Crowd Conduct

[baseball16]

I think more schools and places hosting youth games and youth tournaments need to be more proactive than reactive with punishment clear and dry ahead of time. What are opinions on whoever is hosting say ahead of time, if you have a fan ejected for poor behavior it is an automatic team loss and that team is disqualified for the remainder of the tournament?

Honestly, you should not punish the kids. Also, a Ref with a quick trigger could clear out a whole field of teams.
Proactive to me is if you see a fan being stupid, an administrator needs to be able to go over and tell them to settle down or they will be escorted out.

For the youth league games school administrators aren’t always in attendance. The schools should probably require the youth league to hire security. Also if they are not already, start enforcing a progressive consequence policy that bans repeat offenders from attending future games.

Doesn't have to be a school administrator. Somebody or group of people put that tournament together, so they should also be the enforcement. Also, maybe hire a security person to help deescalate the situation. Proactive early is the key, However a lot of people just watch someone and don't squash it early enough which in turn you read about the ejection the next day!

[MadeInRossCounty]

Honestly, you should not punish the kids. Also, a Ref with a quick trigger could clear out a whole field of teams.
Proactive to me is if you see a fan being stupid, an administrator needs to be able to go over and tell them to settle down or they will be escorted out.

For the youth league games school administrators aren’t always in attendance. The schools should probably require the youth league to hire security. Also if they are not already, start enforcing a progressive consequence policy that bans repeat offenders from attending future games.

Doesn't have to be a school administrator. Somebody or group of people put that tournament together, so they should also be the enforcement. Also, maybe hire a security person to help deescalate the situation. Proactive early is the key, However a lot of people just watch someone and don't squash it early enough which in turn you read about the ejection the next day!

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I like the idea of team having to forfeit. It brings consequences, that could send a message to all fans and it could be refreshing to see idiotic and unsportsmanlike behavior get punished.

[GrumpyPundit]

It’s not rocket science. If these adults, who are usually parents, are told an ejection for behavior means you’re suspended from watching your kid play, they will stop. If they are passionate enough to act that way, they will be even more passionate about having to miss a game or two. Ban repeat offenders from the home premises.

For rec sports, tell the parent if you’re ejected, your kid can’t sign up the next year. A little trickier because law enforcement won’t be on hand, but I know where I live, the local cops offer to make cameos once a week on Saturdays.

I guess that’s a long winded way of saying this is happening because we don’t have consequences for bad behavior any longer. And it’s a surprisingly simple fix.

[RJ71C71R]

I seen something very interesting at the Coal Grive at Ironton game on Saturday night. Coal Grove was down 16 at the half and down 18 early second half and slowly cutting into the tigers lead it was down to 13 and then with about a minute to go, Coal Grove had just cut it to 8 and it was getting loud and the atmosphere was awesome, then one of the referees blew his whistle and them told Coach Vanderhoof from Coal Grove that he needed to jeep his cheerleaders cleared from the lane lol or he was going to give the Hornets a technical foul lmao smh. Coach Hoof says I don't control the cheerleaders, talk to our Atheltic Director or Principal. Mind you the Cheerleaders weren't in the lane, but one of the Cheerleaders dad of the girl accused of it was livid, so he went and was in the refs face, pointing at him and yelling and got escorted from the game lol. Well while this was happening the ever famous looking for trouble Ironton Football Coach Pendleton had come down onto the court and was looking to interven or start a fight or whatever, but the parent was kinked out before he got to him. Anyhow, this whole cheerleader fiasco killed the Hornet momentum and the Tigera ended up winning by 13

Pendleton is the AD at Ironton I’d hope any area AD would try and help calm the situation…

Oh, I didn't know he was the Athletic director at Ironton. My bad

[Larry Fine]

For the youth league games school administrators aren’t always in attendance. The schools should probably require the youth league to hire security. Also if they are not already, start enforcing a progressive consequence policy that bans repeat offenders from attending future games.

Doesn't have to be a school administrator. Somebody or group of people put that tournament together, so they should also be the enforcement. Also, maybe hire a security person to help deescalate the situation. Proactive early is the key, However a lot of people just watch someone and don't squash it early enough which in turn you read about the ejection the next day!

