Paper 2 - Spectator Behaviour Flashcards
What is home-field advantage?
Gaining an advantage in a sporting event from being in familiar surroundings, with the majority of the spectators supporting you.
What are the positive influences of spectators?
Create an energetic atmosphere.
Source of revenue
Give the performers we support a home-field advantage.
Increase the profile of a sport.
What are the negative influences of spectators?
Can have a negative effect on the performance of the performers we support because of the pressure we pile on.
Can scare off younger performers, reducing the number of younger performers that take part in events with big crowds.
Can cause crowd trouble and even hooliganism.
Can cost a lot of money to manage large rowdy crowds and ensure they stay safe.
What is hooliganism?
The disorderly, aggressive and often violent behaviour by spectators at sporting events.
What are the reasons behind hooliganism?
- Rivalries between opposing groups of supporters.
- Media hype about the importance of a particular match, which can whip up supporters, antagonise them and incite them to behave badly.
- The influence of alcohol and drugs.
- The links between groups of supporters and gang culture.
- Frustration - official make a decision supporters disagree with/players doing something they don’t like.
- Displays of ‘masculinity’, with hooligans kicking, punching and shouting, to impress others.
What are the strategies to reduce hooliganism and bad behaviour?
Education spectators Early kick-offs All-seater stadia Segregation of fans Improved security Alcohol restriction Travel restrictions and banning orders
What is meant by educating spectators?
Promotional campaigns and high-profile endorsements from performers help educate supporters, encouraging good behaviour and condemning hooliganism.
What is meant by an early kick-off?
To reduce the amount of alcohol consumed before a match.
What is meant by all-seater stadia?
They were introduced as a result of the Taylor inquiry following the Hillsborough disaster.
Supporters were crushed to death because to many people were let in to one part of the stadium.
With a set amount of seats this cant happen.
What is meant by segregation of fans?
Rival supporters are now kept apart, in separate areas of the stadium.
Often, the away fans are escorted to a stadium by police and kept behind after the game finishes to allow the home fans to leave the venue.
What is meant by improved security?
Including video surveillance, searching supporters entering the stadium and large numbers of stewards who constantly monitor supporters throughout the match.
What is meant by alcohol restrictions?
Alcohol may be strictly controlled or banned altogether, depending on the sport and the stadium.
What is meant by travel restrictions and banning orders?
Known troublemakers can be banned from attending one or more matches or travelling to away games, particularly if they are abroad.
One of the most extreme sanctions the authorities can impose is that the game is played behind closed doors, which means no supporters at all are allowed to attend and the match is played in an empty stadium.
