What is the official M & T policy for standing during games?

[jessup270]

I have noticed during televised games that a small fraction of fans seem to be standing the entire game or at least the majority of the game.

What is the official policy of M & T, when patrons complain to ushers or security personnel?

[Aclobat]

I find my self standing about 80% of the game. No one has said anything to me. It's eaiser to yell standing.


Ravens fans are the best in the NFL due to their enthusiasm, team support and sportsmanship. Fans help shape the Ravens' image. We encourage our fans to create a high-energy environment in lending support to the team while maintaining a friendly and family-oriented atmosphere. Abusive/foul language or fighting will not be tolerated and will result in immediate ejection without refund. All game day employees work hand in hand at each of our games to ensure your game day experience is a positive one. Have fun, root hard, show respect for the fans around you, but don’t be a jerk! The Ravens reserve the right to eject any person whose behavior is unruly or illegal in nature: First-time offenders will be ejected from the stadium immediately. Second-time offenders will lose their PSL's and season tickets.

[Ravens2006]

I've never seen anyone complain about it when "the masses" are standing. Granted, I'm sure that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. But for the most part... if the people in front of you stand, then you stand. It trickles back. Nobody seems bothered by it most of the time. There's virtually nothing anybody can do when "everyone" gets up... especially on big defensive stands or crucial plays.

If you get one or two guys that are standing when nobody else is, typically they will give in after some polite prodding. If they don't, the ushers will tell them to sit down. If they still don't, the users will remove them if need be.

But again, during big moments and/or big games, you're going to have most of the stadium up for periods of time... you just have to cope with it. I know there are seating areas that cater more to disabled patrons. If you're not in one, but can't stand up, and you tell the ushers about it... they'll typically do their best to accommodate in some way. If they can find a spot to move you to, they will. Might not be able to move your whole party, but they do their best.

[Clark Griswold]

I have noticed during televised games that a small fraction of fans seem to be standing the entire game or at least the majority of the game.

What is the official policy of M & T, when patrons complain to ushers or security personnel?

If you complain to the ushers, they will tell them to either sit down or politely guide them to the doorway. Nobody stands in our section unless it is a big 3rd / 4th down or a touchdown. Doesn't make our section any less noisy or enthusiastic, but our feet definitely don't hurt as much after the game.

[Eastside Terp]

we sit in the last row of the lower bowl so we stand the entire game and its not an issue ......

one of the things I love about our seats (plus the 12-15" of space between our seat and the fence behind us) .......

every other year or so during preseason a new usher will come up and say something about us sitting on the back of our seat but never really an issue for more than that game .......

I guess I don't really know the official policy ......

[weird-O]

if you're inclined to be troubled or made uncomfortable by people standing and cheering at a sporting event, stay home.

that's the fun of going to a game.

[jessup270]

if you're inclined to be troubled or made uncomfortable by people standing and cheering at a sporting event, stay home.

that's the fun of going to a game.

When the TV, shows the NFL owners box, the owner and his guests sure seem to be enjoying the comfort of being seated, while watching the game.

Go figure, uninformed owners.

[CajunRaven]

if you're inclined to be troubled or made uncomfortable by people standing and cheering at a sporting event, stay home.

that's the fun of going to a game.

That's not the issue. Everyone is our section stands on a TD or big offensive play as it is occuring. We stand and shout during a big 3rd or 4th play while we're on defense.

But there's a few who just stand a lot of the time, regardless of what the situation is that's ignorant when everyone around them is sitting. They're also the idiots making noise when we're on offense and Joe is at the line ready for the snap. When you stand the entire time or most of time, you're just being inconsiderate of those around you.

[weird-O]

When the TV, shows the NFL owners box, the owner and his guests sure seem to be enjoying the comfort of being seated, while watching the game.

Go figure, uninformed owners.

yet, when you see people in the stands, they're standing up cheering for the team. you know, like they've been doing since the early days of humanity's public sporting events. for example, Grecian Olympics and the Roman Coliseum. now you want to change all that?

[Fang]

Generally in my section people stand in defensive 3rd downs or big plays. Otherwise we're seated.

[weird-O]

That's not the issue. Everyone is our section stands on a TD or big offensive play as it is occuring. We stand and shout during a big 3rd or 4th play while we're on defense.

