team affiliation for any of the parties has been released; and honestly, it doesn’t matter.

: Parking Lot Map of Candlestick Park, SF

The post game violence at Candlestick when the 49ers hosted the Oakland Raiders made National news and caused officials from the NFL office to tour the facility and talk with the 49ers Administration. One of the specific issues discussed was the concern about security in the outer parking lots. If York and his staff do not take immediate and, if needed, extreme measures to ensure adequate policing of the surrounding lots, the San Francisco 49ers should be sanctioned by the league.

What changes were made? How have they improved policing of the lots? Is there surveillance? Why would a security guard report alone, without a partner? Roger Goodell and the league office need to sit down with the 49ers and devise a plan to make immediate corrections and hold the franchise accountable. Their fans deserve better.