Two Year Anniversary of the Attack on Giants Fan Bryan Stow – Can Good Come From Such a Horrilbe Incident?

Posted on March 31, 2013 by John Doublin

Two years ago today the sports community was forever changed when San Francisco Giants’ fan, Bryan Stow, nearly paid the ultimate price for his team loyalty. Stow traveled the 300 miles to cheer for his beloved Giants at the home of their rival, and was beaten almost to death in the parking lot of a Los Angeles Dodgers’ home game leaving him with severe brain injury.

This incident brought the issue of fan violence to the forefront, prompting the creation of FansAgainstViolence.org. All of a sudden, fan violence was a topic of conversation on a national level. Major news outlets, such as CNN, FoxNews, and MSNBC were all talking about the violence in the stands.

Bryan Stow and Family

Since that day, Mr. Stow has been slowly recovering from his injuries, though a full recovery is not likely, as his injuries were numerous and severe. Mr. Stow’s family has since started a website, which updates well-wishers and fans of his current condition, along with improvements and changes in his condition.

So, what does all of this mean? What should we take away from this tragic and senseless act of violence? Is there a “silver lining?” Those questions are difficult to answer.

One way to look at the result of this terrible incident is that the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and the NCAA have all taken steps to protect fans in the stands. There are emergency security text code numbers fans can use to report fights and disturbances, stadiums have increased security and, most importantly, most fans are no longer tolerant of people such as those men who attacked Mr. Stow. Decent people in stadiums all across the country, and the world, are reporting violence in the stands more readily. This incident also prompted California legislation, the Improving Personal Safety at Stadiums Act, authored by Assemblyman Mike Gatto(D-Los Angeles) which requires all professional sports venues in California to have a Security Text Code program in place. That, in and of itself, should be counted as a minor victory.

It’s sad that it took the near death of a fan to bring this problem to the forefront of conversation, but as Mr. Stow and his family attempt to heal and return to some sense of a normal life, they can take solace in the fact that, although it came in the wake of such a horrific event in their lives, the likelihood of this happening to someone else in the future is greatly diminished due to his story.

Fans Against Violence continues to support Mr. Stow and his family as they live through this tragedy. As always, we send our well-wishes and prayers to the Stow family. FAV will continue to do everything possible to prevent this from happening again.

To see ways you can help or get involved with FAV, please visit our Get Involved page.
If you would like to donate to Bryan Stows family directly, you can visit our Donate to Bryan Stow page.

We cannot change things on our own, but by raising awareness and offering suggestions to prevent this sort of thing, through the support of fans, teams and leagues, we will be able to make a difference in “Taking Back the Stands!”

Fans Against Violence – FanShake PSA – Brought to You by TheMadFanatic

Posted on December 4, 2012 by FAV

We are so thrilled to release our first Public Service Announcement for our FanShake Program. The FanShake program and the FanShake Cam was built on the premise that the smallest of gestures can sometimes have the most impact. With the simple act of shaking an opposing fans hand and welcoming them to “your house” you can change the entire mood of your section.

The FanShake Cam first made its debut at the Oakland Raiders season opener versus the San Diego Chargers and was a huge hit! Our hope is that by encouraging fans to welcome each other through the FanShake, we can start to help reduce the number of incidents at sports venue nationwide.

So Next time you are at a game..make sure and do the FanShake!!

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

What Can Sports Fans do to Take a More Proactive Approach Against Violence?

Posted on May 21, 2012 by FAV

We have had a lot of questions and comments in regards to our posting challenging fans to step up and take a more proactive approach in ending fan violence. Many of you have responded asking what it is you can do.

First and foremost, if you see something escalating, please do not try to get involved. We would never want anyone to put themselves or their family in danger. The best thing you can do is use the Game Day Security Hotlines and Text code to alert security to the issue. All calls are anonymous, so there is no need to be concerned about retaliation.

Although it is important that the venues do everything they can to ensure the fans safety, we as fans have to take on some of the responsibility. Along with the Game Day Security Hotlines and Text code we have also put together a list of Game Day Safety Tips. Please read them. Some of the tips may seem obvious but they are all important.

Lastly, with all of the recent incidents and all of the media attention to the issue of Fan Violence, many fans are afraid and on edge when attending a game. Remember be kind and respectful to all fans, no matter what team they are rooting for. At the end of the day, we are all fans of the sport. The smallest gesture of saying “hi” or “welcome to our stadium” to an opposing fan can make the largest impact!

Incident After Dodgers’ Game Highlights Need for Fans to be Proactive in Eliminating Violence at Sporting Events

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Anna Mohr

It’s another sad day for baseball fans and compassionate human beings alike as news has broken that yet another person has become the victim of violence following a Los Angeles Dodgers’ game over the weekend. The victim, whose name has not been released, was driving one of the vehicles involved in a fender bender while exiting the parking lot of Dodger Stadium. According to reports, the victim was pulled from his car and held down by three men, assumed to have been riding in a third vehicle, and was repeatedly hit and kicked by the driver of the other car involved in the accident.

