Why Can’t Fans Let Players Play?
Jun 6, 2019, 5:22 PM
Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors argues with Warriors minority investor Mark Stevens (blue shirt) after Lowry chased down a loose ball in the second half against the Golden State Warriors during Game Three of the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 05, 2019 in Oakland, California. According to to the Warriors, Stevens will not be in attendance for the remainder of the NBA Finals as they look further into the incident. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The old fashion way of attending sporting events was simple. Show up to the game, sit in your seats, enjoy snacks and watch the game with family and friends.
That’s not the case anymore.
The latest incident happened during Game 3 of the NBA Finals as Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry was trying to save the ball from going out of bounds. He landed in the front row on the sideline and fell on a couple of fans. As he was getting up, a fan pushed Lowry and cursed at him repeatedly.
The fan was ejected from the game. Later finding out that the fan that interacted with Lowry was Golden State Warriors investor Mark Stevens.
League commissioner Adam Silver has issued a $500,000 fine and banned him for one year from all Warriors games.
Golden State and the NBA announced that Warriors investor Mark Stevens has been banned for a year and fined $500,000 for pushing and directing obscene language at Kyle Lowry in Game 3. pic.twitter.com/tAGDN5yire
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 6, 2019
Let The Players Play
Why have fans gone away from just enjoying the game regardless of outcome? Obviously, not everyone, but why do things have to be unnecessarily escalated to another level? That’s the million dollar question. Not really sure why fans take the game more seriously than the players who are competing on the floor.
Could it be that they want all of this attention on TV and social media whether it is negative or not?
I believe that’s not the case with this latest incident. People seem to get more passionate about their team, especially playing for a championship. When things don’t go their way for their team, it makes them more upset, because everyone wants a championship for their favorite team.
Regardless, there is no place in the sports and entertainment business to have fans put their hands on athletes, or anyone for that matter.
Incident In Salt Lake City
There was an incident in Utah during a Utah Jazz game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Vivint Smart Home Arena, involving a Jazz fans yelling racial comments to Thunder guard Russell Westbrook.
Many fans and players around the country expressed their opinion of how players are being treated in the NBA. The Jazz placed a permanent ban for the fan at all events at the arena.
We could have avoided all of these incidents by doing one simple thing. Just watching a game and being a fan.
