Bout security

[Go Go Berserk]

I am wondering what other leagues do with a situation like this. We recently had a home bout where someone in the audience threw rocks on the track at the end of a jam. Our jammer didn’t see it and wiped out on them. She sorta laughed it off & came back to the bench but the truth is this was really disturbing to the whole team. As a result we’ve talked at length during a team meeting about what if anything we can do to discourage this.

A local hockey team of ours used to make an announcement as people were getting in their seats before the game. The announcer basically stated that any fan caught throwing debris on the ice would be escorted out without refund. As someone who had gone to some of those games I never found this offensive or off putting. Of course I never had any intention of doing anything that stupid.

So we were thinking about adding something like this for our announcer to state in the future. As derby girls we are all perfectly aware of the risks of the sport itself but this incident crossed the line. If there is anything we can say or do to discourage this behavior from the crowd then we are interested. We love good fan participation...this just wasn't it.

Has anyone else had to deal with this or something along these lines? We’d be very interested to know what other leagues/ teams do if anything to address this.

[Lizbeth Von Lush]

oh man! that's crazy! We usually have security at our bouts (usually 3 off duty policemen). I would totally have whoever did that escorted out. That's unacceptable behavior. Having the announcer mention it and maybe have it stated in the program should be fine. I've seen other leagues have it announced and in the program that spectators cannot blow whistles of any kind during a game and that they will be escorted out if they are caught with one.

[CoCo Sparx]

We had this issue of someone in the audience blowing a whistle during our first bout last season. One of the refs asked the announcer to make an announcement along the lines of if it didn't stop they'd be removed from the venue without refund and to kindly stop trying to ruin the game. We've never had a problem since.

[Go Go Berserk]

An announcer that has helped us out various times usually makes a point to say during the game how we all work so hard to put on a bout...doing this for free, for the fun & for the crowd. Always thought it was a nice down to Earth touch. Maybe that message was just too subtle for some. I'm glad to know we are not alone and that our ideas aren't out of the realm of what's reasonable. There are few that advised us that it would be a "turn off" to a crowd that is there to have fun.

[Lizbeth Von Lush]

endangering players should not be any spectator's idea of fun. They are there to watch the game. You dont see people during any other team sport throwing stuff at players or in the way of players... and if they do that.. they are quickly escorted out of the stadium by big burly security. LOL

[Dan Morgan II]

So far we haven't had any problems with any members of the crowd at our bouts. We've had some rowdy folks, but nothing to the extreme like throwing rocks. I know for our home bouts we have a few guys that secure the parking lots, and the insides of the rink, as well as the medical staff. Sounds like your plan with the announcements should help detur any possible actions by these folks and hope it goes well. If anything, I might start saying something along those lines myself at our bout. Better safe than sorry.

[QC BEAN SIDHE]

Another idea that has presented itself from another league, if these people come back, make security aware and let them have their own "personal" security guards. They would let them know due to past instances, if one of them causes such problems, the entire group would be escorted out without refund. Then have security right there with them the whole time...babysitters of sorts. If you have to act like a baby when it's while the team playing.... guess I am not above highering adult babysitters.