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    • Fan interference can get you kicked out of games. Here’s some more.
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    Fan interference can get you kicked out of games. Here’s some more.

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    Sports fans pay a lot of money to see the action up close and personal, but high ticket prices do not give spectators the right to detract from or disrupt the game.

    That’s exactly what happened on Tuesday during Game 4 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two Yankees fans were ejected for fan interference after prying the ball from Mookie Betts’ glove following an errant pop-fly down the right field line.

    The fans were banned from Game 5 of the World Series in New York for their “egregious and unacceptable” behavior.

    There are many instances where fandom can venture into unruly territory. Here is a list of unacceptable violations that could get you removed from a professional sports venue and possibly banned:

    Going onto the field/court

    Entering the playing field is a big no-no. Whether a fan chooses to streak or stage a protest, interrupting play by entering a sports field or field is automatic grounds for eviction and often criminal charges – it is a trespass, after all.

    Two shirtless fans were ejected and arrested after running onto the field at Super Bowl 58 between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas. They were each charged with prohibited conduct during an athletic event, a misdemeanor.

    In October 2022, an animal rights protester carrying a pink flare ran across the field at Levi’s Stadium during a “Monday Night Football” game between the Los Angeles Rams and 49ers. The protester evaded security guards until he was tackled to the ground by linebacker Bobby Wagner and defensive back Takkarist McKinley. The fans were then removed.

    “There are consequences for your actions,” Wagner said.

    In April 2022, another animal rights activist was removed from an NBA playoff game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves after running onto the court in the middle of a play at Minnesota’s Target Center. She was immediately confronted by security on the field and dragged away.

    Throwing objects

    Fans may shower their favorite sports teams with cheers, but that’s about it. Throwing something else is a surefire way to leave early. The MLB Fan Code of Conduct strictly prohibits “disrupting the flow of play, including throwing objects onto the field.” The NBA, NHL and many other leagues have similar rules. NHL fans often throw hats onto the ice for a player’s hat trick (three goals), but other items are prohibited.

    In May 2021, a Celtics fan was arrested for assault and battery with a deadly weapon for throwing a water bottle at Kyrie Irving after an NBA playoff game in Boston. There were several fan incidents in the NBA that month. The New York Knicks announced that a fan was banned from Madison Square Garden for spitting on Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young as he inbounded the ball during a first-round playoff game against the Knicks. The Philadelphia 76ers have also imposed a lifetime ban on a fan who threw popcorn on Russell Westbrook’s head.

    “The amount of disrespect, the amount of fans just doing what they want to do, it’s just out of pocket,” Westbrook said. “There are certain things that cross the line. In any other situation… if a man came out on the street and poured popcorn over my head, you know what happens.”

    Earlier this month, the SEC fined the University of Texas $250,000 after the Longhorns’ game against Georgia was briefly postponed when Texas students threw trash and debris onto the DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium field after a controversial call. The SEC said the fine was imposed “interrupting competitive opportunities for both teams and endangering those participating in the competition.”

    Offensive language

    At sporting events, coarse, derogatory or insulting language and obscene gestures are prohibited.

    In 2021, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James had two fans removed from their courtside seats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis after he said they were “out of line” with obscene gestures and words. During the November 25 game against the Pacers, James demonstratively pointed and gestured to a man and a woman in their front row, resulting in an arena official ushering fans away.

    “If there is obscene gestures and language, it cannot be tolerated,” James said. “There’s a difference between cheering for your team and not wanting the other team to win, and things I would never say to a fan and they shouldn’t say to me either.”

    To fight

    Fighting is grounds for immediate expulsion. Social media videos of fans getting into physical altercations with rival fans have flooded the internet in recent years. Not only can fans not fight among themselves, but they also cannot engage in physical behavior with players.

    The most infamous example is the “Malice at the Palace” brawl, when a fight broke out between members of the Indiana Pacers, fans, coaches, staff and Detroit Pistons players during a November 2004 game in Michigan. The fight started between the Pistons and Pacers players after a hard foul. The brawl escalated after a fan threw a beer at Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest) while he was sitting on the scorer’s table. Artest immediately ran into the stands and confronted a fan he deemed responsible and ignited the brawl, resulting in the suspension of a total of nine players, including five Pacers. Artest was suspended for the remainder of that season and all fans involved in the brawl were banned from Pistons games indefinitely.

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