Chargers preaching “Gameday … The Right Way”
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Thursday, Aug 07, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com
Every week Charger fans pack Qualcomm Stadium with a goal in mind: enjoy and experience another victory. Unfortunately, sometimes the experience is too much for for some, so the Chargers are stepping in with a fan conduct initiative.
The Chargers along with the City of San Diego, San Diego Police Department, Elite Show Services, Ace Parking and Centerplate unveiled a revamped fan conduct policy Wednesday in hopes of making the game day experience a more enjoyable one for Bolts fans.
“Our fans have asked us to take action to affect the behavior of the small portion of fans who continue to be inconsiderate of others,” Chargers Executive Vice President and COO Jim Steeg said. “There are minimum standards and guidelines that the league is imposing on every team and every stadium. We expect to set a standard for the league and show that we have the best fans in the National Football League. We need our fans to be responsible for their own actions and be respectful of those around them.”
The Chargers established a fan conduct policy in 2006 and are now extending their guidelines to the Qualcomm Stadium parking lots. The policies will be applied to all events at Qualcomm Stadium.
“Fan behavior has become an important priority for us here at the stadium,” said Qualcomm Stadium General Manager Mike McSweeney. “We have a very small percentage of folks who come to events and create the problems for those who want to enjoy the game in peace and quiet and want to be able to bring their families to enjoy the events in the manner they’d like to.”
Changes fans will experience this season include the following:
-The parking lot will open four hours prior to kickoff instead of five hours; Vehicles with parking permits can still access the parking lot five hours before kickoff.
-Alcohol sales during the third quarter will be limited to one beverage per transaction for all games, excluding the Raiders game on Dec. 4 when alcohol cease after halftime. Spirit sales will be limited to club lounges, suites, bars and catered events.
-There will be increased presence and visibility by SDPD and Elite at stadium gates and inside stadium.
-In the parking lot, public outreach teams will monitor fan conduct and alcohol issues before entering the stadium. Inside the stadium, trained “alcohol management teams” will continue to monitor fans and promote the Code of Conduct.
The changes and new areas of emphasis the Chargers are putting in place are part of a league-wide initiative to improve every NFL fan’s experience at each stadium.
“The in-stadium experience is critically important to the NFL, our clubs and our fans and it will be a major focus this season,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “We are committed to improving the fan experience in every way we can - from the time fans arrive in the parking lot to when they depart the stadium. We want everyone to be able to come to our stadiums and enjoy the entire day.”
Last season alone, the Chargers revoked the accounts of more than 550 season ticket holders due to disruptive behavior. The Fans Code of Conduct states that fans who demonstrate inappropriate and disruptive behavior, including the following, are subject to ejection and season ticket holders risk losing their season ticket account and/or parking privileges for:
-Excessive consumption of alcohol -Obscene, offensive or abusive language or actions
The Chargers made the changes with the full support of the SDPD and their security partners on game days.
“It’ll take us a while to educate the public, but we are absolutely dedicated to our responsibility to ensure safety at all sporting events, and most importantly here at Qualcomm,” said Lt. Dan Christman, who is in charge of special events for the SDPD.
The Chargers have taken a step to help fans report unruly behavior in their area. The team will set up a phone number where fans can text message Chargers officials to inform them of any disturbance.
“The idea is there will be an account. What you’ll be able to do is text us. We may interact with that person to get more details and then we’ll respond to that area of concern for them.”
The Chargers have also made it a point to remind season ticket holders that they are responsible for the people in their seats, even if they’ve given away their tickets.
Even if season ticket holders give away or sell their tickets to a game, the account holder is responsible for the actions of those using the tickets. Event patrons and guests are subject to ejection without refund and potential loss of ticket privileges for future games for violations of the Code of Conduct.
Jesse Arroyo, Chargers.com
The Chargers are making an effort to make Gameday even more enjoyable for their fans.
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