But there's a few who just stand a lot of the time, regardless of what the situation is that's ignorant when everyone around them is sitting. They're also the idiots making noise when we're on offense and Joe is at the line ready for the snap. When you stand the entire time or most of time, you're just being inconsidert of those around you.

did they pay to get in (or at least have a ticket for the seat)? then they bought the privilege of standing when they want.

and your post shows how slippery of a slope it is to start dictating how fans may act at a game. this thread started with a question (forge out of the idea of being inconvenienced) about when fans should stand. now you've added a caveat of when they should cheer.

if you wrote the rules, you would mandate that they sit down and be quiet when you think it's appropriate. if they wrote the rules, they would say you need to stay standing for the whole game and cheering for every play. jessup mentioned folks who pretty much sit for the whole game. what if that was the rule? what if you were told you can't stand up unless you're leaving your seat. and you can't cheer because you may disturb those around you. does that sound ridiculous. I've had people throw me angry looks because I was cheering after a ravens' first down.

how would you like that?

don't misunderstand me. I know what you guys are talking about. there is a sort of collective, usual behavior at football games. I've missed parts of games because the people in front of me were standing when most of the stadium was sitting.

that's part of being at the game. I wouldn't want to be told how to act at a game.

keep in mind that I'm not talking about the right to do anything I want. it's pretty well understood that getting blind drunk and yelling rude, offensive things, or fighting, is not acceptable.

[Fang]

did they pay to get in (or at least have a ticket for the seat)? then they bought the privilege of standing when they want.

That's not entirely true. I watched a guy a few rows in front of me get thrown out by the police for standing. Here's the issue, we was standing with his back to the game talking to people behind him while blocking the view of others.

Sure you can stand, but I do believe it's best to be courteous of those around you and generally go with the section. I don't but into the notion that someone bought a ticket so they can do whatever they want (I know you didn't say that, but some people feel that way). People around that person also have the right to watch the game reasonably uninterrupted.

[jessup270]

yet, when you see people in the stands, they're standing up cheering for the team. you know, like they've been doing since the early days of humanity's public sporting events. for example, Grecian Olympics and the Roman Coliseum. now you want to change all that?

I am going to assume that you are a younger person, not a senior like myself.

Believe it or not, there was NFL football in Baltimore before the Ravens, as Baltimore Colts season ticket holders, we didn't have to go back to the Greco-Roman days, for instructions on how to cheer during NFL games at Memorial Stadium.

Many M & T PSLs holders, were not a part of the experience at Memorial Stadium. Many, while certainly not all, have this attitude that the present NFL experience, is the be all end all of sporting events.

[weird-O]

That's not entirely true. I watched a guy a few rows in front of me get thrown out by the police for standing. Here's the issue, we was standing with his back to the game talking to people behind him while blocking the view of others.

that's different. and we could come up with a really long list of possible scenarios in which someone could be removed for standing. I wouldn't be surprised if that fan was removed because of how he responded to the police when they told him to straighten up.

Sure you can stand, but I do believe it's best to be courteous of those around you and generally go with the section. I don't but into the notion that someone bought a ticket so they can do whatever they want (I know you didn't say that, but some people feel that way). People around that person also have the right to watch the game reasonably uninterrupted.

I totally agree. there is reasonable behavior, and then there are the idiots. but if a person(s) is/are standing up in front of me for the whole game, but otherwise not getting out of line, I'm not going to tell them to sit down. and I wouldn't want them to tell me to sit down if our positions were reversed.

when I go to games, I don't cuss (because there are probably young fans somewhere near by). I don't invade the space of those around me. I don't drink to the point of getting drunk. I am generally not obnoxious. but I have still had people get offended because of how I act at games.

here's a very real example I've experienced more than once. 2 outs, runner in scoring position, 2 strikes on the batter. whether the O's are up to bat or playing defense, I'm on my feet cheering in that situation. but that has often angered people around me.

should they be able to tell me to sit down and be quiet?

[weird-O]

I am going to assume that you are a younger person, not a senior like myself.

Believe it or not, there was NFL football in Baltimore before the Ravens, as Baltimore Colts season ticket holders, we didn't have to go back to the Greco-Roman days, for instructions on how to cheer during NFL games at Memorial Stadium.

Many M & T PSLs holders, were not a part of the experience at Memorial Stadium. Many, while certainly not all, have this attitude that the present NFL experience, is the be all end all of sporting events.

do you mind elaborating on how these points tie into the discussion?

I'm reading it one way and getting things out of it that you may not be saying. rather than respond first, I'd rather wait until I'm sure I know what this means.

[jessup270]

do you mind elaborating on how these points tie into the discussion?

I'm reading it one way and getting things out of it that you may not be saying. rather than respond first, I'd rather wait until I'm sure I know what this means.

My point is that today's NFL fans are a very much different clientele, than the folks who were season ticket holders on 33rd street.

Of course the folks on 33rd street cheered loudly and stood up on big plays. The 33rd street crowd was not as educated, not as sophisticated and most had low tech jobs.

