Sports & Play
Blue Jays Ban Beer
As reported in Morning Brew, beer will no longer be available in the $2 Tuesday sections of the Rogers Centre, a move meant to stop repeated fighting at Blue Jays games this year. Fights broke out on both opening day and the first game under the $2 Tuesday promotion, each leading to about 100 fan ejections from the stadium.
Except, over 21,000 extra fans attended opening day, so the fact that a crowd about half the size produced just as many ejections on Tuesday alarmed Blue Jays officials. Now, the outfield sections of the 200 Level and the entire 500 Level will be dry during the $2 Tuesday games May 6, 20 and June 10.
With videos appearing on YouTube, Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey decided to act fast. "It's really unfortunate that some [fans] feel that this is a nightclub," he says, "It's not a nightclub. It's a sport venue."
Apparent misconceptions about nightclubs aside, Godfrey's move is meant to attract fans who might ordinarily stay away from the beer-swilling crowds. It's not immediately clear if revenues from the non-drinkers will match those of the beer drinkers.
The move is not unprecedented in Major League Baseball. Many teams have dry "family sections," including the Jays. In some cases, the move is also meant to prevent fighting fans, such as at Yankee Stadium, where all outfield bleacher seats are dry (and traditionally rowdy).
Although $2 Tuesdays will probably become more civilized, increased security at the gate is meant to reduce fights at all games. In particular, Blue Jays security is looking closely for alcohol fans try to bring in with them.
But if you are like me, who liked having a couple beers (responsibly) while only dropping a Toonie for a ticket, well, tough luck. Once again, a few idiots ruin it for everybody.
Photo by blogTO flickr pooler sjgardiner.
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I could go on about how skeptical I am about the complaints, since at the Grey Cup someone actually asked that I "quiet down," and the only thing I did to be considered above average noise was blowing a stadium horn when the Roughriders got a score. Suck it up, buddy, it's the Grey Cup.
But as for Skydome, the beer made myself and a friend puke, one other had stomach pains, and a few others felt "strongly hung-over", despite no one having more then 4 bottles (some only had 2). There were no consistent factors except all drank bottled beer (all ate at different places, bought beer at three different stands, and across two brands - Bud and Bud Light).
My guess is old or poorly stored beer, but Rogers would never admit it.
Or another idea: give sports fans MORE beer and seats ON the field. Agitate them, even throw in a few weapons. And then sit back and enjoy some actual entertainment inside the Rogers Centre.
The problems aren't confined to the Skydome - once some of these drunk assholes get out they cause all sorts of other problems all over the city.
I was on a train leaving the city the other night and they had to stop at a station due to someone hitting the panic button, the police were called (to which they took 30 MINUTES to respond) and then all passengers had to evacuate to another train.
So yeah, I say ban beer if people aren't mature enough to know when they've had enough.
GOOD TIMES!
<a href="http://www.cfrb.com/node/697642";>http://www.cfrb.com/node/697642<;/a>
The GO Train panic button got hit three times on my way home last night. There was no stopping involved, just a crew member coming through to check it out, and no "evacuation". What happened on your train was probably an actual incident. I've been a regular commuter for years, and I've only once been on a train that had to stop for the passenger safety alarm. That was for a heart attack.
In any case, drunks on the train are no fun. They're loud and obnoxious.
Alcohol aside, I have been to Jays games where fans have been asked to quiet down. It's a spoting event, not a church service. Do you think that happens at Yankees stadium? Chris Bosh made a comment this week about the fans being too quiet at Raptor games. Maybe it's fear of getting ejected that is the problem.
What will be really interesting is when the Bills play in Toronto the next few seasons. It's one thing to ask the fans in Buffalo to have to drive an extra two hours to get the game, but another when they discover that we will not likely allow tailgating (or anything "fun" for that matter). If the fans in Buffalo want a preview they should attend a Leaf game. It's basically a big corporate sales meeting in an arena. Oh, I think they play a hockey game during the meeting too.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/6960
That said, I'm sure I'll be going to less Jays games this season now that I have to pay extra for the privilege of paying extra for shitty beer.
Paul Godfrey, one time CEO of the Toronto Sun, lecturing to us about morals, and overreacting to a few bad apples. Say bye to 10,000+ paying $30+ for a cheap night at the ball park.
Although I'm willing to bet that "good behaviour" will bring the beer back $hortly to this promotion.
Exact same thing happened to myself and my friend last year at a Jay's game and we weren't even drinking.
We were heckling with 5 minutes left in the game (we were down like 10 points or something). Security approached us and kicked us out of the game... FOR HECKLING the other team?
I wrote the Roger's centre a nasty letter only to get a form letter mailed back to me which was so no-descrip it didn't even talk about my particular incident just "incidents in general"
I will never attend a Jay's game again.
and oh wouldnt our gladiator ancestors be proud.
perhaps the treadmill should be sacrificed to the stagnant, conservative, idle, lame to show all ye tame that you suck
we'll see what happens at BMO field this weekend as Toronto FC plays the Columbus Assholes