How far should security go at sporting events?

By
JIM CAPLE via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
May 24, 2015, 1:29 PM ET
5 min read

— -- PARIS -- Once, when the Minnesota Twins were playing the Seattle Mariners in the Kingdome, a fan climbed over the fence onto the field near the left-field line. He wandered slowly and made it all the way to center fielder Kirby Puckett and asked Puck to sign the bill of his cap. The fan then walked back to the stands, climbed back over the fence and sat down in his seat. And he did it all without a single security guard attempting to stop him.

I was reminded of this Sunday when a fan ran onto Court Philippe Chatrier and tried to get a photo with tennis legend  Roger Federer after his straight-sets victory against Alejandro Falla. Federer was not happy about the incident. After all, a couple of fans also wandered onto a court where he was practicing Saturday. That doesn't help make a player feel safe.

Perhaps Federer's scariest incident came six years ago, when a fan stormed the court during the French Open, waved a flag and then tried to put a scarf on Federer's head.

"When people jump on the tennis court or the soccer field, it feels like the security must be tougher," Falla said. "Lately, nothing serious has happened to a player or an athlete, but one day something bad can happen. Like what happened to Monica Seles. You never know what the crazy people are going to jump on the court."

These things happen in sports. Protesters briefly interrupted the 2015 Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, and others did so here during the 2013 final between Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer.

Those were political protests, but like Sunday, usually the fan is either drunk or just plain stupid. Usually, nothing bad happens much beyond those two fans permanently ruining Hank Aaron's 715th home run video by circling the bases with him.

The security guards normally chase down the fans, remove them from the field (players told me in the past that they saw security officers rough up a culprit pretty good) and sometimes arrest them.

That was the case Sunday. The fan, who did not try to hurt Federer in any way, was quickly escorted from the court.

Ernests Gulbis said he wasn't too concerned about player safety: "If it's somebody big, I might run, but if it's somebody small I might stay." There are the rare occasions when something very bad does happen. Seles was infamously knifed in the back by a fan in 1993. She missed two years recovering and never quite returned to her old form. Two drunk fans attacked first base coach Tom Gamboa at Comiskey Park in 2002, punching him several times before security guards stopped them.

A look at other fan-related incidents at sporting events:

  • 2014: Fan runs onto field and tries to hug Derek Jeter.
  • 2013: Fan with a flare goes onto court during final of French Open.
  • 2009: Fan waves flag in front of Federer and grabs him at Roland Garros.
  • 2007: James Patterson tackles a fan who ran onto the field at a Steelers game.
  • 2002: Two drunk fans attack first-base coach Tom Gamboa in Chicago.
  • 1993: Fan knifes Monica Seles in the back in Hamburg.
  • 1976: Rick Monday stops two fans from setting a U.S. flag on fire at Dodger Stadium.

    • Federer said that something needs to be done quickly: "We need to make sure that it's safe out there and people don't just wander on the court like a free pass."

    He's right about that, but the key is how far should security go? There isn't much space between the players and the spectators in tennis, so a drunk/crazed fan can get to an athlete very quickly. But you don't want to ruin the atmosphere for everyone by putting up moats and wire fences.

    "Maybe having more security people on the court covering the whole area." Falla said. "I wouldn't put a fence or something up. That's crazy, but you can have more security guards."

    That makes good sense. But again, you don't want to overdo it. Earlier in the day, I watched Andrea Petkovic leave her practice court and get swamped by fans requesting selfies with her. Although recovering from injury, she graciously complied, smiling and posing happily with fan after fan.

    You don't want to lose that fan experience. But you also need to keep the athletes safe. The key is to react properly enough but not overreact as we too often do these days. Station a few more guards and have them keep their eyes peeled at all times. And maybe add metal scanners at entrances, as NFL and Major League Baseball teams do to lessen the chances of a weapon being brought inside.

    Roland Garros security oddly electronically swipes credentials when media members  leave the grounds. Perhaps it can be a little more observant when people are still on the grounds.