In response to our rant about the possibility that PSLs will squeeze out of the stadium the blue-collar fans who helped make the game what it is, a fan of the Chiefs has pointed out to us some other evidence of a fundamental change in the manner in which folks are now expected to watch live football.
In a “Chiefs Fan Code of Conduct,” folks attending home games are told that Arrowhead Stadium staff will “proactively intervene” to prevent behaviors such as . . . drum roll, please . . . standing.
We’ve been to enough football games to know that it can be a pain in the arse when the guys in front of you decide to stand up, if for example the road team is facing third down and seven in the fourth quarter of a tie game. But that’s football. The easy answer? Stand up, too. And if you don’t like all of the sitting and standing, then don’t go to a football game (or to a Catholic church — rim shot).
The Chiefs also have set up a text-messaging system that allows fans who might be offended by behaviors like standing to report the situation to the powers-that-be. It provides the non-confrontational types who might be offended by sitting a way to tattle while still maintaining plausible deniability.
We don’t mean to pick on the Chiefs here. For all we know, every other team prohibits standing as well. (We welcome PFT Planet to post links in the comments to any other no-standing policies from other venues.)
And maybe, down the road, it’s just another way to raise money. Fans will be able to stand.
If they’ve purchased a Personal Standing License.
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June 28th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Mike? Arse?
I think you should come and write for us with Anglicisms like that.
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Rating: Not yet rated
June 28th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Can you say…….”foolishness”?
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Rating: 3.65 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
This is absolute crap.
For fans to whine about someone standing is just pathetic.
What next, cheering too loud?
Grow a pair, people.
It’s football.
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Rating: 4.55 / 5 with 9 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
So the Chiefs expect people to pay the several hundred dollars it takes to go to a game now and you can’t even stand and cheer for your team ?
The text messaging system can be so easily abused. Home fans don’t like that the road team is winning and the scattering of away fans in the house are happy ? Just send a text message and get them tossed out. The fact that they paid for flights, hotel, rooms, tix at internet prices so what screw ‘em.
The Chiefs management are nuts to do this.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Rather ridiculous, but I would prefer that if they were going to have a code of conduct that they were willing to enforce that it be something more about the drunks they let into games. 9 times out of 10, those guys are so disruptive that you can’t really focus on what’s happening on the field. You go to watch the game and enjoy the game, not to have your experience ruined by some moron that just used the game as a good excuse to get liquored up. Especially with how much money it costs to get IN to a game…I don’t want to spend all that money just so some guy can make an @$$ of himself and keep me from enjoying the game.
I don’t care what anybody says…that’s not football.
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Rating: 4.35 / 5 with 8 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I’m a Carolina Panthers PSL owner and I couldn’t even begin to count how many times I’ve seen people get told to sit down. I’ve always assumed it was because of the “Wine & Cheesers” don’t realize they’re at a football game, not a wine tasting event.
PSL’s are great but they do get expensive and they can bring in the wrong sort of “fan” to the games.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
The ’standing rule’ applies at Paul Brown Stadium as well. Absolute crap.
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
The Bucs have a PSL too – what a joke! You pay them money for the “privilege and honor” to buy season tickets. Their PSL does not have any other perks, such as a shot at tickets to other events at Ray Jay. I just dumped my season tickets, the NFL has priced the average fan out of the game. I can stand all I want at home in front of my TV!!!!
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 5 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
That’s why I hate the Super Bowl. The AFC/NFC Championship games are the last time the “real” fans get to see their team. Two weeks later their seats are occupied by the Paris Hiltons and Judge Smales crowd– most of whom could give a rats arse about either team.
I almost puked a couple of years ago when Fox shamelessly plugged their shows by zooming in on Fox actors who had primo seats– the 70’s Show cast was shown at least 3-4 times. Those seats should have belonged to a season ticket holder from one of the two teams.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 13 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Personally I like this policy if applies to continual, excessive standing. I took my 7 year old son to his first NFL game last year. It was a disaster as two 6ft4+ 350 lbs drunks insisted on standing in front of us for the entire game. Probably because their arses wouldn’t fit in the seat. Still his and multiple folks around us had little to no view the entire game. I probably don’t need to mention how much I paid to look at the backside of two Bears jerseys (even when I was standing). This policy is fine.
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Ridiculous. How can you call yourself a passionate fan if you aren’t standing for half the game? Stadiums are more than willing to sell you $11 beers and then expect you to sit calmly in your seat? This is freaking football, and anybody that is OK with sitting for most of the game is not a big fan.
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Rating: 4.35 / 5 with 6 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Damn it, Florio - this is a perfect example of why profootballtalk.com is my home page.
