Around the NHL 2026 Offseason Edition

[Wyldnwoody44]

Lol, don't swear in front of the kids at an event where grown men knock each other's teeth out..... But then as soon as you're home, let them spend 7 hours on TikTok or insta or whatever; where they learn how to do any number of things that make swearing look like Sunday mass. Thank you Carolina for being the knight in shining armor 🙄 

[Porous Five Hole]

5 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Lol, don't swear in front of the kids at an event where grown men knock each other's teeth out..... But then as soon as you're home, let them spend 7 hours on TikTok or insta or whatever; where they learn how to do any number of things that make swearing look like Sunday mass. Thank you Carolina for being the knight in shining armor 🙄 

What?

Because hockey has fighting you should be able to be obscene in public in front of kids? And then because those same folks may be online watching garbage at home, then you should also be able to act a fool at the game? 
 

Gotta eyeroll you on that one. 

[shrader]

I like it, but good luck to them on that one. 

[That Aud Smell]

30 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

People think because they bought a ticket, they’re entitled to act any way they want (including behaving badly or using obscene language). 
 

No. There’s gotta be a social contract we all sign with each other to “be cool.”  Too many people just seem to refuse, so this is what happens. 

Well, here's what I'll say.

Last season, my seat neighbour at the Bills games rose to his feet and belted out a huge spontaneous "OHHHH F**K YOU, REF!" in response to a bad call that wiped out a big score for the home team.

We used to sit right by a tunnel in the 300s. There so happened to be an Erie County Sheriff's Deputy standing right there. So the cop asked my  friend to step into the concourse, where he was told he had to leave the stadium. He then did a mea culpa soft shoe and got his ass out of the jackpot.

That sort of thing is pure nonsense.

The kids sitting around us can certainly abide hearing a well placed, well deserved EFF YOU at the stadium.

Now. It's a different matter if my seat neighbour is saying to a nearby fan of the other team, "HEY, F**K YOU, PAL!" Or, maybe more likely, is shouting a taunt to a player from the other team "YOU F**KING SUCK, KELCE!"

[shrader]

10 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Well, here's what I'll say.

Last season, my seat neighbour at the Bills games rose to his feet and belted out a huge spontaneous "OHHHH F**K YOU, REF!" in response to a bad call that wiped out a big score for the home team.

We used to sit right by a tunnel in the 300s. There so happened to be an Erie County Sheriff's Deputy standing right there. So the cop asked my  friend to step into the concourse, where he was told he had to leave the stadium. He then did a mea culpa soft shoe and got his ass out of the jackpot.

That sort of thing is pure nonsense.

The kids sitting around us can certainly abide hearing a well placed, well deserved EFF YOU at the stadium.

Now. It's a different matter if my seat neighbour is saying to a nearby fan of the other team, "HEY, F**K YOU, PAL!" Or, maybe more likely, is shouting a taunt to a player from the other team "YOU F**KING SUCK, KELCE!"

I think it's mostly about giving the team the excuse for when someone goes way over the top.  We have this policy, you agreed to it.  You're SOL buddy.

[Porous Five Hole]

Just now, shrader said:

I think it's mostly about giving the team the excuse for when someone goes way over the top.  We have this policy, you agreed to it.  You're SOL buddy.

I’m also reading between the lines on the new rule. Fan behavior is worse than ever and it isn’t just because we have social media now.  
 

To me, it’ll be used to enforce people behaving badly. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

42 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

What?

Because hockey has fighting you should be able to be obscene in public in front of kids? And then because those same folks may be online watching garbage at home, then you should also be able to act a fool at the game? 
 

Gotta eyeroll you on that one. 

Eye roll all you'd like, I'm used to it with the way I approach some things in life 😂 

Look, I'm not trying to swear AT the kids, actually I made it to my mid 40s without having kids; so I'm actively trying to ignore everyone's kids basically everywhere and I DO try to be the adult around them (most of the time) 😂

As mentioned upthread, people gonna cuss when yelling at the refs or etc etc. It's 20k people with alcohol involved, you want to throw anyone out causing an issue with a child, yep, do it. But if little Tommys dad 6 rows back gets offended because I said "That's some horse *****" maybe Tommys dad should reconsider where he's at. 

 

[That Aud Smell]

21 minutes ago, shrader said:

I think it's mostly about giving the team the excuse for when someone goes way over the top.  We have this policy, you agreed to it.  You're SOL buddy.

I'd hope so.

The problem comes when you have that segment of police officers and other rule enforcers who just love having and using a bit of power.

