Stereotypes are a part of society that we’re never going to get rid of. Some of them are more deserved than others, but the vast majority of them are based on ignorance. Of course, stereotypes aren’t just limited to race, ethnicity, or a person’s culture. A lot of times a person will make a judgment on what type of person somebody is based solely on which sports team that person roots for.
I know in Chicago that these stereotypes are very strong. When you tell somebody your a Cubs fan, they tend to assume you’re a yuppie who doesn’t actually care about baseball, and that you just want to get drunk and be part of a scene. If you tell them you’re a White Sox fan, they’ll assume you’re a hooligan because a few years ago a couple of morons decided to attack a first base coach.
In Los Angeles, the only stereotype you would tend to hear about Dodgers fans is that they always showed up late to games, and didn’t really care. It’s not exactly a damaging opinion, but things are starting to change in Chavez Ravine, as Dodger fans are beginning to develop a whole new reputation.
From the LOS ANGELES TIMES:
Many say it’s largely undeserved, and there is no disputing that security at the stadium has been up and arrests down. But even as they celebrate this season’s trip to the National League Championship Series — an unexpected run that could end with tonight’s Game 5 at the stadium — the Dodgers faithful remain blue over a perceived rise in booze-fueled hooliganism, a problem that team spokesman Charles Steinberg conceded “is not solved.”
“It is a high priority,” Steinberg said Tuesday. “It breaks your heart when the smallest of numbers seem to ruin it for some people.”
He added Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt are “focused” on ridding the stands of trouble-makers.
“It’s a family ownership and they want a family environment,” Steinberg said. “You don’t throw your hands in the air, and say, ‘Oh well?’ “
In truth, the Dodgers have increased security at the park in recent years, which has been very effective in cutting down arrests at games, but it hasn’t stopped the problem completely. There are still fights, and not coincidentally, most of them take place in the outfield where seats are cheaper and the beer flows freely.
Apparently things are so bad, that some of the cops who work the games said “I wouldn’t have my family here.”
That seems to be a bit of an overreaction to a couple of drunks getting into a fight, but hey, at least the cops are still letting people wear Dodgers gear. The same cannot be said for Big Wangs North Hollywood, a sports bar in, you guessed it, North Hollywood.
They won’t even let people come into the bar wearing a Dodgers hat, let alone a jersey or a jacket. Their reasoning is that a guy wearing a Dodgers hat started a fight in the bar last weekend, and now anybody who wears a Dodgers hat or other Dodgers apparel is a criminal.
Feel free to show up to the bar in a Phillies jersey tonight if you want, though. I’m sure that wouldn’t start a fight or anything.
It’s all pretty idiotic when you think about it. Both the behavior of some fans, and the reactions of the Dodgers and sports bars in the area. It doesn’t matter what sporting event you go to, or what you allow people to wear in your bar, when you mix a bunch of people and alcohol together, fights are going to happen.
An entire fan base should not be held responsible for the idiocy of some of it’s members.
1:19 pm on October 15th, 2008
Because Phillies, Red Sox and Rays fans would never stoop to such unruly behavior.
1:22 pm on October 15th, 2008
Pfft - amateurs.
1:24 pm on October 15th, 2008
Looks like Big Wangs North Hollywood won't be in business much longer.
1:30 pm on October 15th, 2008
Well, it's a good thing the Phillies almost have this series wrapped up, so they can save America from the horrors of these Dodger fan hooligans.
1:36 pm on October 15th, 2008
I blame Manny Ramirez. Dodgers fans are just trying to make him feel more at home by acting like Sox fans.
1:40 pm on October 15th, 2008
Oh yeah, because I never met a Yanks fan who wasn't courteous and polite and respectful of others.
Pot. Kettle. Black.
1:46 pm on October 15th, 2008
Beer has not been sold in the pavillions (outfield seats for people who don't know the stadium) for alomost 30 years thugs come drunk or bring in flasks and pour in the free flowing cokes(in RF) get some knowledge.
1:58 pm on October 15th, 2008
Gee, wonder where the Dodgers got the idea of waving white towels.
*cough*Twins*cough*Homer Hanky*cough*
2:00 pm on October 15th, 2008
Beer is sold in outfield pavillions. The Pavs are all you can eat now and there are fans drinking beer.
2:03 pm on October 15th, 2008
Good thing you got some knowledge.
2:09 pm on October 15th, 2008
dodgers fans are the worst of the worst. i live in l.a. and i'm not going to say it's a racial thing, but there is definitely stereotype that fits the description of these people causing trouble. most will be decked in dodgers or raiders gear and every game i've ever gone to there has been a fight or some sort of huge altercation. EVERY damn game! and when the mets come to town, you may as well be watching the game at a police station downtown.
2:11 pm on October 15th, 2008
L.A. fans are fairweather at best, criminals at worst.
2:21 pm on October 15th, 2008
I used to get comments like "what's that" when I wore my Rays jersey… until this month. Think Big Wangs will throw me out when I show up?
2:23 pm on October 15th, 2008
As long as you don't bring up the Dodgers, you should be fine.
2:58 pm on October 15th, 2008
What people won't talk about out loud is the element. D-L slyly did in his comments. Take a look at the people screaming and causing trouble - mexicans, or those of latin background. I've been to games where a group has verbally berated an 80-year old man because he was wearing a St. Louis Cardinals hat. I saw guy throw a coke from the upper deck at a Giants fan. I would never go to a game at Dodger Stadium if I didn't have to. I'd rather go the Anaheim, it's a much more pleasnt experience and the team is better.
3:30 pm on October 15th, 2008
I've sat in the cheap seats at Dodger Stadium, and I've seen a good number of white folks causing just as much drunken behavior as the "mexicans". I've also been in the pricier seats, and seen some "mexicans" there, and wouldn't you know it - they weren't screaming and throwing beers at other! How unlike them!
Go ahead and stay down in Anaheim - we don't want you and your racist attitude at our ballpark, either.
4:59 pm on October 15th, 2008
There's plenty of white, black, brown trash to go around for everyone at Dodger Stadium. Of course, that's BEHIND the Dodgers Berlin-style seating wall.
http://sportsbybrooks.com/brog-mister-frank-mccourt-tear-down-this-wall-19409
5:36 pm on October 15th, 2008
Sure, you say anything critical and you're a racist. Way to throw out that card. I married a Mexican woman, had a black man as my best man and speak Spanish but I'm a racist. You can look for other criteria but I stand by my stance. I too have seen white, blacks and browns acting abhorrently but the MAJORITY are latin. Fan behavior across the board has gotten worse because idiots believe that the purchase of a sporting event ticket gives them the right to get blind drunk and act as if there are no consequences. I've seen it at events across the country. Having been in Philly and LA for NLCS games it is much worse at Dodger Stadium. How about that? LA fans make Philly fans seem reasonable.
5:55 pm on October 15th, 2008
White, black, brown, yellow - isn't the most important color at Dodger Stadium blue? Can't we all just get along?
7:54 pm on October 15th, 2008
The thing the Dodgers bring to LA is cheap entertainment, that's why you are seeing these problems. If they raised ticket prices, violence would drop off (see less poor people).
As Eagles fans what happened when they moved from The Vet to The Linc. Huge difference.
9:14 pm on October 15th, 2008
The way things are looking right now - Phillies up 2-0 in the 3rd - no one's going to have to worry about drunk & disorderly Dodgers fans ruining the World Series.
9:15 pm on October 15th, 2008
Make that 3-0. So are the Phillies that good, or are the Dodgers that bad?
12:37 pm on October 17th, 2008
Further proof to my point
http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=765ef925-361b-4b7d-bd18-695ceb319c95