Columnists
Fan-friendly games
The powers-that-be who are in charge of professional sports like to engage their fans. This relationship results in warm feelings and, in turn, serious income. The general idea is to build a close relationship with the fans, so that they become completely engaged.
In most instances, they have refined the game, and its parameters, and it continues to improve. A couple of years ago, a hockey fan was killed in a game after being hit by a puck. In order to avoid future tragedies, teams redesigned the safety features in the arenas.
Most of us grew up in arenas with little protection for the fan. There was wire cage-like netting behind the goals to keep errant shots from striking patrons. Eventually, that was replaced by plexiglass, or some other see-through compound that was wrapped around the boards almost as far up as the bluelines.
From blueline to blueline, the fans hung over the boards, cheering their teams. At the old Memorial Arena in Belleville, the contact was close. With a decent hip check, Moe Benoit could dump one of the Kingston Aces or a Whitby Dunlop into the laps of the fans in the first and second row. The Mercier brothers, perched in the first row on the blueline, would grab an official to let him know he missed an offside call, or a blatant penalty. The penalty box was very small, and had to accommodate players from both teams. Animosities often continued in the box, and players would take their battles into the seating areas.
Baseball has struggled with safety issues for years. There is always a collective gasp when a bat flies into the crowd. Ushers and medical personnel rush to the scene. Dozens of baseballs enter the stands every game. My son snared a line shot in his glove while sitting in the first row of a Jays’ game several years ago. As it turned out, he was sitting beside a chap from Belleville who called me the next day to say that my son had saved his life! A little dramatic maybe, but certainly a serious situation. There are always great plays made along the baselines by players reaching into the stands. Last year, Josh Donaldson’s great play helped solidify his MVP status.
Most football fans are kept well away from the playing surface. In the National Football League, fans at the back of the end zones are as close as any other at the game. Hence, “The Lambeau Leap.” If a Green Bay Packer scores a touchdown in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field, he is entitled to leap into the stands for a few congratulatory pats on the back. Pretty harmless stuff.
The National Basketball League has a serious problem with its seating arrangements, and is an accident ready to happen, with serious consequences. Fans are entitled to sit “courtside,” and pay big bucks for the privilege. Occasionally, they come in contact with the players, as do scorers, announcers and the like at the tables. Not a serious issue if it happens to be the MVP from last year, Steph Curry.
Recently, Lebron James chased a ball at the edge of the court that was going out of bounds. James stands six feet, eight inches tall, and weighs 250 pounds. He plowed into a young mother who happened to be the wife of PGA Golf Champion Jason Day. She was released from the hospital the next day suffering from “concussion symptoms”. I was a little surprised at James’ read on the situation. “It’s a great experience for our fans. Sitting courtside, it’s all part of the game. I would love to sit courtside and watch the games.” Easy for you to say, big fella.
The sooner they redesign the seating arrangements, the better it will be. I am not in favour of all of the netting that now skirts a lot of the hockey arenas. For the most part, pucks that enter the stratosphere do not have the velocity to cause serious damage. Put that book away. No texting, except between periods. Watch the game.
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