This April 10, 2012 file photo shows Los Angeles Police mounted patrol officers Steve Cooper, left, aboard Jimbo and Roger Johnson on Ranger watching Dodger fans arrive for the home opener baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Stadium security and off-duty uniformed police officers working for the Dodgers responded to the scene quickly and arrested the four men. The victim, along with his pregnant passenger, was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Meanwhile, the assailants are, as of 12:45 p.m. PT today, still in custody, according to the LAPD and the Los Angeles County Jail. They are awaiting arraignment and are expected to be formally charged with assault with a deadly weapon. (In this instance, given the position of the victim and the number of attackers, feet and hands are considered “deadly weapons.”)

Kudos to the Dodgers and to the City of Los Angeles. Subsequent to the brutal attack on Bryan Stow at their stadium a little over a year ago, the Dodgers’ organization has taken steps in the right direction in an attempt to minimize attacks on their guests as well as apprehend spectators found to be in violation of city law and/or stadium policy. They are one of the few organizations who are permitted to hire off-duty LAPD officers to patrol their premises, in uniform. In addition, they hire undercover officers donning rival team jerseys to be present at every home game. Yet still, the violence continues.

Police and management can only do so much to combat this problem. In this most recent case, they responded as quickly as they were able, an undisputed claim. But they’re only human. Unless an officer happens to be standing in the middle of a brawl (and let’s face it, most people possess the minimal amount of common sense necessary to tell you not to break the law in plain view of a cop or security guard), he/she can only reach the victim as quickly as his/her legs can move. And while surveillance cameras may help, alerting authorities when a potentially dangerous situation arises and often used as evidence ex-post-facto, they are still just devices that can neither prevent nor halt a physical altercation.

The rest is up to us, the fans. It is up to us to absolutely insist upon acceptable behavior from our fellow game-goers. It is up to us to take responsibility for our own actions, and to think before we commit them. It only takes one decision and split seconds to change a life, many lives, including your own. Let’s start making the right ones. Indifference changes nothing. Demand concern. Demand outrage. Demand change.

BaseballintheBlood.com – On The Phone With…Fans Against Violence

Posted on May 18, 2012 by FAV

We recently had a great phone interview with Todd Coppernoll of Baseball in the Blood. Below is an excerpt from the interview and article about Fans Against Violence.
To read the full article please visit BaseballintheBlood.com.

Shootings and Savage Beatings…at the Ballpark

On The Phone With…Fans Against Violence

~By Todd Coppernoll-May 18, 2012

Over the past year, fan violence at U.S. sporting events has received heightened media attention. The savage beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, in the parking lot at Dodger Stadium, is causing many to take a second look at what is “acceptable” behavior in the stands.
Last August, the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Oakland Raiders for a preseason NFL game at Candlestick Park. Following the game, three fans were hospitalized…two had been shot, and the third had been beaten unconscious in a stadium restroom.
In September, Kathy Samoun, who is a Raiders fan, founded “Fans Against Violence.” read full article..

Could Intentional Violence on the Field Lead to More Violence in the Stands?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Anna Mohr

There’s nothing like intentionally pelting an opponent with a 93-mile per hour fastball to heat up an already sticky sports rivalry. And that’s exactly what happened on Sunday, when Phillies’ pitcher Cole Hamels plunked Nationals’ outfielder Bryce Harper in the back with a pitch in the first inning. Hamels later admitted, with no apology, that he threw to hit, and his actions were simply “old school” protocol. He was slapped with a five game suspension and fined by MLB. The punishment seems arbitrary, at best, and left many wondering, “Is it enough?”

I’ve often asked myself why violence on a baseball field, basketball court or any other playing ground is treated any differently than the violence that occurs on the streets, amongst “regular” civilians. Why is Cole Hamels any different from the average Joe who picks up a hard object and throws it in the direct path of another human being? Why do we abhor the common assailant, yet feel a sense of allegiance to a member of our favored team who, essentially, is guilty of the same offense?

All I have deduced from contemplation of such questions is because we, as fans, allow it. We somehow interpret such behavior as the honorable defense of our team, our fan base and our hometown. We justify such acts by trying to reason that sports is a perpetual effort towards retaliation, and that people deserve to be mistreated simply because they support a team other than ours. It’s a vicious cycle when treated with such gravity and we, as fans, have it in our power to put an end to it.

Whether you’re a Nationals’ fan, a Phillies’ fan, a fan of a different team, or not a baseball fan at all, please do not condone Sunday’s events. Do not allow Hamels’ poor judgment to escalate the problem of uncivil, unfriendly rivalry. Keep in mind that his conduct not only could have resulted in the serious injury of an up-and-coming 19-year old who was just trying to do his job, but will likely create more hostility amongst the two organizations and their supporters. And this is something we at FAV desperately want to prevent.

While ultimately the Phillies defeated the Nationals 9-3, Bryce Harper managed to steal home after he was hit by Hamels’ pitch, a feat in its own right. When asked to comment about the incident, Harper simply said, “Hamels threw a great game tonight.” Perhaps these “old school” players can learn a thing or two about good sportsmanship and class from these young rookies.

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.

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.