12/22/24
April 17, 2012
Get your pencils out..: On average, 30-40 fans are kicked out of every NFL game. Starting this year, any fan kicked out of a game will be banned from the stadium until they pay for a 4 hour online course on anger mgt and pass a test. May be some empties in my section this year.
At MetLife Stadium, security chief Daniel DeLorenzi said about 25 fans are kicked out of the stadium at each Jets and Giants game. In order to combat a growing trend of unruly behavior, MetLife was the first, along with the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium, to require completion of the class and test in 2010.
Interesting, so it's been around for a season or two already. I wonder if the "anger management" part is doing any good for the idjits individuals who take it.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:27 AM on April 17, 2012
Here is a longer article.
posted by Debo270 at 08:32 AM on April 17, 2012
I have 0 intention of ever attending a Pats game because of HDTV & Foxboro; wonder if I can write to the team and ask to be added to the banned list.
posted by yerfatma at 09:29 AM on April 17, 2012
Heard about this program last month in a meeting with RBNY. Looks like just 2 MLS teams are using it though (us and Philly).
posted by goddam at 09:36 AM on April 17, 2012
If they took the leadership qualities and overall conduct of the team's head coach into account as a influential factor in fan behavior, wouldn't Jets fans qualify for some sort of a partial mulligan?
posted by beaverboard at 10:09 AM on April 17, 2012
Doing the quick math on this...17 weeks x 16 games x 30 fans x $55 = $448,000 per year to the therapist who developed the thing. That's a hell of a return for not having to see a single patient, and doesn't include playoff games or any MLS returns as well.
I'm in the wrong line of work.
posted by dfleming at 10:59 AM on April 17, 2012
Why do you assume that "the therapist who developed the thing" (assuming there is such a person) would get that money? It would make some sense if he/she did -- it's called "getting paid for your work", most people expect that to happen when they do work -- but I'd be astonished if it goes to anyone but the NFL.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:18 PM on April 17, 2012
Novick, the creator of the concept, takes $55 from the test fee, and the rest of the money is donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers.
posted by steelergirl at 06:25 PM on April 17, 2012
Patriots will permanently pull the seats of a season ticket holder if there is any disturbance that results in the occupants of those seats being ejected. This holds even if it is not the season ticket holder using the seats, the idea being that you are responsible for the people to whom you hand those seats. I'm not sure if there's any exception for season tickets turned back to the Patriots for resale.
posted by Howard_T at 10:38 PM on April 17, 2012
Why do you assume that "the therapist who developed the thing" (assuming there is such a person) would get that money?
It would make some sense if he/she did -- it's called "getting paid for your work", most people expect that to happen when they do work
That's a lot of attitude quoting from someone who apparently did not read the frigging article.
posted by dfleming at 07:59 AM on April 18, 2012
I did read the frigging article, dfleming, and I'm not sure how I missed that. So, I stand corrected, and also quite thoroughly upstaged in the lot-of-attitude department.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 01:51 PM on April 18, 2012
Don't feel bad: I don't think he upstaged you.
posted by yerfatma at 02:51 PM on April 18, 2012
Not even close.
posted by tommybiden at 03:01 PM on April 18, 2012
Had another meeting with the Red Bulls front office last night. They've officially implemented this with us. It only applies to non-criminal acts though. Those committing criminal acts do not have the option of taking the course. And it extends to conduct at away games as well.
posted by goddam at 10:09 AM on April 19, 2012
How do they implement the away game part?
posted by yerfatma at 10:45 AM on April 19, 2012
If you're kicked out of another stadium, that team's FO will contact your team's FO and give them the details. Usually this is known right away since any traveling support that numbers over 50 (I think) is accompanied by someone from the team's FO. For about 2 years now they have had this in place. Any misconduct done at an away game will have consequences on your status at your home stadium.
For example, we're traveling to DC on Sunday and our Ops guy will be with us. So he'll know right away if any of our fans are booted for misconduct. If they are, they will need to go through this course to be permitted back to our home stadium. We do have an appeals process, but if the evidence is clear there's not much we (as SGs leaders) can do on their behalf.
posted by goddam at 11:55 AM on April 19, 2012
As of right now, 3 comments on the story, all of them deleted. Wonder if the posters will have to take a quiz.