9 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

But if little Tommys dad 6 rows back gets offended because I said "That's some horse *****" maybe Tommys dad should reconsider where he's at. 

Parents like that can absolutely take a hike.

In the old place, we had a handful of seats near us that were regularly sold by the STH's. Whenever a dad/parents showed up with young kids, we'd have a welcoming conversation with him/them. We're regulars here. None of us are remotely blotto. We all have responsible day jobs. And we will likely be saying some sh1t during this game. You okay with that? (Please be okay with that.)

That happened at least 10 times over the years. We never had a problem.

The one time there was a problem was when Officer Friendly happened to be nearby and my friend got removed (but managed to talk his way back in).

[Taro T]

31 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’m also reading between the lines on the new rule. Fan behavior is worse than ever and it isn’t just because we have social media now.  
 

To me, it’ll be used to enforce people behaving badly. 

Wadr, IMHO, behavior ISN'T worse than ever.  The day the goal posts came down for the 1st time, a drunk got all into the face of a woman who was probably in her 40's who had the audacity to wave a Fishies pennant when the Fishies scored.  When she waved it a 2nd time, he came down, chewed her out again and broke the stick her pennant was on.

Couple of years later, stadium security saved the life of some Canadian Fishies fan that had his hat thrown over the top of the 300's as the crowd was close to sending him after the hat the quick way.  As security escorted him away from there, at least 6 people punched him in the back, 1 or 2 of them hitting him so hard the security guard on each arm could barely keep him standing as he walked down the steps.

Rarely see fights in the stands anymore.  Those used to be fairly common occurances.

And, though Sabres games were far tamer, still recall security clearing an entire section out behind the Bruins bench after the bench got uniformly drenched with beer.  And have seen a very few fights through the years at Phlyer & Loaf games.  Can't recall seeing a fight in the stands in at least 20 years.  So, in that regard, the behavior is actually better.  😉 

There's always been bad behavior.  Just what's considered acceptable and what's considered gauche has changed.

And, neither here nor there, but Carolina's management has always had a stick up its arse.

You shouldn't be swearing if kids are next to you.  But, you also are naive if you don't expect the kids to hear some words their mothers would be morified to learn that they actually heard at school before coming to the game.

[Porous Five Hole]

Just now, Taro T said:

Wadr, IMHO, behavior ISN'T worse than ever.  The day the goal posts came down for the 1st time, a drunk got all into the face of a woman who was probably in her 40's who had the audacity to wave a Fishies pennant when the Fishies scored.  When she waved it a 2nd time, he came down, chewed her out again and broke the stick her pennant was on.

Couple of years later, stadium security saved the life of some Canadian Fishies fan that had his hat thrown over the top of the 300's as the crowd was close to sending him after the hat the quick way.  As security escorted him away from there, at least 6 people punched him in the back, 1 or 2 of them hitting him so hard the security guard on each arm could barely keep him standing as he walked down the steps.

Rarely see fights in the stands anymore.  Those used to be fairly common occurances.

And, though Sabres games were far tamer, still recall security clearing an entire section out behind the Bruins bench after the bench got uniformly drenched with beer.  And have seen a very few fights through the years at Phlyer & Loaf games.  Can't recall seeing a fight in the stands in at least 20 years.  So, in that regard, the behavior is actually better.  😉 

There's always been bad behavior.  Just what's considered acceptable and what's considered gauche has changed.

And, neither here nor there, but Carolina's management has always had a stick up its arse.

You shouldn't be swearing if kids are next to you.  But, you also are naive if you don't expect the kids to hear some words their mothers would be morified to learn that they actually heard at school before coming to the game.

I agree that fan behavior at Bills games has gotten better over the years. But you focused too much on physical altercations.  My observations of overall fan behavior has gotten worse despite less punches thrown. 🤷‍♂️

[SabresFan69420]

Am I completely mistaken or hasn’t there been similar announcements in the arena before games? I could have sworn I’ve seen it in multiple arenas along the lines of “respect other fans and refrain from vulgar language”

 

mind you this would be an hour before a 6 person fight in the stand in Philly, so who knows 

[Taro T]

Just now, Porous Five Hole said:

I agree that fan behavior at Bills games has gotten better over the years. But you focused too much on physical altercations.  My observations of overall fan behavior has gotten worse despite less punches thrown. 🤷‍♂️

Will agree to disagree.  When's the last time you saw beer cups thrown onto the ice surface?  Used to happen far more often than it should've.  Almost never happens nowadays.

[Weave]

22 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Will agree to disagree.  When's the last time you saw beer cups thrown onto the ice surface?  Used to happen far more often than it should've.  Almost never happens nowadays.

