Increase in ejections, disruptive behavior worries officials
Years of feisty student rivalry between CU and CSU students and an increase in bad behavior among fans has some concerned for the upcoming football game on Saturday.
Tim McGraw of CU’s department of safety said that over the last decade, the number of instances at Folsom Field where the police have had to step in has escalated.
“At the Montana (State) versus CU game this last Saturday, we had 54 ejections. Compare that to 10 years ago, in 1996, we had 61 ejections for the entire year,” McGraw said.
The CU police and head football coach Dan Hawkins are asking all CU and CSU fans to be safe and abide by Invesco Field’s and the universities’ rules at the CU versus CSU game Saturday.
According to the CU Police Department, prideful students in the past have taken part in disruptive behavior, including arguing with and assaulting fans of the opposing team.
A 2005 press release from the university listed objects banned from CU football games to ensure safety.
According to the news release, “banned materials include alcoholic beverages, cans, glass bottles, ice chests or liquid containers that are a gallon or more in size. . Whole fruit, marshmallows and other items that might injure other people, if thrown, also have been banned.”
In the past, authorities have had problems with fans stuffing quarters and stones into marshmallows to throw at other fans, and alcohol consumption has often been a factor.
“Alcohol is a common denominator of the problems we have at our football games,” said McGraw.
CU and CSU are working together to keep the game clean. Anyone that is obviously intoxicated will be ejected, along with those threatening the safety of the crowd.
“I personally have never seen physical violence at one of the games,” said Ashleigh Miller, a junior business major.
“The game against CSU is going to be intense no matter what. As long as there isn’t a physical attack on one particular individual, I think everything will be fine,” Miller said.
According to CU, those caught attempting to threaten the safety of students, coaches, players, referees or any other individuals could lose the privilege of attending any other football games this season.
“There are definitely going to be some fights on game day,” said Brooke Burgner, a junior pre-communication major.
“Alcohol and school pride are just not a good combination. If there is one CSU fan sitting in a pool of CU fans, for example, and CSU scores, that person is likely to get verbally attacked. Verbal attacks happen every year,” Burgner said.
More information on rules and regulations surrounding football games can be found at www.cubuffs.com.
