MLB Taking Action In Response to Fan-on-Fan Violence

Published in The Catalyst 

The violence has reached a boiling point and finally Major League Baseball is trying to do something about it.

On March 31, 42-year-old Giants fan Bryan Stow was assaulted outside Dodger Stadium and left in a medically induced coma. Since then, multiple fans have reported being threatened or assaulted in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Just 8 years ago, Giants fan Marc Antenorcruz was shot and killed by Dodger fan Pete Marron in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium. Major League Baseball remained largely silent on the matter.

In 2004, a young girl was shot and killed by police outside Fenway in Boston. While the incident was reported to have been an accident, it’s clear the police opened fire on a large crowd of Red Sox fans rioting through the streets to celebrate their World Series berth and  defeat of their rival New York Yankees. 

At nearly every Mets-Phillies, Yankees-Red Sox, Cardinals-Cubs, A’s-Angels and Dodgers-Giants game, dozens of videos are uploaded to Youtube and Facebook- all showing the same thing: Mobs of fans, drunk or sober, viciously beating each-other up until security guards intervene to break it apart. Some mobs grow 20 people deep; others are one man versus five. From time-to-time, you will spot a so-called “bi*ch fight”- two female fans going at it, or a guys only showdown- a one-on-one between two men. Occasionally, the fans appear as young as 15 or 16. Sometimes security guards get beat up too. While the videos make local news here and there and get lots of web attention, they remain completely unaddressed by Major League Baseball.

So what is the motive of ignoring such a critical issue appearing to escalate across the country? The NBA has a far more consistent track record of addressing fan-on-fan violence. While many baseball games start with PSA’s from players speaking of “disorderly conduct”, violence itself is rarely addressed.
Many have already questioned the agenda of Major League Baseball. “They want fans to go to games and the intensity of a rivalry draws bigger crowds” argues sophomore Noah Gallo-Brown. “It’s no different from attending a boxing match to see punches thrown or a NASCAR game to see cars erupt in flames. Crowds like drama. Cracking down on this violence can only go so far.”

But finally, after reports of sexist, homophobic and anti-Semitic slurs at Dodgers-Giants hit the news last week, Major League Baseball felt it could remain silent no longer.

            On a rare night when players from both teams addressed fans before first pitch, Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt and Dodgers second baseman Jamey Carroll came together for a joint message. With members of the victim’s family in attendance, Affeldt kept his emotions back as he spoke to the crowd. "We're fierce competitors, but when the last out is made, that rivalry ends upon the field. So please respect that, and in your excitement or in your frustration, don't take it out on another fan if you don't agree with who they cheer for." Carroll went on to add "competitive banter and passion" were honorable, "but there's no room in this game for hatred and violence.” The Dodgers and Giants both enforced strict security and a zero-tolerance policy, but despite the speech, multiple reports of violence occurred during and after the game.

            “In the age of violent video games, school shootings and street rioting, these kinds of things become more tragically unavoidable than many of us would like to admit” said Sara Bodner. “Once a rivalry is intensified and 50,000 people storm a stadium, tempers begin to flare as the sun sets and the game heats up,” she added.

            No matter what the consequences of a heated rivalry may be, its important to notice that Major League Baseball is finally expressing concern. While the commissioner, Bud Selig remains silent to this day, the actions of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants speak loudly to victims of fan-on-fan attacks. In the words of San Francisco native Denali Gillaspie, “knowing that the defending champions are doing something about it can’t hurt. It’s definitely a step in the right direction.”