Post by #1 Jays Fan on Apr 10, 2008 20:52:49 GMT -5
TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays may scrap their $2 Tuesdays ticket promotion after ugly brawls erupted in the stands during the discount night's season debut.
Team president Paul Godfrey watched the fights from his private box during Tuesday's 9-8 loss to Oakland and decided immediately that alcohol sales would be barred from the $2 sections for the three remaining promo dates this season: May 6 versus Tampa Bay, May 20 versus the Angels, and June 10 versus Seattle.
If trouble continues despite the ban, the program won't return in 2009.
"We're not going to tolerate that kind of behaviour," Godfrey said before Wednesday's contest. "You don't associate that with Toronto and you don't associate that with this ball park. It's not going to continue."
There were also several melees in the stands during Friday night's home opener against Boston, video of which has found its way on to YouTube. About 100 fans were ejected that night and another 100 fans were tossed Tuesday.
Both times the trouble was in the upper 500 level of the Rogers Centre and was "alcohol related" according to Godfrey.
"It's really unfortunate some fans feel like it's a night club here," he said. "The few can always ruin it for the majority."
Aside from cutting off alcohol sales in the designated sections, the Blue Jays also plan to increase the amount of security in the stands and pat down some fans to prevent the smuggling of hard liquor and beer into the stadium.
Godfrey said the smuggling in of alcohol was a big problem, preventing beer vendors from using their judgment to cut off inebriated and/or belligerent fans.
He's hoping common sense prevails and that fans behave so the $2 Tuesdays promotion can continue, but won't allow troublemakers to harm the game experience for families.
"If it continues to cause our fans who are interested in baseball a disturbance or a certain enjoyment of the game, then I'll seriously consider scrapping the $2 program entirely," he said. "It's unfortunate, because it's a good way to attract people, but we're not going to tolerate that."
Team president Paul Godfrey watched the fights from his private box during Tuesday's 9-8 loss to Oakland and decided immediately that alcohol sales would be barred from the $2 sections for the three remaining promo dates this season: May 6 versus Tampa Bay, May 20 versus the Angels, and June 10 versus Seattle.
If trouble continues despite the ban, the program won't return in 2009.
"We're not going to tolerate that kind of behaviour," Godfrey said before Wednesday's contest. "You don't associate that with Toronto and you don't associate that with this ball park. It's not going to continue."
There were also several melees in the stands during Friday night's home opener against Boston, video of which has found its way on to YouTube. About 100 fans were ejected that night and another 100 fans were tossed Tuesday.
Both times the trouble was in the upper 500 level of the Rogers Centre and was "alcohol related" according to Godfrey.
"It's really unfortunate some fans feel like it's a night club here," he said. "The few can always ruin it for the majority."
Aside from cutting off alcohol sales in the designated sections, the Blue Jays also plan to increase the amount of security in the stands and pat down some fans to prevent the smuggling of hard liquor and beer into the stadium.
Godfrey said the smuggling in of alcohol was a big problem, preventing beer vendors from using their judgment to cut off inebriated and/or belligerent fans.
He's hoping common sense prevails and that fans behave so the $2 Tuesdays promotion can continue, but won't allow troublemakers to harm the game experience for families.
"If it continues to cause our fans who are interested in baseball a disturbance or a certain enjoyment of the game, then I'll seriously consider scrapping the $2 program entirely," he said. "It's unfortunate, because it's a good way to attract people, but we're not going to tolerate that."
