Banned from the Ballpark!

[robardin]

Recently, in the wake of the Mets' first no-hitter, a fan who ran out onto the field (even briefly making it to the player huddle on the pitcher's mound) has been banned for life from attending any game at Citi Field. Him and his game-day buddy who got taken down much more quickly.

I've read about similar bans being imposed on fans for various stupidities before - running onto the field, intentionally leaping a railing to fall into the netting above/behind home plate, that sort of thing. Exactly how would such a ban be enforced?

Am I going to see posters at every Citi Field gate from now on, with mugshots on them of those two guys and with the words DO NOT ADMIT THESE PEOPLE? Like the "bad check" list taped up at the cash register of a local deli? Or when Kramer got banned from his local fruit stand after trying to return a half-eaten pear?

Or is it more a thing like, if we ever catch you doing something in the ballpark again where we have to detain you and demand your ID, you are now open to be prosecuted for criminally trespassing?

And, do bans carry over to new team venues? If I recall, the guy who was banned for jumping into the netting over home plate did it at "Refurbished" Yankee Stadium prior to 2008 - is he still banned from New Yankee Stadium?

[DN4L]

Or is it more a thing like, if we ever catch you doing something in the ballpark again where we have to detain you and demand your ID, you are now open to be prosecuted for criminally trespassing?

Rephrase it to, "If we ever catch you inside here again, you'll be arrested for criminal trespass, period".

[Chevy114]

I was at a usf football game at raymond james stadium and a man in his 30s attacked a man in 70s verbally and physically then when the cops came and tried to cuff him, his drunk wife tried to attack the cop. The cop was telling them loud enough so that we could hear that there would be a restraining order placed on them, so that they could not return. Is that always the case?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Rephrase it to, "If we ever catch you inside here again, you'll be arrested for criminal trespass, period".

But how ARE they going to catch those people? You can't expect all of the stadium security people, beer vendors, or ticket takers to know the guy's face.

And assuming they'll release his name to the ticket office so he can't actually buy tickets, he'll just get someone else to do it for him.

[nycthebest14345]

what if the guy who got banned for life decided to change his look. how would they know?

[SteveJRogers]

what if the guy who got banned for life decided to change his look. how would they know?

Hmmmm...if I ever get a restraining order put on me, that sounds like something I should think about doing...

In all seriousness, COME ON let's not over think this. Just because you've seen one too many movies or TV shows or hell comic books (see Kent, Clark, actually see Reeve, Christopher for his performance in Lois' apartment in the original Superman) doesn't mean that it's a hollow punishment.

Yeah a Stadium is a larger venue than say a restaurant or a store, but I'm pretty sure there are ways with today's technology (security cams) that you can check up on criminal trespassing.

[ipitch]

But how ARE they going to catch those people? You can't expect all of the stadium security people, beer vendors, or ticket takers to know the guy's face.

They probably won't, unless he does something that gets him in trouble. Lots of people drive despite having a suspended or revoked driver's license. Some of them get caught right away, and others drive for decades and are never caught.

Even though he's banned, it's unlikely that the Mets will try very hard to keep him out. They might pass his picture around to the security guards this year, but will they still do that 10 years from now? I highly doubt it.

[Gary Dunaier]

If I recall, the guy who was banned for jumping into the netting over home plate did it at "Refurbished" Yankee Stadium prior to 2008 - is he still banned from New Yankee Stadium?

From the New York Post, September 20, 2006 (underlining added by me)...

STADIUM NET NUT AVOIDS JAIL

Denise Buffa

Last Updated:

Posted: 12:00 AM, September 20, 2006

A Bronx judge yesterday sentenced the dopey teen who dived onto a net strung above field-level seats at Yankee Stadium to three years of probation.

"The defendant is permanently barred from Yankee Stadium, both the old stadium and the new stadium," Supreme Court Judge Troy Webber added.

Scott Harper, 19, of White Plains, had no comment as he left the courtroom with his mother and lawyer.

He had pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment for his Aug. 9, 2005 leap 40 feet from an upper deck into the net, which was strung above hundreds of spectators.

The Yankees had no comment.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/stadium...zYJ2vBRj53ZIhP

I think it's safe to presume that the ban is still in effect. Wonder how Harper feels about the incident now, with the passage of time.

[SteveJRogers]

They probably won't, unless he does something that gets him in trouble. Lots of people drive despite having a suspended or revoked driver's license. Some of them get caught right away, and others drive for decades and are never caught.

Even though he's banned, it's unlikely that the Mets will try very hard to keep him out. They might pass his picture around to the security guards this year, but will they still do that 10 years from now? I highly doubt it.

And that too! Which is a good point as well.

[robardin]

It's got to be more a warning than anything else. As with the aforementioned "court restraining order", it's not a physical barrier, and it can't be one that's reasonably policed and enforced on a regular, a priori basis. It's a threat that "if we ever catch you here again, you won't like what happens to you". They're not implanting chips in these guys that will fire off alarms if they come withing 50 feet of an entry gate or something. And I bet they can still go to McFadden's at Citi Field :P

That said I do wonder about the wording. Is it venue specific or team specific? Can he see Mets games on the road? Take the ballpark tour? Give blood or donate coats at a non-gameday charity drive?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I wonder if he'll become a Yankee fan now.

[DiggerODell]

From the New York Post, September 20, 2006 (underlining added by me)...

STADIUM NET NUT AVOIDS JAIL

Denise Buffa

Last Updated:

Posted: 12:00 AM, September 20, 2006

A Bronx judge yesterday sentenced the dopey teen who dived onto a net strung above field-level seats at Yankee Stadium to three years of probation.

"The defendant is permanently barred from Yankee Stadium, both the old stadium and the new stadium," Supreme Court Judge Troy Webber added.

Scott Harper, 19, of White Plains, had no comment as he left the courtroom with his mother and lawyer.

He had pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment for his Aug. 9, 2005 leap 40 feet from an upper deck into the net, which was strung above hundreds of spectators.

The Yankees had no comment.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/stadium...zYJ2vBRj53ZIhP

I think it's safe to presume that the ban is still in effect. Wonder how Harper feels about the incident now, with the passage of time.

He became a Mets fan I'll bet ;-) . . . just sayin'

[Petemc1969]

I would go back done up with in face-paint.

[Mister B.]

I think the team banned him for their own protection from future ligitagion.

If the guy ever comes back and hurts somebody, and the victim sues the team because it was "foreseeable" that this could happen, the team can say:

"Don't blame us, it's illegal for him to be here. We obviously can't watch everybody every day, but we did take action; he committed a crime just by coming here in the first place."

[drdg]

what if the guy who got banned for life decided to change his look. how would they know?

that is so funny
reminds me of sammy sosa


for females it is much easier


my two cents,
the first time you get a warning=banned for life,fine,and maybe a few days in jail (no biggie)

for the second time you get caught DOING the same act=bigger fine,
and more than a year in prison which would be a felony,
causing you to lose government,state,city jobs and benefits,
and in some states the right to bear arms, and other restrictions
http://www.hmichaelsteinberg.com/fel...sdemeanors.htm