It is not enough that we have to be careful concerning foul ball, hockey pucks, drunk fans, etc.... This is the second major escalator incident in baseball in the past couple years. An escalator incident in Colorado injured around 15 fans several years ago. Accident will happen and the same accident could have happened at a hotel, airport, or mall. However, those incidents rarely make it onto the front pages of the paper. see the story below...
Gil-
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Updated: December 30, 5:17 PM ET
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3173382
Seven injured in escalator malfunction at Giants Stadium
Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Three people remained hospitalized Sunday after being injured when an escalator malfunctioned Saturday night at Giants Stadium after the Patriots' 38-35 victory over the Giants gave New England a 16-0 regular season.
The escalator at Gate A apparently failed at the bottom steps, state police Lt. Jim Crann said. The escalator runs from the stadium's upper tier to the ground level, and Crann said it appeared that some bottom steps became bent, causing some fans to sustain foot and leg injuries.
Seven people were injured, according to James Minish, executive vice president of facilities for the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, which operates the stadium. Two of the seven were treated at the stadium, he said.
Five people were taken to Hackensack University Medical Center after the game, according to hospital spokeswoman Nancy Radwin.
Two of the five were treated and released and the other three were still hospitalized Sunday afternoon. Radwin declined to give specific details on their conditions, citing hospital policy.
One of the injured fans appeared to have a fractured leg, Minish said, while others had scrapes and bruises.
"The elevator apparently started running fast" Minish said, adding that all of the stadium's escalators were turned off after the incident.
The accident was similar to one that occurred in July 2003 at Denver's Coors Field. A descending escalator suddenly sped up after a Colorado Rockies game, throwing fans into a pile. Dozens of people were injured, and some needed surgery.
At Giants Stadium on Sunday, the escalator to the upper tier was blocked off, forcing fans going to the New York Jets-Kansas City Chiefs game to take an escalator from ground level to the mezzanine and then walk to the upper tier.
Minish said the escalators were scheduled to be checked Monday by state inspectors under the auspices of the Department of Community Affairs.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
College Stadium Safety
I have stated on numerous occasions that there will probably be a terrorist attack at a sporting event sometime in the near future. The following article highlights this concern as well.
Security experts worry about safety at college stadiums
By CHRIS TALBOTT, Associated Press Writer December 25, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) -- After more than a decade in counterterrorism, Jim McGee can no longer relax and enjoy watching a sports event.
The fans look like potential victims of terrorism to the former FBI agent turned college instructor. The players are possible targets and the security gaps are easy to detect.
"It's always in the back of my mind, even when I'm watching them on TV," McGee said. "You're kind of looking at things. The thing is if I can sit there or any spectator can sit there, and think, 'Hmmm, that doesn't look right,' that's probably a little bit of a risk there."
It was long McGee's job to worry about security at stadiums and arenas. Now, as part of the University of Southern Mississippi's Center for Spectator Sports Security Management, it's his job to teach others the concerns that face event managers in the post-9/11 era.
While professional leagues and NASCAR appear to be taking security seriously, officials worry enough isn't being done at college sports events.
Those contacted about the issue believe it's only a matter of time before another domestic or international terrorist attack targets a sports event. This time of year is especially worrisome because of all the high-profile games during bowl season.
Bill Flynn, head of Homeland Security's protective security coordination division, said stadiums and arenas are "a concern, something that we want to pay attention to. Why? Because we've seen attacks overseas in resorts, hotels and arenas, so obviously while al-Qaida and the terrorists have attempted to hit hard targets like refineries, soft targets and commercial facilities become more of a target of opportunity."
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said basic procedures followed by professional sports security managers aren't followed by all colleges, leaving vulnerable those who cut corners because of cost or other reasons.
"What we found is that there's a need for athletic administrators, campus police, emergency medical service, for all those people to have training," Thompson said.
The Southern Miss program is beginning to fill that need. The security management program, created in October 2005, is believed to be the only program of its kind in the nation and is offered as part of the sports management master's degree program. The school recently won a $3.5 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security to conduct 95 training seminars around the nation to train and certify security professionals.
The program's director, Lou Marciani, said there are significant research opportunities for students in the program, and qualified security professionals are in demand across the country. The school also can help certify retiring federal agents and military personnel for second-career security jobs in the private sector.
Marciani said the center's research quickly showed that college sports events were among the most vulnerable, with hundreds of venues, varying security emphasis and a high emotional impact. More than 48 million people attend at least one NCAA football game a season, offering an easy target.
Researchers discovered most schools had never conducted an emergency evacuation drill or a threat assessment.
By far the largest variable, however, was training. Law enforcement and private security guards aren't the only employees in need of training for a venue to be safe. Everyone from ticket takers and ushers to the people approving credentials must be vigilant.
"In our lifetime you saw Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts being ushers," Marciani said. "The new usher is the first responder. Big difference, huh? Sixty-two percent of NCAA schools use an outsource company to manage their security. So the question is, 'Who are these people coming in to manage their security?"'
NCAA officials turned down repeated requests to discuss the issue, even in the broadest terms.
