Fan Crimes at Sporting Events Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fan Crimes at Sporting Events - Research Paper Example This has been an ongoing problem for many years, despite efforts to curb the behavior, such as preventing many stadiums from selling alcohol on the premises. Criminal activities among fans at sporting games tend to focus around violence against other fans, but they also include vandalism, rioting behavior and other criminal acts. These acts are driven by the interaction of a number of different factors, including the fierce loyalty that many fans have towards their teams, the atmosphere present at a sporting event, the emotions that are associated with the outcome of the game, the size of the crowd and the presence of alcohol. These factors interact to produce a charged atmosphere, where it is easy for fans to take events or conversations out of context and to react in an extreme manner. Not all attendees of a sporting event are the same. They come to the event with different desires and for different reasons. Many are casual watchers, who enjoy viewing the game, are not overly conce rned about the outcome and who like the atmosphere that is present. However, some fans are more devoted to their team, and whether they win or lose is of significant consequence to these fans, and they can often feel cheated or disheartened if their team loses. This is particularly true if there was some aspect of the game that is contested, such as when it is not evident whether a move by the opposing team was legal. These are the fans. They have one team that they follow and consider to be their own. They will attend as many games, which their team is in as possible, and listen to information on the game on television or radio if attending is not possible. Many fans wear their team colors to games or team shirts in day-to-day life. Others will paint their faces or carry props associated with their team to the game . For fans, there is a lot at stake in any game, and regardless of the result, emotions will run high. A sporting event consists of two teams playing each other; one of which will win and the other will lose (except in the case of a draw, which is only possible in some sporting games). Whatever the outcome of the game is, some observers will be pleased with it and others will be upset. The sports event environment involves a strong clash of cultures as each team has its own fans that have their own distinct opinions, beliefs and desires. This can be especially prevalent where the two teams are from different states or different countries. Additionally, sports games have the ability to draw in large crowds of fans and the concentration of people can increase the opportunity for altercations or disputes to occur between the fans . The polarity between the sets of fans alone is often enough to cause disputes as there are occasional, although much rarer, reports of fan altercation outside of a sports event. For example, in some American cities, wearing a shirt of an opposing team will result in substantial heckling. In a sporting event, not only is thi s polarity present, but these fans are in a confined space for many hours with many other people, some of who they agree with, some that they do not. Alcohol is often seen as a playing a pivotal role in the behavior of fans at a sporting event. It is well known to decrease inhibitions and has been documented to result in an increase in aggressive behavior, an effect that is intensified when the fans are already frustrated , such as from a game that is not going well or from