.
I like the idea of team having to forfeit. It brings consequences, that could send a message to all fans and it could be refreshing to see idiotic and unsportsmanlike behavior get punished.

Awesome, if I want a team out of the tournament, I’ll send a hired goon dressed in their colors to chew out the refs. I’m sure many people would act the fool for 50$

[MadeInRossCounty]

Doesn't have to be a school administrator. Somebody or group of people put that tournament together, so they should also be the enforcement. Also, maybe hire a security person to help deescalate the situation. Proactive early is the key, However a lot of people just watch someone and don't squash it early enough which in turn you read about the ejection the next day!

.
I like the idea of team having to forfeit. It brings consequences, that could send a message to all fans and it could be refreshing to see idiotic and unsportsmanlike behavior get punished.

Awesome, if I want a team out of the tournament, I’ll send a hired goon dressed in their colors to chew out the refs. I’m sure many people would act the fool for 50$

I don't think an opposing team fan base would let a goon do such a thing without fronting them out and saying we do not have a clue who that is or they are not with us.

[MadeInRossCounty]

Did read from another thread about Waverlys varsity coach's wife going after parents in the stands. Crazy things happen at basketball games from varsity down. Wonder what happened or did nothing happen?

[SoccerDad]

Forfeits for poor spectator behavior isn't practical in the moment. Like @Larry Fine is getting at, how does the referee know 100% which team the problem spectator is on? Even more of an issue, in my mind, is that it raises the bar of tolerance before a referee would decide to stop a game for poor behavior. When the punishment is so severe, referees will be less likely to enforce the rule as they know any time it happens there will be formal reviews and protests from the losing side. I want to see MORE bad spectators ejected, not fewer. Take out the trash early, but keep the game going—it's why we're here! Don't let bad actors ruin everyone's day (or season!).

I think the best solution is to encourage referees to have a short leash for spectators, and any time a spectator is ejected, BOTH athletic directors get a personal fine from OHSAA. Things will clean up quickly.

[JeepNation26]

I don't think the athletic directors should get hit with a fine, they can't help that they have a few fans who are jackasses. Every team has at least one or two. If you really want it to stop just have the deputy sheriffs across the state step up and start charging them with disorderly conduct a minor misdemeanor and a fine and then let both athletic directors issue a 1 year ban from all athletic events, if it happens a 2nd time then a lifetime ban to the jackasses. Ejected coaches have to pay a $100.00 fine and complete the NFHS “Teaching and Modeling Behavior” course within 30 days of the ejection. Why shouldn't an unruly fan have to pay the price?

[SoccerDad]

I don't think the athletic directors should get hit with a fine, they can't help that they have a few fans who are jackasses. Every team has at least one or two. If you really want it to stop just have the deputy sheriffs across the state step up and start charging them with disorderly conduct a minor misdemeanor and a fine and then let both athletic directors issue a 1 year ban from all athletic events, if it happens a 2nd time then a lifetime ban to the jackasses. Ejected coaches have to pay a $100.00 fine and complete the NFHS “Teaching and Modeling Behavior” course within 30 days of the ejection. Why shouldn't an unruly fan have to pay the price?

Because I don't think that enforcement plan is practical. There's 40 or 50 HS and JR High basketball teams in a county like Washington County, and there's no way that Sheriff's department can cover so many games — add in the additional logistics of not only being around, but gathering witness statements and maybe reviewing security footage... nah, we don't need the law involved if there's no violence or threats.

The athletic directors are the ones that are especially positioned to manage the situation. They schedule the games, they assign the site administrators, they have contact with the referees and referee assignors, they can manage and enforce bans on repeat offenders that suit their community — they also get paid to administer the athletic events. Most of this can be cleaned up by pro-active site administrators, but there's little incentive for site admins to get involved until it's too late.