Many carried little portable radios with earphones so they could be really engaged with the games through radio broadcasters like Chuck Thompson.

Many NFL fans today seem to think, that they are a new special breed of NFL fans, standing on every 3rd down, a few standing the entire game.

I guess this sort of cultural divide is normal as each new generation takes it place in society.

[Ravens2006]

Everybody has their pet peeves and obsessions. Jessup's seems to have one about fan conduct at NFL games, and how he's rather watch at home. Fine, to each his own. Though I don't see nor hear anybody talking negatively about the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium in the Colts glory days. That place earned its nickname because of crowd interaction. I love the current NFL experience. I would have loved to have experienced the Colts of the Unitas era too. Doesn't make either one any more or less memorable in my opinion.

My section tends to get up for "crucial" plays. They do so more in bigger games, like PIT or the playoffs. Otherwise they sit en masse and cheer loudly. If you have a problem where just a few stand and block the view of some, while most are sitting... try to resolve it politely. If that doesn't work, ask the ushers to handle it. It'll be taken care of. People have to use common sense, regardless of whether they paid money for a ticket or not. If you are willfully blocking the view of the person behind you, and NOBODY is standing up to block your view, and maybe nobody is standing up at all around you... sit down. Have some common courtesy. If a ton of people stand up, there's nothing the ushers can do about it. It's just part of the flow of the game. My neighbor listens to the game on a little radio and keeps us all updated on injury status. Now people also use their phones to follow injury status and out-of-town scores in pretty much real-time. The technology has changed a bit, but the essence of the stadium experience really hasn't. Aside from a lot more commercial breaks.

I will agree though... the atmosphere of being at an NFL game to me is second to none in sports fandom to me (at worst tied with an NHL playoff game). And it likely was in the 50s and 60s too. Nobody's trying to diminish that.

[jessup270]

Everybody has their pet peeves and obsessions. Jessup's seems to have one about fan conduct at NFL games, and how he's rather watch at home. Fine, to each his own. Though I don't see nor hear anybody talking negatively about the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium in the Colts glory days. That place earned its nickname because of crowd interaction. I love the current NFL experience. I would have loved to have experienced the Colts of the Unitas era too. Doesn't make either one any more or less memorable in my opinion.

My section tends to get up for "crucial" plays. They do so more in bigger games, like PIT or the playoffs. Otherwise they sit en masse and cheer loudly. If you have a problem where just a few stand and block the view of some, while most are sitting... try to resolve it politely. If that doesn't work, ask the ushers to handle it. It'll be taken care of. People have to use common sense, regardless of whether they paid money for a ticket or not. If you are willfully blocking the view of the person behind you, and NOBODY is standing up to block your view, and maybe nobody is standing up at all around you... sit down. Have some common courtesy. If a ton of people stand up, there's nothing the ushers can do about it. It's just part of the flow of the game. My neighbor listens to the game on a little radio and keeps us all updated on injury status. Now people also use their phones to follow injury status and out-of-town scores in pretty much real-time. The technology has changed a bit, but the essence of the stadium experience really hasn't. Aside from a lot more commercial breaks.

I will agree though... the atmosphere of being at an NFL game to me is second to none in sports fandom to me (at worst tied with an NHL playoff game). And it likely was in the 50s and 60s too. Nobody's trying to diminish that.

Good post, you covered the topic very well.

[weird-O]

My point is that today's NFL fans are a very much different clientele, than the folks who were season ticket holders on 33rd street.

Of course the folks on 33rd street cheered loudly and stood up on big plays. The 33rd street crowd was not as educated, not as sophisticated and most had low tech jobs.

Many carried little portable radios with earphones so they could be really engaged with the games through radio broadcasters like Chuck Thompson.

Many NFL fans today seem to think, that they are a new special breed of NFL fans, standing on every 3rd down, a few standing the entire game.

I guess this sort of cultural divide is normal as each new generation takes it place in society.

I think you're absolutely right.

I'm old enough to remember the Baltimore Colts. I never went to any Colts games, but I have been to other NFL games from that same timeframe (Mile High Stadium for example). I don't remember the obligatory standing for every defensive 3rd down play. and I keep repeating this, because I want to make it clear. I agree that it's a drag to have someone standing in front of you for the whole game.

but it's also a drag to be the guy cheering for the home team, and then have someone near me, tell me to sit down and shut up, because they prefer to sit quietly and not have anyone interupt their sightlines or their perception of what an enjoyable live sporting event should be.

[Marshan Man]

jessup complains a lot about pretty much any and everything...