Marciani said certification of credentialing processes, stadiums and risk management plans will quickly harden so-called "soft targets." But one factor that will continue to limit security is money for operations, physical protection equipment and vulnerability assessments.
The best security plans include a buffer zone around the stadium or arena, a hard shell at the fence and enough personnel inside the facility to divide the crowd into small groups for easier monitoring.
As fans filtered into M.M. Roberts Stadium for a Southern Miss game this season, Marciani gestured toward the stands and talked about some of the security features. He said each section has its own observer, and security supervisors oversee three sections each.
An emergency operations center is run by the school police and everyone is patched into the communications network for quick response.
The precautions seem standard, but surprisingly are not universal.
"Some stadiums aren't fortunate enough to attract 30,000," Marciani said. "Some only attract 17,000. So where are you going to get the money to offset the black hole called security? People don't see security, so they don't want to spend money on security."
There have been very few terrorist attacks on sports or entertainment events on U.S. soil. The most prominent was Eric Rudolph's attack at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta to protest abortion.
Several security professionals said the Virginia Tech killings and the murders of Mississippi and Memphis athletes this year helped push security into a new light.
Marciani said security leaders understand it takes only one person not checking bags or one credential handed out to someone posing as a media member to create a hole in the net. Or worse, they worry about someone with security clearance working in tandem on a major attack.
"You have to be a hell of a lot more careful about who's delivering the truckload of Coke in the afternoon," said Mike Cleary, executive director of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
Updated on Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007 4:02 pm, EST
Security experts worry about safety at college stadiums
By CHRIS TALBOTT, Associated Press Writer December 25, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) -- After more than a decade in counterterrorism, Jim McGee can no longer relax and enjoy watching a sports event.
The fans look like potential victims of terrorism to the former FBI agent turned college instructor. The players are possible targets and the security gaps are easy to detect.
"It's always in the back of my mind, even when I'm watching them on TV," McGee said. "You're kind of looking at things. The thing is if I can sit there or any spectator can sit there, and think, 'Hmmm, that doesn't look right,' that's probably a little bit of a risk there."
It was long McGee's job to worry about security at stadiums and arenas. Now, as part of the University of Southern Mississippi's Center for Spectator Sports Security Management, it's his job to teach others the concerns that face event managers in the post-9/11 era.
While professional leagues and NASCAR appear to be taking security seriously, officials worry enough isn't being done at college sports events.
Those contacted about the issue believe it's only a matter of time before another domestic or international terrorist attack targets a sports event. This time of year is especially worrisome because of all the high-profile games during bowl season.
Bill Flynn, head of Homeland Security's protective security coordination division, said stadiums and arenas are "a concern, something that we want to pay attention to. Why? Because we've seen attacks overseas in resorts, hotels and arenas, so obviously while al-Qaida and the terrorists have attempted to hit hard targets like refineries, soft targets and commercial facilities become more of a target of opportunity."
U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said basic procedures followed by professional sports security managers aren't followed by all colleges, leaving vulnerable those who cut corners because of cost or other reasons.
"What we found is that there's a need for athletic administrators, campus police, emergency medical service, for all those people to have training," Thompson said.
The Southern Miss program is beginning to fill that need. The security management program, created in October 2005, is believed to be the only program of its kind in the nation and is offered as part of the sports management master's degree program. The school recently won a $3.5 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security to conduct 95 training seminars around the nation to train and certify security professionals.
The program's director, Lou Marciani, said there are significant research opportunities for students in the program, and qualified security professionals are in demand across the country. The school also can help certify retiring federal agents and military personnel for second-career security jobs in the private sector.
Marciani said the center's research quickly showed that college sports events were among the most vulnerable, with hundreds of venues, varying security emphasis and a high emotional impact. More than 48 million people attend at least one NCAA football game a season, offering an easy target.
Researchers discovered most schools had never conducted an emergency evacuation drill or a threat assessment.
By far the largest variable, however, was training. Law enforcement and private security guards aren't the only employees in need of training for a venue to be safe. Everyone from ticket takers and ushers to the people approving credentials must be vigilant.
"In our lifetime you saw Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts being ushers," Marciani said. "The new usher is the first responder. Big difference, huh? Sixty-two percent of NCAA schools use an outsource company to manage their security. So the question is, 'Who are these people coming in to manage their security?"'
NCAA officials turned down repeated requests to discuss the issue, even in the broadest terms.
Marciani said certification of credentialing processes, stadiums and risk management plans will quickly harden so-called "soft targets." But one factor that will continue to limit security is money for operations, physical protection equipment and vulnerability assessments.
The best security plans include a buffer zone around the stadium or arena, a hard shell at the fence and enough personnel inside the facility to divide the crowd into small groups for easier monitoring.
As fans filtered into M.M. Roberts Stadium for a Southern Miss game this season, Marciani gestured toward the stands and talked about some of the security features. He said each section has its own observer, and security supervisors oversee three sections each.
An emergency operations center is run by the school police and everyone is patched into the communications network for quick response.
The precautions seem standard, but surprisingly are not universal.
"Some stadiums aren't fortunate enough to attract 30,000," Marciani said. "Some only attract 17,000. So where are you going to get the money to offset the black hole called security? People don't see security, so they don't want to spend money on security."
