For those who can’t seem to keep their language clean, their hands to themselves and all other objects in their possession under control, universities are forced to create behavior policies for spectator events. No need to complain about ridiculous rules, because “ridiculous” should be saved for the behavior that requires such policies to be created. It is expected that universities across the country will need to release policies and statements about conduct at sporting events for fans and athletes.

The following sample public policy and statement (Public Relations Professionals can help with this) would apply to all NCAA sports programs whose goal is to insure packed, not boycotted, sports venues:

To our Fans, Visitors and Athletes

We deeply appreciate your attendance at [SCHOOL] athletic events. Your attendance is important to athletes, coaches and our university. Every individual helps create an exciting and unforgettable sporting experience.

Creating a safe, fun and enjoyable atmosphere for athletic competition has been and continues to be the goal of [            SCHOOL]. Such competition builds school spirit and builds character as athletes strive for excellence on the field or on the court. Welcoming visitors to our campus for these fierce competitions is a vital component of this effort. Treating our guests with respect creates ambassadors for this school and our community that greatly assist in making our university great well into the future.

In keeping with this commitment, any fan attending a [SCHOOL] athletic event, may text [TEXT NUMBER] to report a health emergency or security issue before, during or after the game. Any security concern will be investigated immediately. After assessing the situation according to policies posted at all sporting venues and on [SCHOOL]’s Web site, offending fans may be escorted from the facility.

[SCHOOL] prescribes to a zero tolerance policy for intoxication, extreme verbal abuse, or any physical abuse of another fan. For details regarding this policy, see [WEBSITE].

We encourage you to continuing assisting all the games you can in support of [SCHOOL] athletics. Thank you for providing a competitive atmosphere at [SCHOOL].

Sincerely,

[SCHOOL]

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This entry was posted on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 at 12:29 am and is filed under PR Strategy, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.