We've discussed on this board all sorts of reasons why BCP attendance often falls short of expectations, why people don't go to games. Well, this is a new one to me. I was perusing twitter to see what people are saying about the game tomorrow and I came across this tweet:
@WhitecapsFC @BCLions i know you don't have control over @bcplace @centerplate but i will not be attending any more games until the're gone
I initially had no clue what this was all about, especially this "Centerplate". Turns out it's the name of a catering company who handles food services @BCP.
So what's the big deal with
them? Turns out their Pres/CEO, Desmond Hague, is alleged to have physically abused his dog — based on video footage recorded last month on an elevator security camera at a downtown Vancouver condo building.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Corpor ... story.html
B.C. SPCA documents name suspect in Vancouver dog abuse case
One-year-old Doberman was seized from condo in upscale downtown building
By Mike Hager, Vancouver Sun August 23, 2014
When two B.C. SPCA officers entered the 39th-floor condo of a downtown Vancouver building Wednesday night they found a Doberman pinscher puppy in its crate, surrounded by the stench of its own urine with its food and water bowls out of reach, according to court documents.
Once let out of her cage, Sade — the one-year-old female puppy — was skittish around people and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officers said she appeared physically abused, according to the information to obtain a search warrant filed in B.C. Provincial Court and obtained by The Sun.
A day earlier, a concerned citizen had called the SPCA’s cruelty hotline and sent video footage of Sade and her owner in the elevator at the Private Residences at the Hotel Georgia, according to the search warrant documents.
That video — dated July 27 — showed the owner kicking the dog in the stomach repeatedly and yanking her “leash aggressively over his right shoulder to the point where (the) dog is lifted into the air chocking (sic) the dog,” according to the search warrant documents. Members of the public were outraged Thursday night after Global News obtained the video and led its main newscast with the footage.
The SPCA’s court documents identify the dog’s owner as Desmond Hague. Desmond (Des) Hague is the president and CEO of Centerplate Inc. — one of North America’s largest sports arena catering companies that serves food at BC Place, Denver’s Mile High Stadium and San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.
Hague, who lives in Connecticut and gave the SPCA a number with that area code, could not be reached for comment Friday evening. No charges have been laid against him and none of the allegations has been proven in court.
So basically, this guy who tweeted above is boycotting the Lions (and the Whitecaps) because someone who has allegedly been caught on tape physically abusing a dog happens to be the Pres/CEO of the company that does the catering for the stadium in which they play. Vancouver being what it is — even David Booth, who from what I understand didn't even do anything illegal in his hunting exploits, faced a great deal of scorn — I wouldn't be surprised to see protesters outside the building tomorrow.
I don't condone the allegations for a second but I think boycotting games at BCP is rather wrong-headed. It would prob make a stronger statement to support the teams but simply refuse to patronise Centerplate's food services at the stadium. I don't think they even control all of BCP's food services (I'm thinking of concessionaires like Vij's who probably have no relationship with Centerplate) so if that's the case then it's not even like you couldn't eat @BCP at all.
Here are a few more tweets I saw today from people who are bringing the Lions (and Whitecaps) into this controversy:
@centerplate really hope you will address the alleged animal abuse from your current CEO. @bcplace @WHITECAPSFC @BCLions
@BCLions let's hope the crowd eats before the game and skips the concession given SPCA's allegations re Centerplate CEO [This one gets it right —sj-r]
Not going to BC Place till Des Hague or #Centerplate is fired @BCLions @WhitecapsFC Scum bag
Looks like the @BCLions @Broncos and @Chargers and the stadiums they play in support animal abuse.Not good for business. #Centerplate Inc.
@BCLions @WhitecapsFC @centerplate Perhaps you should see this [link to above Sun article]
@BCLions @WhitecapsFC @centerplate CEO likes to kick and abuse dogs
Like I said attending games and boycotting Centerplate's food services would be the more sensible approach rather than boycotting games entirely. The teams have no control over the catering and the first tweet I quoted even acknowledges this. And I'm not blaming this story for low crowds this year as it only broke in the last few days. In fact I'd likely say it ultimately won't even be a significant drag on ticket sales, compared to everything else. I suspect most folks inclined to completely boycott BCP rarely if ever go there anyway. But it's still another barrier to maximising the gate and something I'm sure the Lions (and Whitecaps) would just as soon see go away.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.