[JeepNation26]

I don't think the athletic directors should get hit with a fine, they can't help that they have a few fans who are jackasses. Every team has at least one or two. If you really want it to stop just have the deputy sheriffs across the state step up and start charging them with disorderly conduct a minor misdemeanor and a fine and then let both athletic directors issue a 1 year ban from all athletic events, if it happens a 2nd time then a lifetime ban to the jackasses. Ejected coaches have to pay a $100.00 fine and complete the NFHS “Teaching and Modeling Behavior” course within 30 days of the ejection. Why shouldn't an unruly fan have to pay the price?

Because I don't think that enforcement plan is practical. There's 40 or 50 HS and JR High basketball teams in a county like Washington County, and there's no way that Sheriff's department can cover so many games — add in the additional logistics of not only being around, but gathering witness statements and maybe reviewing security footage... nah, we don't need the law involved if there's no violence or threats.

The athletic directors are the ones that are especially positioned to manage the situation. They schedule the games, they assign the site administrators, they have contact with the referees and referee assignors, they can manage and enforce bans on repeat offenders that suit their community — they also get paid to administer the athletic events. Most of this can be cleaned up by pro-active site administrators, but there's little incentive for site admins to get involved until it's too late.

I get it and understand there's no way for there to be deputy sheriffs/ law enforcement officers at every single game, I get that everyone gets that. But at every single HS basketball game (over 20+) I've been to this season there has been either a deputy sheriff or the local policeman at the game, sometimes two of them and they're being paid an extra incentive to be there as well. If an unruly fan gets thrown out and refuses to leave and makes threats to an official, coach, other fans, or player then in my opinion they should be fine and charged. The word would travel quick and most would stop from acting out. Sure the AD/site administrators should be the first to step up to handle the situation and most do, and if there's that constant unruly fan that is acting out then the administrators should issue some type of ban to them. It will have to be something to catch peoples attention; if there's no consequences then they'll be no change.

[SoutheastHoopsWizard]

I agree that there needs to be some form of consequences when fans, parents, spectators get out of hand. Tickets/fines from law enforcement for ejections might help? A two game suspension from school athletic events for an injection would help.

[danicalifornia]

I’m not sure of the answer to these problems, but does the Adams County fine system work well?

I haven’t been to a ton of games there, but the crowds seem to always be under control when I am.

[JeepNation26]

I’m not sure of the answer to these problems, but does the Adams County fine system work well?

I haven’t been to a ton of games there, but the crowds seem to always be under control when I am.

danicalifornia, What system do they have in place for it?

[danicalifornia]

I’m not sure of the answer to these problems, but does the Adams County fine system work well?

I haven’t been to a ton of games there, but the crowds seem to always be under control when I am.

danicalifornia, What system do they have in place for it?

It was (could still be is) a $100 fine before you can return to the next game at that school

They also seemingly have security and lots of admins at their games, so that likely helps as well

[baseball16]

Also Coaches can help diffuse the situation as well. Many coaches go bonkers over a call which feeds the crowd. Coaches that keep their cool and coach usually will drop the temperature of the situation.

[HMilliken02]

As a broadcaster this season I have not seen any fights or anything extreme. However, we have had a couple fans thrown out of the gym for remarks towards the officials.

However a few years ago, at Jackson I worked PA for a neutral site tournament game between Adena and Alexander where a fight broke out and the AD almost threw everybody out of the gym.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Not crowd conduct but player. Yesterday at the Granville Christian at Newar Catholic game a player from one of the teams threw several punches at a player from the other team. That was my first-ever in-game fight.

[MadeInRossCounty]

Not crowd conduct but player. Yesterday at the Granville Christian at Newar Catholic game a player from one of the teams threw several punches at a player from the other team. That was my first-ever in-game fight.

Embarrassing and sad.

[MadeInRossCounty]

As a broadcaster this season I have not seen any fights or anything extreme. However, we have had a couple fans thrown out of the gym for remarks towards the officials.

However a few years ago, at Jackson I worked PA for a neutral site tournament game between Adena and Alexander where a fight broke out and the AD almost threw everybody out of the gym.

After witnessing that, do you think anyone should have received a life time ban from basketball games? A fine? Etc?

What's your opinion?