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Violence in Sports
Robert Lipsyte, "should take more responsibility for the increase in bad fan behavior before the majority of average, silent customers are driven away from the game." Urging that sports team executives and the advertisers and media that support them create a climate of toleration—one that makes spectator aggression an accepted part of the game, Lipsyte quotes Christian End, a social psychologist at the University of Missouri-Rolla: "Teams encourage fans to get involved because it sells tickets and products. They refer to the football crowd as the '12th man.' They call for noisy support. By activating a higher level of identity among their fans, they also help make the other team and its fans the enemy. In such a setting, a small group of fans will take it to the next level of aggression." For what can be done, what should be done, and what will happen if we do nothing, see "Team owners bear some blame for unruly fans," Robert Lipsyte, USA TODAY, May 7, 2003.
Booze, bad boys and ballparks
In separate incidents at the same ballpark, four ruffians ran onto the field, with the last tackling an umpire. Everyone agrees, this lawlessness must stop, but what has to happen to end it depends on who—and what—are at fault and who has the power—and the will—to stop it. Until then, ending it will be a matter of luck, not a stroke of genius. ~ Ed.
The most provocative story we found comes from Randy Jones, sports editor of North Carolina's New Bern Sun Journal. Jones thinks that looking for moral outrage where double standards dominate and folks profit — at least indirectly — from sports violence is a wild goose chase. See "Fans are copying players," Randy Jones, The New Bern Sun Journal, April 17, 2003.
For who should be held accountable (the media, for instance?), see "Civic pride takes hit," Jay Mariotti, The Chicago Sun-Times, April 17, 2003.
Also looking at the broadcast media's role, sports columnist Phil Mushnick writes: "ESPN's "SportsCenter," Tuesday night, solemnly reported the criminal behavior of the four young punks at that night's White Sox game. … Yet, that same day, ESPN anchor Dan Patrick appeared in a new promo with pro wrestling star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, who portrays a beer-swilling, profane and insanely violent character for the enjoyment of the young male demographic. … In the ESPN promo, Patrick, who has also lent himself to Coors beer ads, is seen smashing Austin with a folding chair. How clever. Especially given that pro wrestling is not a sport, what is ESPN's intent here? How does ESPN make shame-shame at the incivility of the young men at Tuesday's White Sox game while attaching itself to Stone Cold, a character whose incivility, to the delight of young, male viewers, is his stock in trade?" See "Young, Male & Making Bail," Phil Mushnick, New York Post, April 18, 2003.
The Chicago Sun-Times' Greg Couch doesn't lay the problem solely on, as New York Daily News' Lisa Olson artfully put it, there not being [next page]