Who’s gonna throw a $20 beer?  Throwing a beer used to be affordable protest.

[LTS]

2 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

People think because they bought a ticket, they’re entitled to act any way they want (including behaving badly or using obscene language). 
 

No. There’s gotta be a social contract we all sign with each other to “be cool.”  Too many people just seem to refuse, so this is what happens. 

It's pretty simple, "Don't be a dick." It's an easy principle to uphold. People know when they are being *****, it's generally not in question. They just don't care and do it anyway. Just to be a dick.

2 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Lol, don't swear in front of the kids at an event where grown men knock each other's teeth out..... But then as soon as you're home, let them spend 7 hours on TikTok or insta or whatever; where they learn how to do any number of things that make swearing look like Sunday mass. Thank you Carolina for being the knight in shining armor 🙄 

I think this is an argument many people make. However, they are unrelated. As far as Carolina is concerned, they are in the public eye and they have to keep that in mind as they navigate corporate policies. I don't think what a parent chooses to allow their child to do is the same thing. I get the sentiment. "They are going to hear it anyway."  That may be true, but for at least Carolina they are saying we won't condone it.

I do think the issue that gets lost on people is that these policies are CYA.  The policies usually have the most powerful word in the world in them "MAY".  As in, if you do something we "MAY" react in this way.

So, it's there because if they don't stipulate it and then they remove someone from the arena there is a basis to at least start a lawsuit.  The "I didn't know it was not allowed, they didn't say anything."

So now it's said.  It doesn't mean it will happen.

7 minutes ago, Weave said:

Who’s gonna throw a $20 beer?  Throwing a beer used to be affordable protest.

People throw jerseys on the ice in protest. They throw hats on the ice in celebration. Both of those cost more.

I think people put more value in the beer because it provides direct enjoyment (and in the case of a game where protest might be warranted, helps them cope). Whereas the jersey is a symbol of futility.

[Weave]

4 minutes ago, LTS said:

 

People throw jerseys on the ice in protest. They throw hats on the ice in celebration. Both of those cost more.

I think people put more value in the beer because it provides direct enjoyment (and in the case of a game where protest might be warranted, helps them cope). Whereas the jersey is a symbol of futility.

It was just a funny.

[LTS]

Just now, Weave said:

It was just a funny.

Yeah. I was not trying to critique and figured there was jesting in there. I just wanted to get to the point that people needed to keep their beer for self-medicating.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I wonder if an arena one day will decide, that's it, no alcohol sales. Maybe Utah lol. 

[shrader]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Will agree to disagree.  When's the last time you saw beer cups thrown onto the ice surface?  Used to happen far more often than it should've.  Almost never happens nowadays.

There’s more netting around the ice. The drunks don’t have good angles anymore.😁

[nfreeman]

OK, since the season starts tonight, based on poster requests, I am going to unpin this thread and will probably lock it at some point once the arena decorum conversation peters out.

FWIW, I think @shrader is correct that the policy isn't for the dude who lets out one loud BS call -- it's for the idiot who blasts away all game with much worse than that.

[SabresFan69420]

I really am surprised this is even viewed at controversial… similar language has been in the NHL fan code of conduct for a long time:

 

Respect: Fans are expected to show respect for the game-day experience of others. This includes by refraining from foul or obscene language or behavior and any other consistent and/or pervasive conduct that could negatively impact other fans' enjoyment of the game

[That Aud Smell]

22 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

OK, since the season starts tonight, based on poster requests, I am going to unpin this thread and will probably lock it at some point once the arena decorum conversation peters out.

LOCK THAT SH1T, HOMIE!

23 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

FWIW, I think @shrader is correct that the policy isn't for the dude who lets out one loud BS call -- it's for the idiot who blasts away all game with much worse than that.

perhaps the story of my beloved seat neighbour being collared by a militaristic sheriff's deputy is the exception that proves the rule.

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I agree that fan behavior at Bills games has gotten better over the years. But you focused too much on physical altercations.  My observations of overall fan behavior has gotten worse despite less punches thrown. 🤷‍♂️

There are many reasons I don't go to Bills games anymore after having season tickets for about a decade. Many reasons.  But fan behavior is one of them.

I just don't need to be around the guy next to me yelling stupid stuff all game, the people to my right swearing every other word, the guy behind me smelling like weed, and the one to the left of me spilling his beer everywhere.  Maybe that is an exageration of all of it happening at once, but if even one of those things happen...whatever, I could watch the game at home just as well.