There have been very few terrorist attacks on sports or entertainment events on U.S. soil. The most prominent was Eric Rudolph's attack at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta to protest abortion.
Several security professionals said the Virginia Tech killings and the murders of Mississippi and Memphis athletes this year helped push security into a new light.
Marciani said security leaders understand it takes only one person not checking bags or one credential handed out to someone posing as a media member to create a hole in the net. Or worse, they worry about someone with security clearance working in tandem on a major attack.
"You have to be a hell of a lot more careful about who's delivering the truckload of Coke in the afternoon," said Mike Cleary, executive director of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
Updated on Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007 4:02 pm, EST
Sunday, December 16, 2007
What were they thinking
Steiner Sports ran the following ad through their email marketing effort. The next day they apologized for the ads. Al Carbone submitted the ad to me so thank you for letting me know about it.
Special Value on item(s) featured above expires at 11:59pm ET on Wednesday December 12, 2007 or while supplies last.If you purchase an autographed baseball tonight and that player's name shows up on the Mitchell Report tomorrow, you will be contacted by a Steiner Sports representative informing you that you have won a FREE $50 online gift certificate. Please allow up to 2 weeks for your gift certificate to be e-mailed.
Gil-
Special Value on item(s) featured above expires at 11:59pm ET on Wednesday December 12, 2007 or while supplies last.If you purchase an autographed baseball tonight and that player's name shows up on the Mitchell Report tomorrow, you will be contacted by a Steiner Sports representative informing you that you have won a FREE $50 online gift certificate. Please allow up to 2 weeks for your gift certificate to be e-mailed.
Gil-
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Baseball Scandal
The news could not be good for MLB. Real names, real stories, real heroes, and now real villains. Will baseball or any other sport gain the full faith and trust of the American viewing public? Should that make all sports suspect? Can fans sue claiming that they bought tickets for a fraud? A recent case involving an auto race showed that this type of claim would be hard to win. A fan bought a ticket for a race, but many of the top name drivers did not attend, even though tickets were purchased under the assumption that the drivers will be there. The fan sued and the court threw it out saying that they bought a ticket for an entertainment event, regardless of who was driving, it was still a race. Similarly, regardless of who was playing, or how drugged up they were, fans still saw a baseball game.
Gil-
Gil-
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
MSG troubles
Madison Square Gardens, the Knicks, and Isiah Thomas settled the sexual harassment case against them for $11.5 million. This amount is $100,000 less than the punitive damage claim awarded against the defendants. The defendants are claiming that they wanted to get the incident behind them so they could focus on basketball operations, but they probably realized that they would not be successful in overturning the award and that a court would probably not reduce the award for being excessive. While I am glad that the victim will be compensated, I am also concerned about the future of women in the sport industry. The good old boys network has not changed for years. Yes, more women are getting into sports and are advancing into the management realm. However, the industry suffers from many stereotypes about women in sports and when women fight back, as in this case, it sometimes retrenches some of the same discriminatory habits in the industry. I hope the fear of facing similar claims will not deter other sport organizations from hiring and promoting qualified candidates.
Gil-
Gil-
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Foul Ball
A recent CT court decision has limited the application of the limited duty rule. The limited duty rule means that a baseball club/stadium should not be liable for a fan injured by a foul ball landing in the stands if the facility screened the most dangerous part of the park (behind home plate is what the courts; claim is the most dangerous area), and provide enough screened seats for those who would reasonable want to use such seats. I feel that such a rule is good, if the teams/facilities complied with the letter and spirit of the rule. The spirit of the law is that screens are there to protect fans and that there are some very dangerous areas in a ball park that are often outside the reach of most safety nets. The first and third base lines are often the most dangerous areas, and they are rarely adequately protected. Even less protection is given to picnic areas. When a facility has fixed benches that face away from the action, it is hard to see how they can pay attention to the game when they are forced by the bench's position to be facing away from the field. This is even more dramatic when they have a table with their food on it so they have a reason not to watch the game. This is the factual issue in the CT case. The spectator was sitting in the picnic area when they were hit by a foul ball. They sued and the appellate court overturned the lower court's dismissal Isummary judgement) indicating that it should go to a jury whether the facility provided appropriate protection.
What do you think?
Gil-
What do you think?
Gil-
NCAA busted again
While the NCAA tries to do its best...it cannot seem to win...in court. While the NCAA has tried going after out of control boosters, that strategy seems to have backfired for a booster from Alabama. The NCAA penalized Alabama in 2002 and attacked boosters from the school. One of the primary boosters alleged to have given players money was a local business person. Even though he was not specifically named, it was implied and he was mentioned in subsequent news stories. This led to Alabama sending him a letter barring him from the athletic program. The businessman's business went south and he sued for millions of dollars claiming mental anguish, damage to his name, loss of some business deals, and punitive damages to punish the NCAA. An Alabama Jury agreed with him, but instead of awarding him the $33.5 million he sought, he was only awarded $5 million. The NCAA is trying to set the decision aside or will appeal the decision.
Gil-
Gil-
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