Sports leagues and venues have begun implementing fan codes of conduct to regulate spectator behavior in response to incidents of fan misbehavior. These codes prohibit offensive language, throwing objects, unruly behavior, and outline punishments such as ejection or banning. They were created to protect fans and the business of sports. The document discusses examples of fan misbehavior in various sports leagues and a specific incident where a fan was severely beaten that led the government to propose banning violent fans from future games.

1. Isaak Haas

2. Introduction
 Sports fans have a history of misbehaving at
sporting events.
 Spectators need guidelines to govern their
behavior.

3. Thesis
 In an effort to protect the fans and the
business of sports, sports venues are now
implementing code of conduct language for
fans, creating a shift in how the fans speak
and behave at sporting events.

4. Definition
 Sports leagues and venues are creating fan
codes of conduct to regulate fan behavior.
 A fan code of conduct “sets forth expected
standards of decorum for all fans”
(NBA.com).
 They, also, explain the possible punishments
for breaking a rule.

5. NBA Fan Code of Conduct
 Guests are prohibited from offensive
language, unruly behavior, throwing items
into the court, and entering the court.
 Alcohol is limited and smoking is allowed,
only, in certain places.
 Ejection can occur for breaking a rule.

6. NFL Fan Code of Conduct
 The NFL prohibits illegal behavior at its
games.
 Fans can not throw items onto the field.
 They must follow instructions given by the
stadium workers (nfl.com).

7. MLB Fan Code of Conduct
 The MLB has a universal code that is similar
to the codes of the NBA and NFL.
 The MLB allows its teams to add other rules
to the universal code of conduct (mlb.com).

8. Fan Stories
 In 1999, a Major League Baseball game
between the Houston Astros and Milwaukee
Brewers saw fan misbehavior.
 Spectator jumped out of the stands and
attacked an outfielder from the Astros.
 The player was bleeding and suffered
whiplash from the fight (Merron).

9. Fan Stories
 1979, National Hockey League game between
the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.
 Rangers fans began to fight players from the
Bruins.
 Other fans threw items onto the ice (Merron).

10. Recent Fan Story
 2011, Major League Baseball game between
San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles
Dodgers.
 Bryan Stow, a Giants fan, went to Los
Angeles to watch this game.
 After game is over, he walks to the parking
lot (Gutman, Harper, and Ghebremedhin).

11. Recent Fan Story
 Two Dodgers fans pushed Bryan to the
ground, and he hit his head on the concrete.
 Then, they began to punch and kick him.
 Bryan Stow went into a coma from this attack
(Gutman, Harper, and Ghebremedhin).

12. Government Intervention
 California Assembly has proposed a bill to
control spectator behavior.
 Fans with a history of misbehaving at a
sporting event, could be banned from
attending future games.
 Spectators get banned from games for
breaking the proposed laws (KTVU.com).

13. Reason
 The California Assembly proposed this bill
because of the story of Bryan Stow.
 The attack on Stow was not provoked and
violent.
 The California Government is trying to step in
and prevent future attacks (KTVU.com).

14. Conclusion
 In the past, sports fans have misbehaved at
sporting events.
 Their misbehavior can range from offensive
language to harmful actions.
 Their actions can be dangerous and harm
others.

15. Conclusion
 The history of spectators’ behavior has
created a need for regulation.
 Sports leagues and venues are introducing
and establishing fan codes of conduct.
 These codes govern how fans can act and
behave at sporting events.

16. Works Cited
 Guttman, Matt, Jessica Harper, and Sabina
Ghebremedhin. "San Francisco Giants Fan in
Coma After Being Attacked by L.A. Dodgers
Fans.” ABC News. ABC News Network, April
5, 2011. Web. 23 March 2012.
 “Indians Security.” indians.com. Cleveland
Indians, 2012. Web. 19 March 2012.
 Merron, Jeff. “Fighting through the years.”
ESPN NBA. ESPN, November 20, 2004. Web.
19 March 2012.

17. Works Cited
 “NBA Establishes Revised Arena Guidelines
for All NBA Arenas.” NBA.com. NBA,
February 17, 2005. Web. 21 March 2012.
 “NFL teams implement fan code of conduct.”
nfl.com. NFL, November 18, 2008. Web. 21
March 2012.
 “State Law would ban violent fans from
sporting events.” KTVU.com. Cox Media
Group, March 13, 2012. Web. 23 March 2012.
 Pictures from shutterstock.com