Fan Violence Essay

Society calls for athletes to give flawless performances in the stadiums and arenas. The fans have grown accustomed to high flying, hard hitting shows of athleticism and finesse, and oftentimes an athletes success gains them a elevated status in society with special privileges that you and I can only dream of. As there careers get bigger and bigger they fell that they should be shown a certain respect by fans when not on the field, and many athletes become angered when

Sometimes a rivalry can become intensely heated and it may become violent. In the sport of soccer one of the most anticipated matches of the year is none other than Real Madrid vs Barcelona. These two teams are great teams and are the sport’s biggest rivals. Before the match is played the media heats up the rivalry by reporting that the one team is trash talking or undervaluing the other team. At first it is taken lightly as just a publicity stunt but when the players overhear the news, they get over competitive. When the match is being played there is always physical fights between players and it gets out of hand. Not one of these rival matches has passed that a player doesn’t get ejected from the game. In conclusion, this proves how the media plays a large role on the player’s mentality when going into the game and can also cause them to behave in certain ways.

What has our society come to these days? Everywhere we look, violence is present, at the streets, at work, at school, and even at home. Every day in the news we see reports about shootings, wars, thefts, drugs, rapes, and deaths. The worse part of seen this in the news is that all way do it’s complain about it and sit back. We do not even attempt an explanation or a resolution. Violence is among one of the most malignant act that has been increasing day by day. And why is it that we complain about other people being violent, but when we are asked if we are violent or if we have ever responded with violence, everyone says they are not violent. But if among ourselves we are not violent then who is it that makes our society a violent society?

Again within Wakefield and Wann’s studies they explained about how fan violence occurs within troubled fans. Their research did not show a huge connection between alcohol and fan violence (2006, p. 179-180).

Most people understand that football is a violent sport, and one must be very tough in order to compete. Injuries NFL athletes suffer can affect, not only the player, but also the fans and family members watching. Over time, many have become increasingly disturbed by the violence that routinely occurs in

Throughout the years, sporting events has been a place for fans to forget about what is going on in their life, take a break from the real world, and focus on the game. Often, many fans don't just watch and keep up with sports solely because of the type of sport, but also to keep up with their favorite athletes and teams. However, the aggressive and violent nature of the sports can often be carried over from the field to real life, impacting not only the athlete and the team, but also the fans.

It is not clear if on-field violent behavior leads to off-field violence. It would be somewhat logical to assume that people who become accustomed to using physical intimidation and violence in sport naturally revert to those behaviors when facing conflict outside of sport. However, sport may not be the cause of violence, but rather a result of the athletes’ upbringing or natural disposition, which led them to choose a violent sport to begin with. Drug and alcohol use should also be noted, since they and not sport may be the cause of violence. Alcohol consumption and binge drinking add to the problem of

the wild antics of the die hard fans. In my essay I will try and attempt to describe as

When Indiana Pacer, Ron Artest, charged into the stands with forty-five seconds remaining in a NBA game, last November, between the Pacers and the Detroit Pistons, the shock waves reverberated immediately. Video clips showed Artest pummeling Pistons fans with his fists. Replays also revealed that it was fans, throwing a cup of beer at Artest, which sent the NBA superstar on his rampage. It was one of the ugliest incidents ever seen in American professional sports. Sports fans and non-sports fans alike witnessed the chaotic outbreak of violence from the serenity of their own living rooms. NBA junkies saw the scene unfold during the game's live broadcast on cable TV. Sports fans caught highlights of the melee on ESPN's

However, when looking specifically at the economic value that violence is an attribute of the product intentionally promoted by leagues and teams to increase attendance and profits. The underlying assumption is that fans have a taste for violence, and violence attracts larger crowds, larger crowds increase revenue, which, given costs, increases profits. This hypothesis is compatible with the response of successive NHL presidents when the question of violence is raised: that the league is in the "entertainment business" and therefore has to put on a "spectacle." It is also consistent with the act of paying players a premium to fight and the statistical finding that violence and NHL attendance are positively correlated. While it is quite clear that violence was widespread in hockey before and during the early years of the NHL, when it was strictly a Canadian game, as some of the classic NHL brawls have taken place in Canada between Canadian teams, and the largest NHL fan riot occurred in Montreal.

“For any professional athlete, there is a natural assumption of risk to one’s physical well-being. Players are constantly honing their bodies in the weight room—not just to become faster and stronger than their competition, but also to protect against the injuries that can ruin a season” (Barrabi). The National Hockey League (NHL) was one of the last professional sports organizations to issue sanctions against players who cause concussions and head injuries. Just in the past season alone, there have been a total of 44 suspensions in the NHL (TSN.com). Many of these suspensions were assessed due to dangerous, and sometimes intentional, behavior. To many people, these 44 suspensions occurring in the past season may seem too excessive; compared to 2004, it is. However, the frequency of behavior resulting in suspensions has increased over the past several years due to rule changes and a new disciplinary council assessing said suspensions. Despite the change in rules, some still intentionally commit acts of violence against opposing players. These players’ defense is that they are trying to preserve the tradition and respect of the game by humbling new, “arrogant” players who unnecessarily “show-off” or “target” star players (Jones). Although preserving this tradition is expected and necessary due to the violent nature of the game, many players let their tempers get out of control. Because of various injuries, especially head injuries, league officials should take a tougher

Fans can put so much stress on players of their favorite professional teams. You might not even realize the impact you are making. During the regular season of any sport is a long journey. But then when your team makes it into the playoffs or championship the pressure gets even higher on those players. “Is there ever really a time where fans should be sending death threats to any athlete? Brandon Jacobs, a running back for the New York Giants, was sidelined the Giants opening game this season with a hamstring injury. Because of this, he received a death threat.” (Bocchino) This is one of the best examples of how much pressure is on professional athletes. Fans sending threats to make sure these players play good. After all these athletes are humans just like everyone and should not be put in that situation.

The fan taunts during games and players expect to ignore taunts. However, the following example is completely opposite. The players did not ignore when the fan taunted. In a basketball game during the 2005 NBA season, there were three NBA players on the Indiana Pacers who fought with the fans during a game with the Detroit Pistons, after a fan hit a player with a cup of alcoholic beverage and ice had thrown from the stands. The fans are being interactive towards the fans and the fans should not disrespect athletes because the athletes achieve as they play games and the fans do not achieve anything at all except just watching the game

Those groups damage the good image of football and make it seem as a violent sport, which is in danger of losing popularity. They see this sport as a moment to fight and private other people to see the games in tranquility and happiness, and they think that all the people should like the same team. If it is not as they want, people cannot use things that represent the like for a specific team, or not only their belongings would be in danger, but also they could be causing their own death. Now, do you still think that hooligans are just supporting their

Playing fair does is nice but it does not sell tickets. Note the popularity of a Dennis Rodman during his heyday as a player for the Chicago Bulls. At one point he physically hurt a cameraman. Dennis was given a slap on the hand, a fine and some suspended days, but he was not permanently expelled from the game. Hockey is another sport that is well known for the violence of its players. Fans revel in the violence of the sport. Players are specifically hired to act as "goons" or "enforcers". Players who commit a violent act have to sit in a penalty box, but the cheers and enthusiasm of fans upon witnessing the violent plans ensure that such plays are destined to be repeated.