I have little doubt that you will let us know how much the Chiefs will charge for these text messages before the day is done.
I’ll be F5′ing all day now. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
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Rating: 3 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
This paragraph is perfect. I agree with every part of it.
We’ve been to enough football games to know that it can be a pain in the arse when the guys in front of you decide to stand up, if for example the road team is facing third down and seven in the fourth quarter of a tie game. But that’s football. The easy answer? Stand up, too. And if you don’t like all of the sitting and standing, then don’t go to a football game (or to a Catholic church — rim shot).
And what if people need to stretch? They’re gonna tell some old couple with bad knees that they can’t stand up every once in a while to prevent looking like Kramer with jeans on?
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Rating: Not yet rated
June 28th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Being a Titans PSL holder all I know is if we ever implement this crap they won’t get any more of my $$$$$ for PSL’s … I’ll just wait then buy from scalpers after KO when they’re trying to get rid of tix … I just don’t understand how anyone can expect fans to not stand up when a big play happens … I’m lucky tho b/c in my section most folks stand up anyways high fiving everyone around when a big play happens …
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
We are also Carolina Panther PSL owners and this is the same type of crap we have to deal with. There have been countless occasions where people make a big fuss of “Sit down my kids can’t see the game” or how many times I have looked around the stadium to see the guy next to the people complaining about people standing READING NEWSPAPERS!
I agree with Markimus, PSL’s are great in theory but they do get expensive and brings in the wrong breed of fans. People wonder why Carolina has poor home records. Maybe it’s because the home fans that come to the home games are HORRIBLE for the most part.
It has gotten to the point for me that I love my Panthers but the stadium expierence is soo poor for “real football fans” I would rather watch the game from TV. Atleast you wont get yelled at for standing and cheering…
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Rating: Not yet rated
June 28th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Good God, if you can’t deal with standing, watch the game in your house!
Haha, as an Eagles fan, they’re lucky just to enforce the “no fighting” policy at the Linc.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
According to the policies on 49ers.com
“Excessive standing in seating areas which obstructs the view of other fans”
I was at the Browns/9ers game in Cleveland this past December and there was no one I saw get told to sit, we stood for most of the game as did the people around us. The only people being tossed were for fighting, and it was Browns fans fighting other Browns fans.(I was sitting a few rows atop the Dawg Pound)
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June 28th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I have to admit that there was several times I have complained loudly about people standing, But they were visiting Fans whose team was beating my Eagles!
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Rating: 2 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
major league baseball once ruled america. i hope the nfl in it’s arrogance doesn’t think the same thing that happened to baseball can’t happen here? with the continued thugs, turds, cheating,and sky rocketing fule prices that effects everything and now you add this to the equation, it won’t take long before the regular joe realizes life will go on without the nfl.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
to Chiefs fans…. STOP SNITCHIN
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Rating: 2.35 / 5 with 3 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I don’t get it. If you go to a good college game, you rarely ever sit down. So because they get paid we’re not supposed to stand and cheer?
Lets get more PC while were at it: no talking!
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
If Sprint is sponsoring the Chiefs new text messaging policy, then look for a Florio 180 in a matter of minutes.
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Rating: 4.25 / 5 with 4 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I remember when I was at the Metrodome the guy behind me was mad that I was leaning forward some (while sitting down) and let me tell you I am only 5′6″ as well. I just ignored him and watched the game how I wanted to. Stood when I wanted too and leaned when I wanted too. He repaid me with kicking my sit. But oh well. Also I don’t see what the big deal is about standing anyways. Like you said. It is a football game. This isn’t baseball. It is highly emotional and standing just adds to it. Something that does piss me off is when people expect to just come and walk passed to get to there sits right in the middle of a play (ie. we have aisle sits). So basically we don’t let them pass “go” until the play is over.
P.S. I swear so many people that go to games probably take like 10 pisses a game or something.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 2 rating(s)
June 28th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
There is no way this system will be a go for the entire season, so easy to abuse with opposing fans spamming text messages, causing the system to go kablowie.
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Rating: Not yet rated
June 28th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
As far as standing, especially when an important play is about to happen. The problem is easy to solve by standing yourself as pointed out.
My issue at games was having to stand 10-20 times for the guy in my row that spent half his night getting beer (this was at Giants stadium, where apparently there is a rule where you have to buy it yourself; they don’t walk around selling it to the fans). It drove me up a wall so much that I solved it in the easiest, least stressful way possible - I just don’t bother going any more. I was expecting a great experience and couldn’t get it with people constantly walking back and forth and me constantly getting up and sitting down. Thank you NFL Ticket….I’ll stay at home.
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Rating: 5 / 5 with 1 rating(s)