Fan Etiquette: When It’s OK To Stand Up At A Sporting Event

Thursday was the start of college football season, and given my slight (read: incurable) football addiction, I found myself wandering to the Ticketmaster web site.

The next thing you know, I had canceled dinner with a friend, dropped everything, driven 100 miles and was sitting near the top of the Williams-Brice Stadium upper deck for the Southern Miss-South Carolina game.

Ahhhhhh...football! It felt great. I didn’t even care who was playing; I just wanted to see one of the first kickoffs of the season. I also witnessed what was probably the first fan ejection of the season.

Shortly into the first quarter, about five rows in front of me, a woman in her late 20s with dark brown hair and a defiant posture stood up and never sat back down.

No one else was standing up in any nearby section or row and it wasn’t a big moment in the game. Yet when the people behind her asked if she wouldn’t mind sitting down, she turned around and snapped at them.

Then it started to get ugly.

Other people jumped to the defense of their fellow fans, advising this woman that she should sit down and stop blocking the view. She didn’t take kindly to their opinions, and instead decided to take on all comers. Mouthing off to people behind her, to the side of her and even in front of her, she kept right on standing, an immovable force.

You may have seen this type of person before: They won’t listen to anyone, must get their way, have a nasty attitude toward others. Not exactly a Southern belle.

She had suddenly brought so much hate upon herself from her fellow Gamecock fans, she might as well have been wearing a Clemson shirt.

Her poor date wouldn’t intervene, remaining seated with his head down, looking embarrassed. So a few women sitting nearby decided to take action. They alerted one of the old yellow-shirted stadium ushers, who hobbled up the stairs with an expression of disbelief that said, ’Already?’

His expression changed when the non-belle began mouthing off to him, too. He retreated and, soon after, two police officers arrived and removed her from the section, walking her down the aisle as she continued to make her opinion heard.

Everyone paying attention to the scene burst into cheers at the sight of her removal, since rarely do you get to see someone be a menace and get their comeuppance all in one football quarter (her date, by the way, waited a few minutes and then sheepishly followed her out of the section).

However, this seemed to spark some worry among other fans. An older gentleman in front of me turned around and warned in a thick Southern accent, “I’m likely to be doin’ some standing, now. Just want y’all to know so you don’t turn me in.”

Of course, that was no problem. Standing up at games is part of the experience. Clearly, though, there are appropriate times and inappropriate times. It got me thinking: What is the proper “Standing Etiquette” at sporting events? Perhaps with your feedback in the comments section below, we can make a good list.

Some ideas to get this started:

• It’s not OK to stand just because it’s your personal tradition or you think it’s good luck for your team. If the other 75,000 people are sitting down, don’t be a jerk.

• It is OK to stand before key situations (like a third down on defense or a restart for a NASCAR race), even if you’re one of the few. Maybe you’ll inspire your fellow fans to stand. But don’t stand longer than you need to if no one else is.

• It’s not OK to stand as the visitor in an opposing stadium and provoke the home fans. Well, maybe it’s technically OK, but we don’t recommend it, seeing as how you’re asking to get your ass kicked.

• It’s always OK to jump up and cheer whenever you feel like it; but you should probably sit back down after the play.

What other situations are OK to stand, and which ones aren’t?

Tell us in the comments section below.