Yahoos at BC Place Stadium

[Sharpo]

Most of the security is outsourced by Genesis Security, which is really just for insurance sake. Its the cops and security management that does it all.

I'd love to see some random wacko go head to head with some of these kids. I swear there were some that were less than a buck sixty.

[SammyGreene]

This is the kind of publicity the Lions don't need in today's column by Greg Douglas in the Sun:

SCENE & HEARD: New B.C. Lions season ticket holders George and Mary from Aldergrove aren't sure they'll ever step foot in B.C. Place Stadium again. They were victims of an attack by a half dozen drunken thugs in an exit tunnel as they made their way to the parking lot after the Leos' exhibition game against Saskatchewan eight nights ago.

George suggested the loudmouths tone down their foul language and he paid for it with a severe beating. His wife was roughed up, too, but not to the same extent.

The Lions feel terrible about the incident. They delivered a Javy Glatt helmet signed by the entire team to Mary, who'd taken Football 101 during the off-season and had fallen in love with the game. Wally Buono signed an accompanying, apologetic letter.

Livid Lions boss Bob Ackles and vice-president George Chayka sat with B.C. Place Stadium general manager Howard Crosley and director of business development Graham Ramsay at some length on Friday.

"We are all very concerned and there will be changes in the way security will be working for the home opener [on July 6]," a concerned Crosley says. "I'm not going to share them right now publicly, but we will be doing things differently. We're addressing everything we think will help."

First time season ticket holders.... ouch.

At least the Lions have tried to address the issue but it's been a pre-season to forget on and off the field.

[CatsEyes]

This is part of the problem, we've got security guards that have as much a deterring presence as Preston Manning.

Bingo!

[B.C.FAN]

Bob Marjanovich and Chris Burns just had the alleged victim of the attack on TEAM 1040. He said he was knocked out, came to and they started beating on him again. He got a severe concussion, another member of his family got a fractured wrist, all traffic in the ramp was blocked as the fight went on for several minutes and when it was over, security tried to push him out the revolving doors. It sounded like a really bad scene.

[TheLionKing]

I don't think getting rid of the free tickets giveaway is the answer. It's a double edged sword. On one hand you're trying to sell the game to casual fans, on the other you're trying to control these yahoos. Short of an outright ban to sell beer, why not refuse to sell beer to obviously inebriated fans ? Does the revenue generated by the sell of beer override the cost of additional security ?

[Solar Max]

PavCo supposedly refuses to overserve now, TLK.

Let's say buddy is past the point of being served. What stops a sober friend of his from going to get him two more since he can't do it himself?

Banning booze means that people who want the occasional brewski get punished for the sins of the few.

Get rid of the tickets that are given away, and let the team be the draw. I don't want people sitting near me that have no interest in the game anyway. If they're there to drink and fight, then go elsewhere. No need to inflate attendance numbers with people like that.

[B.C.FAN]

I don't know that there's any link between ticket giveaways and rowdiness. The free tickets are given to season ticketholders (us). We're responsible for the people who use them. I seldom use mine, but when I do, I give them to family and friends, not to rowdy yahoos.

[TheLionKing]

I don't know that there's any link between ticket giveaways and rowdiness. The free tickets are given to season ticketholders (us). We're responsible for the people who use them. I seldom use mine, but when I do, I give them to family and friends, not to rowdy yahoos.

I agree. Alot of people seem to be pinning the root of the rowdiness to the Lions free ticket giveaways. There were fights in the stands and people running onto the field last year during the regular season where they were no ticket giveaways.

[pinkfreud]

I'm embarassed to admit that I brought a rowdy yahoo to the game with me. She was a handful I tell you. Never again.

:lol:

[Sir Purrcival]

Maybe the way to give those tickets away is through season ticket holders themselves. Include a pair of free tickets with the season ticket package encouraging them to distribute them to responsible friends and family. I would be willing to bet that you would end up with fewer incidents. It is one thing to get involved in a scuffle, it is another thing altogether to get into a scuffle, when a boss from work, a relative or in law gave you the ticket. That adds a whole other level of accountability. Season ticket holders have a lot more invested in it as well so are much less likely to give those tickets away to someone they know is a born yahoo. Especially if the freebie is traceable back to them. No one would want the embarrassment. Not a purrfect solution but since we all have something riding in the well-being of the team, perhaps we can help in some small way.

[TheLionKing]

Maybe the way to give those tickets away is through season ticket holders themselves.

Those free ticket giveaways are through the season ticket holders.

[Soundy]

I'm embarassed to admit that I brought a rowdy yahoo to the game with me. She was a handful I tell you. Never again.

:lol:

There you go, talking about yourself again... you troublemaker you...

[Soundy]

Bob Marjanovich and Chris Burns just had the alleged victim of the attack on TEAM 1040. He said he was knocked out, came to and they started beating on him again. He got a severe concussion, another member of his family got a fractured wrist, all traffic in the ramp was blocked as the fight went on for several minutes and when it was over, security tried to push him out the revolving doors. It sounded like a really bad scene.

Y'know, I feel for the guy, but I agree, his head wasn't on straight when he took the initiative to chastise the drunks. That's just never a good idea. I doubt that the yahoos were even swearing AT him or his wife, they were probably just being loud and obnoxious in general, so to start up with them was HIS own doing, not theirs.

Obviously that doesn't excuse their actions in the least, but the "victim" here isn't entirely blameless either. You either call in security and let them deal with the idiots, or you just move past them and get on your way - it takes 30 seconds and just a smidgen of self-control, and you can go happily on about your night.

[maddeep73]

Are their not 23,000 (or so) of us loyal fans now????

I challange all of you to bring your cellphones and call out all the rowdies, drunks and jerks early on. Stay on security until they do something about it... and do it quietly to avoid confrontation.

As for field jumping yahoos?? A few of you may remember when people ran on the field in a season ending game against the Eskies in the early 90's??

The next year, in preseason, when the first guy jump on, the police actually drove the paddy wagon on the field, cuffed him and threw his drunk ass in, head first. The big board said $1000 fine if you jump on. It sure sent the right message.

[Lionut]

Whether or not people agree with it, I guarantee that the net result of this ugly night will be the severe curtailment of free ticket giveaways for the exhibition game. It's the right call.

I think it's pretty easy to put two and two together here. Do you think any of these fools were season ticket holders, or had paid for their tickets in any way? No and no. This is what happens when freebies are flowing all over town, and no one values the tickets. Lesson learned -- large volumes of freebies simply end up in the hands of people who not only aren't potential customers, but who alienate the very people who are current customers. In '08, the Lions are just going to have to be like everyone else, and endure a small crowd of die hard season ticket holders for their exhibition game.