Death of the Fan

It's easy to reminisce about a time not so long ago,when families piled into the stationwagon and trekked to the stadium,hoping to get a glimpse of greatness, history even. Today though it seems as if the greatness of the game has been relegated to the back burner in favor of the "who's in now player". So it should come as no surprise that legions of families lack the intestinal fortitude or the financial ineptitude necessary to enjoy our favorite pastimes as we did in years gone by.

I remember as a young father just over 15 years ago taking my family to a football game and although we didn't have the best seats in the house the three of us watched the game from a great vantage point for under $100.00 Not so anymore,with unforgivable salaries, $11.00 beers and parking costs as high as a ticket to the venue, you had better have some monumental portfolio numbers in order to enjoy the game today.

The expectation of the true fan used to be about their connection with the sport yet somehow we have become disjointed more aptly put"jilted."

Our failure to hold accountable these clubs who feel obliged to print currency at the patrons expense has cost us much more than an affordable afternoon out,it has at times cost us our safety, as unruly and unwelcome clans of miscreants foul the experience for us too. With only the need for an excuse to get drunk in public and harass opposing fans, the new seat fillers have no need for connection and thus by spending thousands of dollars to attend feel entitled to behave in any manner they see fit,as evidenced by the recent shooting at Candlestick Park and the beating several months back at Dodger stadium. The true loss is in the exclusivity of a release that was founded on inclusion. So where do we go now?